Rockies are the Dangerous Wild Card Team

Chris Bahr - SportingNews.com

Since the 2002 season, seven wild card teams have reached the World Series and three have won it all. Since the wild card was introduced in 1995, four wild cards have gone on to become World Series champions. In 2002, both the Angels and Giants reached the fall classic as wild cards, with the Angels winning in seven games. This postseason, Boston, which ended the Curse of the Bambino as a wild card in 2004, and Colorado, which reached the 2007 World Series as a wild card, will try to become the latest wild cards to make a deep run into the playoffs (assuming the Rockies don't catch the Dodgers in the NL West). But which is more likely to do so?

Stan McNeal argues that Boston is a bigger threat, but Chris Bahr explains why Colorado can do more damage:

Just two seasons ago, the Rockies used an amazing late-season run to claim the N.L. wild-card berth. Then they plowed all the way to the World Series before falling to the Red Sox. This season, they used an early-summer hot stretch to climb back into contention and, barring something quite unforeseen, are headed for the wild card again.

The good news for the Rockies: They won't have to face the Dodgers in the first round (Colorado is 3-12 vs. Los Angeles this season). Instead, the Rockies will draw either the Phillies or Cardinals, two teams they match up better against. Colorado was 2-4 against Philadelphia and 6-1 against St. Louis.

Regardless of the matchups, the Rockies' postseason opponents had better beware. Here's why:

Solid starting pitching. It still sounds crazy, but Colorado's rotation is a strength. Ubaldo Jimenez has emerged as an ace, Jorge De La Rosa is 14-2 with a 3.61 ERA since June 17 and Aaron Cook has been sharp since returning from a sore shoulder. Jason Marquis might have pitched himself out of the postseason rotation with a poor second half (4.36 ERA), but his Tuesday start was encouraging. With a win Wednesday, Jason Hammel became the team's fifth 10-game winner. Credit improved defense -- young outfielders Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez cover a ton of ground -- for some of the pitching prowess, but also give some credit to the arms.

A cast of offensive heroes. With the offseason trade of left fielder Matt Holliday, the Rockies lost their only true superstar. Instead of one slugger leading the way, Colorado has mastered the team-effort offensive approach. Shut down one guy, and another will beat you. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has assumed a Holliday-like role, but lesser-known players such as third baseman Ian Stewart, catcher Chris Iannetta, outfielders Ryan Spilborghs and Seth Smith have taken turns stepping up. Colorado has eight walkoff wins this season, with seven different players providing the game-winning hits.

Late-inning heroics. The Rockies never are out of a game, as evidenced by their walk-off drama. Obviously, you can't walk off in your final at-bat on the road -- and Colorado won't have home-field advantage in any postseason series -- but this squad is capable of late-game heroics on the road. The Rockies never stop coming at the opposition, regardless of the score, stadium or situation. That helped fuel the team's amazing turnaround in June, and it created all-important confidence.

The Rockies are surging into the postseason; the Red Sox are stumbling. Boston will run into a hot Angels team that, like Colorado, is playing inspired baseball. Los Angeles also is hungry to break its ALDS jinx against Boston. Colorado is a better bet to advance past the first round (and maybe further).

Chris Bahr is a senior editor for Sporting News. E-mail him at cbahr@sportingnews.com.

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