Last season, Franklin Morales was a snapshot of the Rockies late season run.

He was not much of a known commodity, then Rocktober happened and everything changed. He,like the rest of the team, became household names from Limon to Lodo. Now, everything has changed again----though, this go around, it's not for the better.

On Tuesday, Morales was sent down to Triple-A Colorado Springs---the very place he left to make his mark in Denver last season. He's back for an encore and this demotion is deserved.

Outside of his first start ( 6 IP, O R and 3 K) it has been a downhill slide for a pitcher who can't find his slider or much else these days. In his last four starts, he hasn't had an ERA in any outing under 6.00 and has given up 18 runs in those four subsequent starts.

Much of the Rockies early season struggles have been focused on the sophomore slump of Troy Tulowitzki, which has largely drowned out the struggles of Morales.

To me, Morales will be back soon. His pitching ability is solid, but Tulowitzki is discovering with the bat, what Morales is learning on the mound: The game of baseball, at this level, is all almost about adjustments.

Last season, Morales was a bit of an unknown commodity in baseball. The advantage usually goes to pitchers when they first get called up to the Major Leagues. Hitters aren't familiar with new pitchers, thereby putting them at a disadvantage at least initially. However, as that pitcher makes more starts and batters, coaches, managers, scouts, and analysts get more video of him and get to watch, study, and break down his technique----that advantage the pitcher had has now been more or less mitigtated.

This, in my opinion, is what has happened to Morales. He had a head start and now almost everyone has caught up. The question these days is can Morales get back out in front again?

See you on Friday everybody.

-"z"