For the first handful of Rockies games I went to in person this season, I went all out with Colorado jerseys and hats, but I am feeling increasingly ambiguous about overtly supporting this unworthy team. I wore a Dismemberment Plan t-shirt and a throwback Brewers hat to the game this evening, a much more neutral ensemble.

Once again, the Rockies were sloppy and sluggish. They only scored two runs off of ten hits while the Braves managed six from six. Willy Taveras had another one of those centerfield specials where he played a ball hit directly at him into a triple. Troy Tulowitzki was pointlessly thrown out stealing with the Rockies trailing by three runs. Brian Fuentes once again came into a game in a non-save situation and gave up a run. Jason Hirsh failed to build on his nice Coors start from last weekend. And mostly, John Smoltz just left the Rockies' scoring attack helpless after Tulowitzki's two-run homer in the first.

Interesting new lineup from Clint Hurdle, who hit Tulowitzki second and Yorvit Torrealba and Jamey Carroll seventh and eighth. Torrealba and Tulowitzki seemed to respond, with two hits from each. The lineup is going to mutate again when Kaz Matsui comes back from injury, but for the time being I would flip-flop Carroll and the catcher's spot. That gives the Rockies kind of a whole second leadoff setup after their big boppers, with Carroll having a chance to run if he gets on base before the guys looking to work counts ahead of the pitcher's spot. Not that seemingly anything the Rockies can do will help them score runs.

It seems like I have been trying to deemphasize their importance since I first started writing about the Rockies, but this team seriously needs to hit some more home runs. After Tulowitzki's shot today they have 10. The Red Sox hit four back-to-back-to-back-to-back last week; the Rockies have hit 10 all season. That is not good. It's the lowest mark in the majors. Garrett Atkins and Matt Holliday join Tulowitzki for the team lead with 2; Todd Helton, Steve Finley, Jeff Baker, and John Mabry all have one. Alex Rodriguez, I imagine I don't have to remind you, has 14.