A bonus trip to Denver could be just what the Doctor ordered for a playoff push. But, in reality, in order for the perscription to work, you'd need to mix in an off-day and would ideally play the two games over two days. Instead the Fish get a double header to make up for the rough weather back in April.
It's a quick series, so we just had a quick talk with Dinger.
: Welcome back, Dinger. Let's get this show moving. Since we last met, Rookie of the Year candidate Clint Barmes "tripped on some stairs". Is Barmes coming back this year?
: Yes, the 26-year old rookie will likely be back, but not until September. Barmes wants to get 100 to 150 more Major League at bats in this season.
: People were all over Todd Helton earlier this year. There were even whispers about how he was/is on steroids and that was affecting his game. What's the story with Helton?
: He's quietly putting together a decent year. It's not up to Helton's standards - which coming into this year had some folks thinking that he was a potential future Hall of Famer - but they're still good.
After hitting .400/.494/.617 in July, his season numbers are up near .300/.420/.470. That's nothing to sneeze at. His power came back too - as he hit nearly as many homers in July as he hit in the first three months of the season. To be fair though, Helton has most definitely been helped by playing in Denver. His home/road splits are dramatically different this year. That said, I still think he's back.
: Thanks, Dinger. Enjoy the two games today.