The Coloradans Against Auto Theft (CAAT) coalition has added Coors Field to its list of community venue partners for the “Lockdown” summer public awareness campaign. In conjunction with law enforcement agencies, insurance companies and community partners, CAAT aims to reduce auto theft in Colorado, particularly during the summer months when thieves take advantage of warm-weather activities. Lockdown encourages car owners to take extra precautions to protect their car when out enjoying baseball games and other events.
More than 11,000 vehicles are stolen each year in Colorado. Denver ranks first in the state for auto theft. Metro area law enforcement has stepped up efforts at downtown parking lots targeted by thieves to help reduce auto theft and break-ins.  Part of those efforts includes support of the Lockdown summer campaign. The Colorado Rockies now join other venues like Comfort Dental Amphitheatre in reinforcing the idea that all car owners are potential victims. Parking lot signage at Coors Field carries an auto theft prevention and safety message: How to Completely Ruin a Car Thief’s Day, with tips on how to protect your car. “Since day one, the safety and security of our fans has been a top priority for our organization,” said Kevin Kahn, Rockies Vice President of Ballpark Operations. “The addition of the Coloradans Against Auto Theft program adds to the safety measures that are currently in place at Coors Field and combined with an outstanding guest relations staff, we are very confident that Coors Field is one of the safest venues in all of professional sports.”
 
Lockdown messaging will also appear in the surrounding parking areas by way of removable decals on car windows and distribution of flyers containing auto theft prevention tips. “We want to thank the Rockies for their support of law enforcement in putting out prevention and safety messages to their fans. Auto theft is often a preventable crime, and we appreciate the Rockies participation in getting this important message out to the public,” said Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association and CAAT Co-Chair.
Why Summer?
Summer is a peak time for auto thefts in Colorado for two primary reasons: people engage in activities that put them at higher risk such as parking cars for extended periods at concerts, festivals, sporting events and trail heads; it’s also a time when people adopt more risky behaviors such as leaving windows down and sunroofs open. Lockdown serves to remind people to take a few minutes to make a car thief’s job more difficult.
 
What Can You Do?
The Lockdown consumer website, www.lockdownyourcar.org, provides important tips:
    •    Always lock your car
    •    Never leave your car running unattended
    •    Never leave any keys in the car, even a spare set
    •    Never leave valuables in plain sight
    •    Always park in well-lit, high-traffic areas
    •    Get windows, doors and fenders etched with the VIN
    •    Consider installing a tracking and recovery device
 
Hot Cars: Colorado’s Top Ten Stolen Vehicles in 2010 (NICB)

    1.    1996 Honda Accord
    2.    2000 Honda Civic
    3.    1995 Acura Integra
    4.    2001 Dodge Ram
    5.    1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
    6.    1990 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
    7.    1998 Jeep Cherokee
    8.    2004 Ford F150 Series/Pickup
    9.    1989 Toyota Camry
    10.    2002 Ford Explorer

The Rockies were a team in a hurry Monday night. They ran the bases like they were double-parked on Blake Street. Their starter, Clayton Mortensen, threw only five pitches to get three outs in the second inning.

After manager Jim Tracy’s pregame team meeting, the Rockies wanted to change things quickly. They have been the National League West’s worst team this month. And the World Series champion San Francisco Giants have used them as a speed bag.

While the Rockies were sloppy, arguably trying too hard at times, one swift stroke camouflaged all the blemishes. Carlos Gonzalez belted a three-run homer off Giants ace Tim Lincecum in the sixth inning, the difference in the Rockies’ 7-4 win at Coors Field.

“This showed

that we had fight in us,” said shortstop Troy Tulo-witzki, who contributed a two-run single. “We know we can’t reach our goals if we don’t play well against the Giants.”

Gonzalez’s home run snapped a franchise-record 12 consecutive solo shots. If that was the jolt the Rockies needed, Tracy’s speech was a jarring reminder.

Before the series opener against the Giants, a team that had beaten the Rockies in five of six games this season, the black doors to the clubhouse were closed. Tracy’s message was stolen right out of John Wooden’s handbook: Be quick, but don’t hurry.

“This is the second one we’ve had and sometimes it just helps to reassert things out loud. It reminds us to hold each other accountable,” said closer Huston Street, who picked up his 13th save, demonstrating a strong slider after adjusting the stride in his delivery.

“We know who we are and who we want to be. We aren’t going to allow others to panic for us.”

Teams fall into ruts, but nine wins in 25 games was starting to feel like a canyon. Tracy spoke with conviction about the importance of doing the little things well.

Though interrupted by baserunning miscues, the Rockies did that Monday. They turned a season-high

four double plays. Their pitchers pounded the strike zone. Mortensen turned in his best Aaron Cook impersonation, unleashing a battery of groundball-inducing sinkers. And yet the Rockies still trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the sixth against Lincecum, the ace with the powerful fastball and Vulcan changeup.

Seth Smith homered for the Rockies. Dexter Fowler tied the score with a single, but his baserunning mistake erased Jose Morales at the plate.

Increasingly, the Rockies needed a big hit, something absent for nearly three weeks. With Lincecum erratic, providing second-guess fodder for why he wasn’t pulled earlier, Gonzalez sat on a 2-2 pitch, sending the 82 mph slider over the center-field fence. In the fifth inning, Tulowitzki delivered his two-run single, shoving the Rockies ahead 2-1.

It bears mentioning that for the better part of two years, as Tulo and CarGo go, the Rockies follow.

Both have suffered through extended slumps this season. Their impatience compounded the skids. And just like that, things changed Monday.

The question now: Was it the start of something or just a quick fix?

“This was a big win,” Tulo-witzki said. “We need to build off it.”

Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com

---

Looking ahead

TUESDAY: Giants at Rockies, 1:10 p.m., Root

Nobody sees Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez (0-3, 6.67 ERA)

in the trainer’s room. He’s never mentioned an injury. So he’s not hurt. His ERA, however, will remain bruised without improved command. Jimenez has been among the worst in baseball since the 2010 all-star break at throwing first- pitch fastball strikes. He continues to work on his balance over the pitching rubber, creating more time for his arm to reach the proper slot. Jimenez pitched well in San Francisco on May 6 and owns a 3.12 ERA against the Giants at Coors Field. Giants left-hander Jonathan Sanchez (3-2, 3.68) has a funky delivery that gives Carlos Gonzalez fits. The batting champ is 0-for-14 against him.

Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post

Upcoming pitching matchups

Wednesday: Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (5-1, 3.70 ERA) vs. Phillies’ Cole Hamels (4-2, 3.19), 5:05 p.m., Root

Thursday: Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (4-2, 2.89) vs. Phillies’ Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.50), 5:05 p.m., Root

Friday: Rockies’ Jason Hammel (3-3, 3.71) vs. Brewers’ Zack Greinke (2-1, 6.60), 6:10 p.m., Root

Saturday: Rockies’ Clayton Mortensen (1-0, 2.01) vs. Brewers’ Shawn Marcum (5-1, 2.54), 5:10 p.m., no TV

DENVER – Giants 8, Rockies 1

Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants sure weren’t complaining about the humidor Monday night.

Lincecum, the two-time Cy Young Award winner who led the Giants to the World Series title six months ago, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Coors Field and San Francisco routed the Colorado Rockies 8-1.

Spotted an early eight-run cushion thanks to homers by Pat Burrell, Nate Schierholtz and Freddy Sanchez, Lincecum cruised through Colorado’s lineup, dominating baseball’s best team over the season’s first 2 1/2 weeks until Carlos Gonzalez broke up his no-hit bid with a clean single in the seventh.

Lincecum (2-1) allowed one run and three hits over 7 2-3 spectacular innings. He walked three, struck out 10 and allowed just four balls out of the infield, none in the first six innings.

This was the first visit to Coors Field by the Giants since they made a stink about the humidor protocol prior to a key series last September — before the Rockies faded from the playoff race and the Giants went on to win their first championship since moving West in 1958.

The Rockies entered the night with a 12-3 mark and a four-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West, but right-hander Esmil Rogers (2-1) allowed eight runs and six hits over three innings in just the second loss by a Rockies starter this season.

Lincecum was shooting for the 14th no-hitter in franchise history and the first since Jonathan Sanchez handcuffed the San Diego Padres on July 10, 2009, which snapped a 32-year Giants drought.

The only no-hitter at Coors Field was thrown by Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 17, 1996.

With one out in the seventh, Gonzalez grounded a sharp single to right for the first hit off Lincecum, who had benefited from some nice defensive plays by second baseman Freddy Sanchez, including a diving stop of Gonzalez’s hard grounder in the first.

Lincecum didn’t allow a ball to the outfield until Jonathan Herrera led off the seventh with a fly to deep right. By then, the ball wasn’t carrying and it settled into Schierholtz’s glove.

Todd Helton’s double down the right-field line with two outs drove home Gonzalez.

Ryan Vogelsong got the final four outs for San Francisco.

Last fall, the commissioner’s office changed how baseballs are removed from the Coors Field humidor and monitored during games after Giants general manager Brian Sabean expressed his concerns to MLB vice president of operations Joe Garagiola Jr.

During that final homestand, the umpires became directly involved in taking balls from the humidor and placing them in full view during the game. Before that, the Rockies had a team employee handle the baseballs, and that led to a lot of grousing by opponents that some livelier, non-humidor baseballs were being put into play when the Rockies were batting, giving them an unfair advantage.

Although there was no proof of any such shenanigans, MLB changed the protocol one day after Lincecum, during the sixth inning of a stellar performance, was caught on camera uttering expletives after being given a new ball following a pitch to Miguel Olivo: “Juiced ball,” Lincecum said. “This is (expletive).”

This season, Major League Baseball went a step further, adding an authenticator who watches as baseballs are removed from the humidor by an umpire room attendant. The authenticator, who is employed by MLB, follows the attendant to the umpire’s room, where the baseballs are rubbed down, and accompanies the attendant as the balls are placed in the Rockies’ dugout.

During games, the authenticator sits in the photo well to the right of the Rockies’ dugout with the bag of balls in sight.

“What humidor comments?” Colorado catcher Chris Iannetta retorted when asked before the game if the club holds any grudge with the Giants over the matter. “I completely forgot about it until you told me about it. So, no.”

The rivalry is spicy enough without any humidor hyperbole.

“I know a couple of their guys pretty good, including Lincecum,” Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “We think it’s pretty comical.”

The Rockies found nothing to laugh about Monday night, when the Giants spotted Lincecum a five-run lead in the first inning as Burrell (his fifth) and Schierholtz (his first) hit back-to-back homers.

Burrell, who came in with a .336 batting average at Coors Field with 10 homers and 36 RBIs, sent a 2-1 offering into the left-field tunnel for a three-run shot that made it 4-0.

Schierholtz followed with a shot to right that was just the 31st homer hit into the third deck at Denver’s downtown ballpark and the third by a Giants player. The other two were off the bat of Barry Bonds.

Clayton Mortensen, recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs before the game, replaced Rogers to start the fourth and did his best impersonation of Lincecum, retiring his first 11 batters and throwing six scoreless innings. He allowed two hits with two walks and a strikeout.

NOTES: Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez (cut thumb cuticle) comes off the 15-day disabled list to start the second game of the series Tuesday night against Matt Cain (2-0, 1.42 ERA). … OF Cody Ross might rejoin the Giants on Tuesday from a rehab assignment with Triple-A Fresno. Ross strained his right calf during the final week of spring training.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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There’s been a lot of talk about this next PQ … maybe, maybe too much talk. This blog is not a rebel blog, this blog is Sunday Bloody Sunday … 

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat … tat-tat-tat … tat-tat-tat … rat-tat-tat-tat-tat …

Was it that beautiful Colorado sky that had me thinking Red Rocks in the early 80s, or last night’s Chinese Food and Nyquil? Ah, I suppose it doesn’t matter. Take in the backdrop, settle on the music of your choice, and let’s explore the carnival of the National League, Coors Field.

It should be a fun year to be Rockies-invested with our make-believe teams. Troy Tulowitzki(notes) (ADP: 4.65) and Carlos Gonzalez(notes) (6.77) are both parked in the first round for 2011, and Ubaldo Jimenez(notes) generally comes off the board in the fourth round. Colorado has made the playoffs twice in the last four years, and the Rockies were a respectable 83-79 last season. Runs will be scored here, and in recent years we’ve learned that it’s okay to own a Colorado pitcher or two, as well.

Pace yourself today, gamers. We’ll be in thin air all afternoon

Let’s start with the ballpark – is Coors Field still a very favorable hitter’s park?

Absolutely. Reports of the death of Coors Field have been greatly exaggerated. It’s no longer a ridiculously extreme park, perhaps, but the bottom line still paints a pretty picture.

Let the numbers tell the story. Coors Field had the highest affect on runs scored last year on the Park Factors table, and it also pushed along home runs (second) and hits (first). Stick with the runs column and go back six more years; this is how Coors Field has ranked: first, third, second, second, second, first. Crooked numbers are alive and well at Planet Coors. The ball travels well, the hitters have terrific sight lines, and the expansive outfield makes this a haven for extra-base hits.

The change in recent years (winking at you, humidor) is that Coors isn’t ranking first all the time on the runs chart, and even when it does, other parks are within hailing distance. In the good old days (or bad old days, deepening on your perspective), Coors Field used to dwarf every other stadium when it came to scoring effects. These days, it’s just one of the leaders on the block. Back in the day we almost had to plan our entire draft and strategy (pre-season and week-by-week) around Coors Field, and it was just about suicidal to own any Colorado starting pitcher. We used to fear Coors Field at all times; today, we just have to be mindful of it.

Is Jorge De La Rosa(notes) the next pitching star to emerge here?

The Rockies think so. They signed De La Rosa to a two-year deal in November, along with two more option years. Underrated pitching coach Bob Apodaca has made excellent strides with De La Rosa, and the lefty probably would have had an emphatic breakout year last season if not for a finger injury.

De La Rosa does have bouts with wildness (4.07 BB/9 last year) and his HR/FB rate (15.8) took a bite out of his ERA. But De La Rosa has the two most important skills for Coors Field: he misses bats (7.98 K/9 for his career) and he gets ground balls (last year he spiked that rate to 52.3 percent). A devastating change-up and a plus slider fuel the way for De La Rosa’s potential greatness; he just needs to get ahead in the count a little more often. A career year could be waiting in his age-30 season, and his current ADP is just an eyelash under 200.

Has Jose Lopez(notes) died and gone to heaven?

Probably. Look, I love Safeco Field and just about everything about Seattle, but I don’t want to be there if I’m a hitter. Mind you, Lopez didn’t want to be hitting anywhere in 2010, taking down fantasy owners with a horrendous season. Not all of it was his fault, of course: an unlucky BABIP (.239) and a low HR/FB rate (4.9) were along for the ride. And it’s not like Lopez never made good contact – his line-drive rate was exactly the same as it was in 2009.

Let’s also not minimize the mental affect a position switch may have had on Lopez last year. Whenever you ask an infielder to go to the other side of the diamond, you’re taking a bit of a chance. Chone Figgins(notes) and Gordon Beckham(notes) had awful years in similar situations. And now Lopez gets to go to a new league and his old position, cushioned by the friendliest hitting backdrop in the majors.

I’m in. I think he’ll be this year’s Kelly Johnson(notes), and it won’t cost you that much in public leagues (Lopez’s current ADP is over 280, ridiculous). In the industry environment it’s a little different – Lopez could become one of those trendy sleepers that become too buzzy and wreck all the value. But my advice to you is simple: go get him.

Is Dinger the ugliest mascot currently in the majors?

He’s at least in the argument. Dinger is an oddly constructed purple dinosaur and I was afraid to directly link a picture of him here; frankly, he’s a little scary. Don’t bid $1 on Dinger at your Mascot Auction – the sound of crickets will surely follow. (Dinger does do a lot of positive things away from the game – he promotes physical fitness and literacy in Colorado schools. That’s wonderful. I just don’t want him promoting baseball, at least until he’s re-designed into a more fan-friendly uniform.)

Time for the slow hike back to sea level – anything else from the Rockpile?

I don’t think it’s possible to take Tulowitzki too early, given the scarcity at shortstop this year. Gonzalez probably makes sense as a pick in the 7-12 range, since outfield is so deep, but you really can’t go wrong with either blue chipper. … Felipe Paulino(notes) was an interesting addition from Houston. He’s always had bat-missing stuff, and now he gets a year to work with Apodaca. … Ryan Spilborghs(notes) is one of the best fourth outfielders in the NL, and that could be enough to keep Seth Smith(notes) from being mixed-league worthy as Colorado’s left fielder. … I’d like to see something on the field before I get tied to Dexter Fowler(notes). He’s got a mediocre .243/.339/.391 line for his career against right-handers (being a switch-hitter doesn’t magically fix everything), and he was a mediocre 13-for-21 on the bases last year. It’s not hard to find cheap speed in 2011, and with that, I’m not forcing a pick on Fowler.

———–

Colorado sky courtesy of the Associated Press

Related: Fantasy Baseball, Pressing Questions