Somebody forgot to tell Nolan Jones that the Rockies can’t hit away from Coors Field.
Entering Saturday’s game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, the rookie outfielder was slashing .285/.368/.536 with nine home runs on the road. Those numbers are on par with his home numbers: .284/.383/.503, eight home runs.
That balance is another reason why Jones gets my vote for Rockies MVP, beating out shortstop Ezequiel Tovar.
And while I’m certain that Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll will be named the National League rookie of the year, Jones makes a strong case. As my colleague, Kyle Newman, noted recently, Jones ranks second in the majors in average with runners in scoring position, hitting .420. That’s impressive.
Unfortunately for the Rockies, Jones’ road success is an aberration. Finding a way to hit away from Coors Field is this team’s Rubik’s Cube.
Entering Saturday’s penultimate away game of the season, the Rockies’ road record was 22-57, meaning they’re guaranteed to finish with the second-worst mark in franchise history. Only the 2014 team (21-60) was worse.
During spring training, new hitting coach Hensley “Bam Bam” Meuens said he was looking for smart, competitive at-bats, regardless of the locale.
“You should be the same hitter no matter where you play,” he said. “You can hit at Coors Field, Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium … you should be able to hit anywhere. We aren’t emphasizing the negative.
“Hopefully, with the right type of preparation, we can solve some of our problems on the road. We’ll work to find a plan for every hitter and then we have to figure out how they can be successful, no matter what the situation is.”
But the problems haven’t been solved. How many times this season have we heard manager Bud Black say, “We just couldn’t solve him,” when asked about his club getting dominated by an opposing pitcher?
Road futility was on full display Friday when the Rockies lost 6-0 to the Cubs at Wrigley. Colorado finished the game 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position, grounded into three double plays and struck out nine times.
It’s the same old song and dance.
The Rockies have managed a winning road record in just three of their 31 seasons — 2009 (41-40), 2017 (41-40) and 2018 (44-38). And in each of those seasons, they managed to generate some power. The ’09 club hit 92 homers on the road, the ’17 club hit 82, and the ’18 club launched 91.
Last season, the Rockies hit 51 road homers, the fewest in franchise history for a full season. There’s been some improvement this season with 68, but that still ranks 29th in the majors, leading only the Guardians (67).
It’s not just a lack of pop that’s led to Colorado’s dismal road record. Here’s where the Rockies rank this season:
• .229 average (27th).
• .290 on-base percentage (29th, Royals rank 30th with a .283 OBP).
• .650 OPS (30th).
• 290 runs (29th, Royals rank 30th with 271).
• 801 strikeouts (fourth most).
No player has been more emblematic of the problem than first baseman Elehuris Montero, who’s shown hints that he might be able to hit in the big leagues — as long as he’s taking his hacks at Coors Field. Montero has slashed .311/.364/.487 with three homers and 10 doubles at Coors. His strikeout rate there is 28%.
But on the road, Montero is slashing .173/.213/.308 with four homers and four doubles. His strikeout rate is 46%.
Perhaps Montero and his teammates should check in with Jones to see what antidote he’s discovered to cure the notorious Coors Field hangover.
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