Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesEveryone has a bad day at the office.
Ian Stewart is no exception.
The Rockies third baseman was optioned to AAA Colorado Springs on Tuesday in a move that was, unfortunately, a long time coming.
Rockies brass is steadfast in saying that this is not a demotion for Stewart. Instead, they encourage him to view it as an opportunity to improve.
It's no secret that Stewart has been struggling lately. In 26 at-bats so far this season, Stewart is hitting a paltry .077 (that's just two hits for those of you doing the math at home) with just one stolen base. He doesn't have any other offensive stats, other than he's struck out 11 times.
Ouch.
If anyone embodies the work ethic that the Rockies promote, it's Stewart. Things just haven't clicked for him this season.
It doesn't help that he missed nearly half of spring training with a knee injury. He and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez collided in the outfield in the Rockies' first spring training game back on February 26th. After examination, trainers confirmed he had sprained his right knee.
He didn't see the field again until late March.
Jonathan Ferrey/Getty ImagesThat cost Stewart a lot of at-bats. The lack of playing time in Arizona showed from the very beginning. Stewart, who homered on Opening Day last year in Milwaukee and was one of the Rockies keys to a successful 2010, barely made the Opening Day roster this year.
Nearly three weeks after the Rockies opened the season, Stewart has just two hits.
Something had to give, and it finally did on Tuesday.
Manager Jim Tracy noted that he wanted Stewart to play in Colorado Springs for anywhere between two weeks to a month, to make up for the time lost during spring training. The hope is that Stewart will get his swing back against Triple-A pitching, have time to work on his mechanics and solve problems with his timing that have doomed his batting average this year.
The Rockies won't make another roster move until Thursday at the earliest, one day before they travel to Sun Life Stadium in Miami to face the Florida Marlins. The most likely move will be an infielder, such as Chris Nelson, Eric Young Jr. or Willy Taveras. Outfielders Cole Garner or Charlie Blackmon could also fill the spot come Thursday.
Pitcher Clayton Mortenson, who worked five scoreless innings of two-hit baseball in relief of Esmil Rogers against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, will remain with the team until then, though he is not available to pitch Tuesday night.
Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesThe Rockies want Stewart back as soon as possible.
Simply put, the team is better defensively with Stewart in the lineup. His glove is the best at third base the Rockies have seen since Vinny Castilla, a member of the famed Blake Street Bombers. Don't be surprised if he doesn't "arrive" like he was supposed to last year until 2012.
Why so long, you ask?
Look no further than catcher Chris Iannetta.
Iannetta was having an offensive year similar to Stewart's this year. He was sent down on April 29th, 2010 in an attempt to give him time to fix his mechanics. He did, and on May 25th, he was recalled. He played well throughout the rest of 2010, but because Miguel Olivo was swinging a better bat, he didn't get a chance to shine.
Much the same could happen with Stewart. Because the Rockies have Ty Wigginton and Jose Lopez to spell him at third, it's not unreasonable to think Stewart might not show his growth at the plate until the start of next season.
The key with Stewart is patience. As long as he's in a place where he can get constant at-bats, fix his timing and adjust his mechanics, he can thrive. Playing with the Sky Sox in Colorado Springs will help him do just that.
A few years ago, Stewart was hailed as the Rockies third baseman of the future.
It's coming soon, but it seems the future is still a little ways away.
Doug Pensinger/Getty ImagesDear Rockies Fan,
April 18th was very difficult. There's no two-ways about it. An 8-1 loss is tough to take, no matter who you are.
In the midst of this hard loss, there are a some things that bear repeating.
1. You're still 12-4, the best record in the Major Leagues.
2. You were facing the San Francisco Giants, who are still among the best in baseball, and are the defending World Champions. They won the title for a reason—there it was.
3. Not only were you playing the Giants, you were facing Tim Lincecum. Any way you look at it, he's good.
4. You're still three games up on the rest of the teams in the NL West.
5. Tomorrow's another day. You can't face Lincecum every day.
6. You didn't get no-hit. That always makes for a good day.
7. It's April. There's still plenty of time.
Fans, it's just one game. It's not the end of the world. Promise. There will be games when you fail to score a run until the eighth but there will also be games that you score eight runs in a single inning. Just take it in stride.
A word of warning, however. Expect the national media to jump on this. They'll call the Rockies frauds or nobodies or call the 12-3 start a fluke. Don't get frustrated by it. Yes, it's annoying because you, as fans, know the truth.
As a Rockies fan, however, you have to understand that this comes with the territory. Unless you're theYankees, Phillies, or Red Sox, it's going to happen. Get used to it and just shrug it off.
The Giants are tough, it's true. Realistically, it was improbable to expect the Rockies to sweep them, even at Coors. To be the World Champions, you have to win on the road. They did.
No matter how diehard of a fan you are, you have to be able to look at things objectively. Sometimes it's hard, and that's why we in the media are here—to serve as a nice barometer for your devout fanhood.
And there's nothing wrong with your fanhood.
There are still many facts that remain, even after a tough loss.
You're still 12-4, which is the single best April start ever for this club and still good enough for best record in baseball. For those counting, that's eight games over .500 in a month where two games under that mark is impressive (see 2010).
Not to mention you're also still three games up on the division. You've held onto that lead for almost two weeks now. That's never happened in club history.
The Giants are still one of the best teams in baseball. They're still a favorite to make it back to the postseason. While you may be favored to win your division, you can't afford to take the Giants lightly. There's a reason they won it all last year. They're still very, very good.
Lincecum was good. Like always.As if it wasn't enough that you were facing the Giants, you were also going up against Tim Lincecum. He's won two Cy Young awards for a reason. Granted he historically hasn't thrown well at Coors but it wasn't like another impressive outing wasn't unexpected and it wasn't all your fault—everyone has a bad day.
Suck it up, learn your lessons, and move on. Tomorrow's another day. You can't face him every day. Just go out there and take care of business.
Two more things that should make you feel slightly better about the loss. One, you didn't get no-hit. It wasn't looking good there for a while but your team—the team you've had faith in for so long—came through and, while they didn't win, they avoided a black mark on their record.
Two, it's still April. There is plenty of time for the team to get back into the swing of things.
Cheer up, Rockies fans. Don't abandon ship. Your team needs you to believe in them now more than ever. This isn't the end of 2011. In fact, if the team rebounds like you know they can, this could be the wake-up call they need to not let this happen again.
Sincerely,
Your friendly barometer
