The Colorado Rockies at 65-53 lead the NL Wild Card by 1 ½ games over division rival San Francisco. What has been more impressive; the fact that the pitching staff has an ERA of 4.19, good for 11^th in all of MLB, in the worst pitchers park in baseball? Or that the top two run producers over the past four years for the Rockies have made nearly zero impact on this year’s team? While their ERA at Coors is nearly a run worse than it is on the road, the change in the offensive guard, in my opinion, is a better storyline for the Rockies season.

From the 2005-2008 seasons, Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins led the Rockies in RBI by a significant margin over the next closest player, Brad Hawpe. Holliday and Atkins hit 426 and 419 RBI respectively, Brad Hawpe slugged 332 RBI. During that time, Holliday and Atkins were in the top 3 for Rockies hitters in BA, Hits and HR.

This season for the Rockies, it’s a different story. Matt Holliday hasn’t played a game in a Rockie uniform, because he was traded to Oakland in the offseason, and Garrett Atkins has been replaced at 3^rd base by up-and-comer Ian Stewart. Atkins and Holliday are 29, and neither player has made a dent in the Rockies success this season, and yet the Rockies lead the Wild Card.

As a frame of reference, from 2005-2008, Colorado was in last place twice, third place once and won the NL Wild Card. In the 2007 season Colorado went 20-8 in September and had to slide past San Diego in a one-game playoff to even get into the playoffs. That season, Atkins hit his 2^nd most HR (25) in a season and Matt Holliday had a career-high in HR, BA, OPS and hits. They were two key pieces to the Rockies making the playoffs.

So where does the praise go for the 2009 success? You can start with the offense; a resurgence of Todd Helton, a healthy Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe having a career year. Each of those hitters has an OPS over .900. For their pitching, you can credit Ubaldo Jiminez, 3.47 ERA and 8.0 K/9, for having an outstanding season and Jason Marquis who is having a career-year. Marquis has a 13-6 record with a 128 ERA+. Who would have thought that a pitcher going to Colorado would have ever have a career-year. Finally, closer Huston Street, acquired in the Matt Holliday trade, has converted 28 of 29 saves.

The Rockies have a slightly different makeup this season, but, to play as well as they have without their top 2 RBI producers over the previous four seasons is quite an accomplishment.

*Interesting note, the Boston Red Sox were led in RBI, by a large amount, from 2005-2008 by David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, and currently trail the AL Wild Card by ½ game. This season, Ortiz isn’t Garrett Atkins bad, but he’s not much better.

In conclusion, to compete for the Wild Card, have your top two offensive players over the previous four seasons make little impact on your upcoming season.