DENVER \u2014 With the Dodgers picking up a clean sweep of the Mets, it\u2019s time to look at the upcoming series against the division rival, the Colorado Rockies. This Rockies lineup is still undergoing a rebuild, and their position in the standings reflects this slow start. Nonetheless, they have proven that they can give good teams a run for their money. Last week the Rockies got walked off twice against the San Diego Padres. While the Rockies went on to lose the series, they\u2019re able to keep games close against good teams, something that could cause trouble for the Dodgers if they assume they\u2019re pushovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Rockies, objectively, can hit any ball in the zone. Unlike the Rangers or the Mets where there were obvious weaknesses on the right side of the plate, the Rockies have no issue hitting balls across the zone. Furthermore, for whatever reason, many pitchers when playing the Rockies attack the right hand side of the plate, to which the Rockies have responded by hitting a ridiculous .362. The Rockies also excel at hitting pitches up in the zone, hitting .390 when they\u2019re given high fastballs or hanging curveballs. These numbers are ridiculously above average from the league and highlight how dominant the Rockies can be.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, despite their ability to hit all over the zone, they struggle with two-strike counts. When the Rockies get into two strike counts, they hit a whopping .159, a number that\u2019s significantly below league average. The Dodgers can play into this by getting ahead. Getting ahead, or winning the count, is the game within the game. Pitchers are always trying to have more strikes than balls, while batters are always trying to have more balls than strikes. Whoever is ahead usually has a more positive outcome. For the Dodgers, when they go against this Rockies lineup if they can get ahead, they will win the game. The Rockies\u2019 batting average significantly falls off when they are in two-strike counts, so if the Dodgers can win the count, they\u2019ll win the game.<\/p>\n
Winning the game is easier said than done. The Dodgers will need to get strikes on the batters quickly, without giving up a hit. The Rockies can do significant damage on early counts like all other teams, but if the Dodgers can prevail, then they\u2019ll win the game within the game, and hopefully, win the series.<\/p>\n
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