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A much-needed big night for Barmes, who snapped out of a 4-for-23 slump while ending a 15-game power drought. Despite a very pedestrian .245 average, the second baseman has displayed a steady power stroke along with some speed on the basepaths in his first full season of action, knocking in 76 runs and swiping 11 bags.
Young entered Monday having hit .333 with a .368 on-base percentage in 16 games since joining the Rockies. Regular second baseman Clint Barmes has struggled for much of the second half and is a combined 1-for-11 this season and 3-for-42 career against the three Giants starters for the set -- Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Matt Cain -- which contributed to the lineup decision. While it's too soon to tell if Young is actually stealing second from Barmes, the 24-year-old has the bat, on-base skills and stolen-base chops to help the Rox and fantasy owners alike. Young should be owned in all NL-only leagues, at the very least.
Tulo's return sends Clint Barmes back to second base and rookie Eric Young Jr. -- who had gone 5-for-10 with a homer and two steals in his three starts -- back to the bench. Young may still see some time in the outfield, but the white-hot Rockies are likely to stick with what has been working. And for Colorado and fantasy owners alike, that's Tulo -- the shortstop has a .281-24-75 line and 17 steals over 131 games this season. Now that he's back in Colorado's lineup, he should be back in yours.
Barmes continues to make his case as a suitable up-the-middle option. Only seven other second basemen and shortstops -- both positions at which Barmes is eligible -- have passed the 20-homer mark. Think about that before you judge him solely on his .248 batting average.
Barmes appears to be back in the swing of things after a prolonged slump through last week, as hes homered in three of the last seven games.
"I'm very hopeful it's a 24-hour thing," manager Jim Tracy said. A potential bout of dehydration could factor into Tulo's ability to play Saturday, although the fact it's a night game improves his chances greatly than if the game were to be played during the day. Clint Barmes moved from second base to shortstop to cover for Tulo, while Ian Stewart shifted from third base to second and Garrett Atkins filled in at third.
After starting off August hitless in his first 17 at-bats, Barmes has turned on the power switch with six blasts in his last 11 games. The last three have come on the road, an encouraging sign given his tendency to shrink away from Colorado. This marks the first 20-homer campaign for Barmes, who goes into Thursday hitting .251 with 64 RBIs.
Barmes’ average has fluctuated wildly this season, but his power at the keystone has been undeniable. He’s worth starting for owners who are solid in the average category but need a little more pop.
Barmes was in a terrible skid earlier this month, but ended an 0-for-22 slide with a homer on Aug. 8, drove in a run on Aug. 9, then launched another homer on Monday. That he's just 2-for-8 over those three games isn't terribly inspiring in and of itself, but Barmes has the pop and some residual base-stealing skills to help fantasy owners even if he continues to hang around .250.
The veteran infielder hasn't played much this season, but he's cracked the lineup with a touch more regularity lately thanks to the struggles of Garret Atkins and Clint Barmes. Despite getting a few chances to show what he can do, Quintanilla is hitting just .186 with a pair of RBIs in 43 at-bats this season.
Barmes found himself on the bench to start the game, no doubt in large part to the unsightly 0-for-17 hole that he's fallen into to start August. The simple truth is that Barmes has been struggling for awhile now, as his .192 average in July would indicate, but even during his down moments, he's been more than happy to chip in with the long ball, a valuable commodity for a middle infielder.
The only reason Barmes continues to start is the strong defense he provides. That might be enough to satisfy Rockies acting manager Jim Tracy, but fantasy managers needn't tolerate this epic slump, which includes a nightmarish .113 average in the second half. Feel free to cut ties with Barmes.
To say Barmes has struggled mightily since the All-Star break might be an understatement. He has just seven hits in 49 at-bats since the break for a batting average of .143. His average for the season has dropped 19 points in those 11 games, down from .279 to .260. Garret Atkins started at third base for the Rockies on Wednesday night against the Mets, with Ian Stewart sliding over to Barmes' usual spot at second. Left fielder Ryan Spilborghs was in Barmes' customary two-hole in the lineup.
Ending a 1-for-17 slump, Barmes brought his RBI total up to 49, seven shy of his career high of 56.
The 30-year-old Barmes' long-awaited breakthrough season is here. With a firm hold on an everyday spot in Colorado's lineup, the Rockies second baseman should continue to serve as a solid, albeit unspectacular fantasy option at a thin position.
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