It took me giving up on the Rockies entirely for them to start the hot streak for which we've been waiting all year. What gives? I couldn't tell you, but I still believe what I said a few days ago about ending the season on a positive note being a desirable thing. They're leading again today as I write this.

As of today, Dan O'Dowd has been the Rockies' general manager for seven years. He hasn't accomplished a hell of a lot, as he'll freely admit, but I am among those few Colorado fans who is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for maybe two more seasons. Here's why: in the middle of O'Dowd's reign, Rockies ownership spontaneously decided that Denver had gone from being a large market to a tiny market overnight, immediately after okaying a deal that would commit half of the team's new small-market payroll to one player for the next 15 years. To their credit, the Monforts (wow, I never thought I'd ever write that clause) didn't make O'Dowd the scapegoat for their own inconstancy. The Colorado farm system is good for the first time in franchise history. And I'm not just saying that, it is good. They have to win soon though. And despite my overall faith in O'Dowd, his loyalty to the bunt-happy, reliever roulette-playing Clint Hurdle is a bit mystifying.

I have been meaning for weeks to do a little post about the changing face of the NL West, some sort of bookend thing saluting Luis ("O.G. Original Gonzalez") Gonzalez, who has been informed by the Diamondbacks that he won't be returning for next season and pointing out how crazy good Giants rookie Matt Cain is. Then the Rockies tapped Cain for 11 hits and 7 runs yesterday. Still, he has allowed just one hit in five of his starts this year. He was 3-0 against Colorado until Tuesday. Cain is going to be a thorn in the Rockies' side for many years to come just as Luis "O.G." was in his time. Of course, the Giants' offense is going to be dire for Cain's entire prime since the San Francisco organization only drafts pitchers and all of their decent hitters are in their mid-forties. If Arizona's hitting prospects and the Giants' young pitchers could somehow combine to form the Arifrisco Diamondgiants, they'd be a force in the division. They can't do that, though. It's going to be the Dodgers and the Rockies. These things I believe.

Speaking of the Dodgers, it took exactly 27 hours for the world to absorb the news of the Greatest Game Ever Played, raise their collective eyebrows, and get over it. I'll say it again: both San Diego and Los Angeles are going to make the playoffs. So, grand scheme, it's just another game. Sorry, everybody.