Colorado Rockies

Let’s take a look at some of the bigger stories that developed yesterday: 

Three Hot

 Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler

There was a lot to like from the Rangers last night, from their offensive explosion to Derek Holland (5 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K, W), who has a chance to emerge in the Rangers rotation not only for the final few weeks of 2010, but for 2011 as well. 

The Rockies just won't quit.

Alright, I admit it: I had given up hope on these Rockies.

After an encouraging sweep of the Atlanta Braves at home, the final win coming on a nine-run come-from-behind victory, the Rockies went back on the road and looked lifeless again.

Luckily, they managed to run into a win in San Francisco, which kept their hopes briefly alive.

They weren't dead yet.

As the baseball season dwindles down to meaningless games, teams start to call up the youngsters or even the long journeymen of the minor leagues. However, the Colorado Rockies are still playing for something. The playoffs.

The Rockies used to be known for the big two: Larry Walker and Todd Helton. While Walker has since retired and Helton is hanging on by a thread, the Rockies have found their new centerpiece, Carlos Gonzalez.

It wasn't pretty, but it worked.

In 2007 it was unbelievable. In 2009 it was exciting. In 2010 it is becoming annoying.

Carlos Gonzalez decided to show the country what the big deal is about.

Can the 2010 season for the Colorado Rockies get any more strange?

As the calendar turns to September, baseball races are really starting to heat up.

The NL Wild Card has a few possible candidates: the Phillies lead the Giants by two games and are 5.5 up on the fading Cardinals.

The Rockies find themselves 6.5 games out of the Wild Card lead after a seemingly season-killing, eight-game losing streak at the end of July. They are still 7.5 games out of the NL West, despite the Padres' continued slide.

Two games...that was two games.

The Rockies just dropped one of the most emotionally exhausting games I’ve ever seen, 12-11. Hey, it’s football season, so I guess they needed to have a football game score.

The big number now is 6.5 games. If the Rockies had won, it would have been 4.5 games. That’s how big it is to play the team currently in the lead of the National League wild-card race, the Philadelphia Phillies.