As a Cubs fan, this is tremendous to see so far. Of course, it only serves as a reminder what could have been had the Cubs hit like they did in September. Regardless, I get the sense watching the Rockies these days that the Cubs/D-Backs series was more about winning the honor to get crushed by the Rockies.

Whatifsports.com simulations (although they didn't have Franklin Morales available, so I used Aaron Cook instead. Sorry).

1: D-Backs 10-5 as Micah Owings goes yard for a 3-run homer to make up for his 5 inning 4 ER performance.

2: Rockies 8-7. Corpas is extremely shaky in the 8th, forcing Fuentes to come in to retire the final two batters with the bases loaded.

3: 5-3 Rockies as Kaz Matsui gets 3 hits and steals 2 bases.

4: Rockies 4-3 as Holliday gets a homer and 3 RBIs

5: D-Backs 8-6. Jeremy Affeldt gives up 3 runs in just 0.2 innings of relief.

6: D-Backs 9-8. In a thrill filled game in which the Rockies come up a run short in a 9th inning rally.

7: D-Backs 18-12. In a game that resembled a pre-humidor Coors, Eric Byrnes drives in 3, including a solo homer.

8: Rockies 6-4. In a game out of story books, Brad Hawpe crushes a 9th inning, 2 out grand slam to win the game for the Rockies. Seriously.

9: Rockies 8-5. Garrett Atkins gets 3 hits, and scores each time he reaches base.

10: Rockies 12-11. In a game with 7 home runs and Matt Holliday falling a single short of the cycle, the game ends in the 9th with a Kaz Matsui single that becomes the leading cause of depression in Queens, New York.


So Rockies have a 6 in 10 chance of winning..... unless Morales pitches worse then Aaron Cook would have....

Game 2 got a 2.2 rating. I'm wondering how low tonight's rating will be.

If MLB was so concerned about the Red Sox - Indians series conflicting with the NLCS games, why not start these games earlier? A 4PM ET start would get higher ratings than 2.2.

with the way Owings hits, why does Bob Melvin put him in the 9th spot?

In Colorado and Arizona, it's 8:30 and 7:30, respectively. That's the point of the start time. If no one in California or anywhere else out there wants to watch, that's their problem.

I would have started Webb. If Arizona is going to win this series, they need all the luck they can get, and that includes two great starts by Webb.

Geez, this is going to be one dead chatter.

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

I bent my Wookie!

Bouncing back and forth to make sure the Giants don't #### this one up.

nice to see Helton and Holliday get hits

DeAngelo Hall pulling some nice ####

And perhaps a very smart, albeit dirty, play by Shockey.

every time the crawl/info panel pops up from the bottom, the little accompanying leitmotif makes me start humming the theme to Hawaii Five-Oh ... try it!

aaaaagh no football please god it's destoying my brain

Football is an incredibly complex sport. Learning how it works only makes you smarter.

tony gywnn really likes the word "tardy"

I read Dr. Condi Rice really enjoys football

I don't really care who wins this game, so long as the D-Backs get some unlucky breaks.

how weird, I'm hoping Synder's 7th not 8th batter b/c I don't want the pitcher up... ok good, it's Upton

Fixit.

Jeff Conine, you suck.

I mean Cirillo.

I still don't get what Byrnes was trying to do rolling around in front of the wall during Holliday's homer

The first time I saw that I laughed out loud. The second time I realized he found out the wall was 10' closer than he thought. That made it funnier.

In a perfect world, the Giants would be 5-1 after tonight. One game over the Cowboys. Now, my fellow Giants fan friend has a different perfect world. His would have the Giants 1-5 and Coughlin's job in trouble. All he wants is Coughlin fired. No matter what. I asked how he would feel if the Giants somehow won the Super Bowl this year. He would start rooting for the Redskins. His hatred of Coughlin is actually stronger than his fandom of the Giants.

I'm confused. In a perfect world wouldn't a football team be undefeated?

Jaws is wrong. Even I could see that.

I understand the Cowboys are a better team. The Giants weren't winning game 1 vs the Boys this year.

wow what a catch.

Tulo's putting on a hell of a clinic.

I'm sorry, Troy, but the MLB has dictated only Jeter makes that play.

But Jeter doesn't make THAT play. Holy crap.

Tulowitzki is sick.

That's a huge play. Would it have reached the gap? It was smoked.

So far, every stat posted on screen screams ROCKIES WIN.

Hit it somewhere in a 10-foot radius of Troy, Byrnes. UNLUCKY!

I would really enjoy a comparo article of Tulo vs. Adam Everett (defensively only, of course). I'm a native Houstonian and Astros fan but adopted the Rockies as my second team since my husband's from Colorado and we live there now

Ok, this fingers in the mouth thing is getting stupid. Thats twice a ball was called this post season for that.

Weird - you almost never see that call.

in a perfect world there would be no NFL!
(or at least, it would play no games before November 1st)

Wait, I thought they never scored runs when they needed to.

Taveras, ouch that's a Bernie Williams throw.

kind of cool how the crowd refuses to be silenced by the d-backs scoring

ok, we get it, Owens can hit--how come he didn't hit a 2-run homer with nobody on base if he's so good, smart guys?

yeah, the throw was pretty bad...but The Catch makes up for it

nice play by upton

Wow, not too often you see a drive down the line turn into a simple single.

Hey, let's throw to first repeatedly!

I guess it's unlikely Arizona makes it to the Series now, but ... Owings as a DH would be pretty cool. I don't know who they would use. Jackson with Clark at 1B?

WHACK

The Goatee is up!

Hmmmm. Don't really see intent, but could this make things ugly later?

Why did the ump charge the mound there?

Revenge plunking or accident?

seems like suicide to plunk intentionally with Helton et al coming up, but you never know..

A revenge plunking would have been tactical idiocy. There is no way.

Helton should shave that damn goatee if this thing goes to 6 games. This facial hair is not only disgraceful, it might cost the Rockies a Yankees-like collapse.

Rememberified. Best President since Michael Douglas, or Dooglah. RDF

I can't believe that some people picked the Falcons to beat the spread in this game. It makes absolutely no sense to me.

It's not a good idea to advance the runner. But Holliday or Tulowitski would be the obvious targets for reprisal.

I think by batting Owings 9th Melvin already showed he's unwilling to step on any egos so maybe picking him as a DH in the WS (in the unlikely event) over any position players would be a no-go for him as well

Oh, I was all Giants and the over on that one. But, it was a matter of which defense showed up. The new and improved or the old highschool team.

Maybe down 3-0 there was a "we gotta shake things up" BS vibe. So I guees I can see it. Sorta.

whoah what are they yelling?

You also lose the platoon advantage with a beaning. And the count was 0-1.

What are those people chanting?

I gotta give the fans credit there. Most unified chants I've seen this side of the Atlantic in recent memory. Not including college.

Clint Hurdle always sounds like he's about 1 1/2 beers into a pretty fun night.

Now's the perfect time for the revenge beaning.

Owings was a pretty good hitter at tech too

Owings is 6' 5" ... somehow he doesn't seem so tall standing in the batter's box, but that is what his mlb.com player bio says

ha, yeah, beanball war! (kidding)

the question is, would Larussa bat Owings 8th?

I gotta give the fans credit there. Most unified chants I've seen this side of the Atlantic in recent memory. Not including college.

Fine, fine. BUT WHAT ARE THEY CHANTING?

the question is, would Larussa bat Owings 8th?

Owings is too good to bat 8th. The point of batting pitchers 8th is to have a better chance when the top of the order comes up again

The chant is GO! Rockies!, call and response.

well, where would be the ideal place in the lineup for a hitting pitcher like Owings?

Yeah, Penn State does similar with WE ARE..... PENN STATE! Each half of the stadium calling at each other. It was pretty awesome the first time I witnessed it.

well, where would be the ideal place in the lineup for a hitting pitcher like Owings?

The most difficult thing about this question is estimating his talent as a hitter.

Well I would have started Webb, and so far would have been very wrong.

It's a helluva lot better than "Let's Go Rock-ies clap clap clap-clap-clap."

I love Craig Sager's outfits and hair

ok that hasn't been called a strike at other time this game so far

I would expect the D-Backs to go to the bullpen early and often. Day off tomorrow and Webb starting the next day. They should use all their good relievers as soon as they have any need of them.

just 60 ABs or not, the +1.000 OPS is pretty compelling

They should use all their good relievers as soon as they have any need of them.

They certainly didn't use them last night.

Especially in a 1 run game, they should go to their relievers at the first sign of trouble once Owings gets to the top of the order again.

Yeah, Penn State does similar with WE ARE..... PENN STATE! Each half of the stadium calling at each other. It was pretty awesome the first time I witnessed it.

The wife and I do something similar during foreplay, which escalates: I AM . . . HORNY! I AM . . . HORNY! I AM . . . ERECT! I AM . . . MOUNTING! I AM . . . ASHAMED! etc

So if the Rockies win tonight, their next home game is a week from Saturday?

91 RDF!

Pinch hit if Torrealba gets on?

Not even the fashion horror show entertainment value of Sager's hair and outfits can make up for the asskissery softballing braindead interviews he conducts.

That was nice.

Owings Tulo-ed Tulo!

Owings is wearing himself out here.

diving's a waste of energy when it's Yorvit running down the path

94: I'd be sorely tempted. They are getting the bullpen up. Very tough call. How good/bad is Morales as a pitcher?