Chicago Cubs Series Preview: Looking for consistency, team heads out to face Colorado

Where they sit: Colorado Rockies

Record: 11-9 (2nd in National League West)

Record (Last 10): 6-4

ERA:  4.24 (12th in N.L.)

OBP: .285 (Last in N.L.)

Team HR: 27 (First in N.L.)

Team Leader – WAR: DJ LeMahieu & Charlie Blackmon: 0.8 (Fangraphs)

Home is where the heart is

Like most teams, the Colorado Rockies have always found more success at home than on the road. It has not rung right thus far this season, however, as they are 2-4 in Coors this season. The Rockies have found more considerable success on the road though, starting 9-5. For them, it’s all about finding that advantage once again.

Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu have been the hottest bats for Colorado to this point. Blackmon leads the team in home runs with seven, followed closely by LeMahieu, who isn’t known as a power guy, at five. Both are above .300 as well as tied for the team lead in WAR.

Ian Desmond started hot for the Rockies, however, has since fallen off as he is at just a .162/.194/.353 clipping with 4 HR and 11 RBI. He has been worth -0.4 WAR to this point in the season. The Rockies need him to find his bat more consistently to build on his beginning.

As for the guy they are facing, the Rockies have found some success against Chicago Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks. Hendricks owns a career 4.04 ERA versus the Rockies. However, his ERA on the road in Coors has been impressive at 3.28. To add to it, in 24.2 innings at altitude, Hendricks has given up just one home run. For the Rockies, this means Carlos Gonzalez needing to step up. He should provide a stingy match-up for the Rockies.