Saunders: Rockies’ season by the numbers is not a pretty picture

Painting the Rockies’ season by the numbers, entering Saturday’s game vs. Arizona.

Fair warning, it’s not a pretty picture.

0: Number of home runs hit by Kris Bryant, the club’s $182 million left fielder. Bryant has gone 132 regular-season at-bats without a homer, the longest drought of his career. In fact, Bryan has hit just two regular-season home runs since last August. Bryant, however, did hit a home run against the Dodgers in the National League Division Series last fall.

Bryant’s injured back has clearly set him back this season and he has yet to show any semblance of the power that enticed the Rockies to sign him.

26: Home run pace for right fielder/designated hitter Charlie Blackmon, who turned 36 on Friday. Blackmon hit just 13 home runs all of last season. Blackmon’s bounce-back season is a testament to his passion and work ethic.

33: Home run pace for C.J. Cron, which would top the career-high 30 homers he slugged for Tampa Bay in 2018.

14: Home run pace for Ryan McMahon, which would be his fewest since he became an everyday player in 2019.

71: Team’s total home runs, ranking 21st in the majors.

18: Homers hit on the road, ranking dead last.

14: Stolen bases, the second-fewest in the majors by a team. Only Minnesota (13) has swiped fewer bases. The Rockies are on pace to steal 29 bags, which would be, by far, their fewest for a full season. The 2004 club swiped just 44 bases. The best base thieves?  The 1996 Blake Street Bombers, who stole a remarkable 201 bases.

A team that lacks team speed and doesn’t hit for power is not a good thing.

58: Errors committed as a team, the most in the majors. Naturally, the Rockies’ .980 fielding percentage is also the worst. The worst fielding percentage in franchise history was .980 in 2012 when the club committed a franchise-record of 122 errors. The 2022 Rockies are on pace to match that dubious mark.

Not coincidentally, the 2012 club’s 64-98 record was the worst in franchise history.

5.07: Starter’s ERA, the fourth-highest in the majors.

32: Number of quality starts, the third-most in the NL. A contradiction to the 5.07 ERA? Perhaps, but given the Coors Field factor, perhaps not.

3.49: Right-hander Chad Kuhl’s ERA after he pitched a three-hit shutout of the Dodgers on Monday. Kuhl’s ERA is the fourth-best
by a Rockies starter through his first 14 starts in franchise history.

5.89: Right-hander German Marquez’s ERA. Only Washington left-hander Patrick Corbin (6.07) has a higher ERA among qualified starters.

4.77: Bullpen ERA, second-highest in the majors, but not even close to the 5.69 ERA posted by Cincinnati relievers.

2.12: Closer Daniel Bard’s ERA. He’s converted 15 of 17 save opportunities for an 88.2 save percentage that ranks second in the National League. His .146 opponent average is the fifth-lowest among NL relievers.

47: Number of consecutive games the Rockies have been in last place in the National League West, dating back to May 10.

28: Number of road victories the Rockies are on pace for with their .343 winning percentage (12-23). A 28-53 mark on the road would match the 1993 inaugural team’s record. The Rockies’ worst record away from home was in 2014 when they finished 21-60.

69: Number of total victories the Rockies are trending toward. A 69-93 finish would be their worst since going 68-94 in 2015.