Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Drew Pomeranz did not have the 2013 MLB debut that he or the Colorado Rockies were hoping for.
After starting the year in Triple-A Colorado Springs and posting a sparkling 8-1 record, Pomeranz was summoned to the major leagues for a start Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. Pomeranz only lasted four and a third innings and allowed four runs, all of which were earned.
At no point during the start did Pomeranz really appear to be in control of the game. He surrendered four walks, including two in the fifth inning when the Giants took a commanding four run lead. Pomeranz put multiple runners on base in the first and second inning, but managed to escape with no runs scored. But in the third inning, Buster Posey hit a long home run over the left field wall to open the scoring. Pomeranz appeared to settle down with a 1-2-3 fourth inning, but then things came apart in the fifth.
To be fair, Pomeranz did not get much help from his defense. After allowing a double and a single to the first two hitters of the inning to put runners on second and third with no outs, Posey hit a ground ball to DJ LeMahieu. LeMahieu threw Posey out at first base, but when first baseman Jordan Pacheco tried to nail the runner retreating to second base, he threw the ball into left field, turning what should have been a double play into a run for the Giants.
Pomeranz appeared to lose focus after the error, as Hunter Pence came to the plate and drove a two-run homer to right field. Pomeranz then walked the next two hitters before being pulled from the game.
While the start has to be disappointing for Pomeranz, it’s unlikely that the team will be too quick to give up on him. There are no obvious candidates to replace him in the rotation, as Juan Nicasio and Jeff Francis have been unimpressive at the major league level this season. The Giants lineup made Pomeranz look bad today, but he will almost certainly have better days in the not-too-distant future.
The biggest potential threat to Pomeranz’s spot in the rotation might be a pitcher on another team. The Rockies have not hid their interest in acquiring more pitching, and if Pomeranz continues to have a hard time in the big leagues, they might be forced to make a move. Colorado will probably give Pomeranz more time to develop, but with the trade deadline just a month away, he has to show that he’s better than he was today.
Nolan Lees writes about MLB for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @NolanLees, “like” his page on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
