Rockies Pregame Rockies writers Tracy Ringolsby and Jack Etkin will be filing reports before every Rockies game this season.

MAIL BAG

The Rockies and Arizona play the final game of the regular season today, maybe. If the Rockies win and San Diego wins the Rockies would then be faced with playoffs to get into the post-season and that playoff game would count as a regular season game.

The Rockies decided that if there is a three-team tie for the wild-card, they would only play one game on the road. The Rockies won the season series from all possible wild-card teams so if there is a tie with San Diego only the game is Monday at Coors Field. If there is a multi-team tie the Rockies will be given the option of either hosting a possible two games or letting the other two teams play a game, and then the Rockies traveling to the home park of the team that wins the first game to play for the chance to advance to the NL Division Series. The Rockies have decided to play the one game, feeling the odds are in their favor to just have to win one more game, particularly after a drive that will require them to have won 13 of 14 if they advance today.

The Rockies are going with rookie RHP Ubaldo Jimenez, who is coming off a four-inning, five-run effort at Los Angeles last Tuesday, but is 4-4 with a 4.52 ERA since bieng called up from Triple-A, and he did pitched 6 2/3 strong innings at Arizona in a 7-3, 10-inning Rockies win on Aug. 31. He had a shutout for 6 2/3 innings. Then came a walk, hit batter and Miguel Montero opposite field home run to left. The Diamondbacks were a combined 3-for-18 against him.

Arizona changed it's pitching plans. Doug Davis decided he'd rather work in the bullpen to get ready for the NL Division Series Game 2 instead of starting Sunday so the Diamdonbacks turned to rookie Yusmeiro Petit. Arizona acquired him from Florida at the end of spring training for RHP Jorge Julio, now with the Rockies. He has pitched in the rotation, but was dumped in favor of Byung-hyun Kim.

Brian Maher, writes, ``I'm writing this on the last morning of the regular season, before any games have been played, thinking back over the last six months. I keep thinking of the infamous 1-9 road trip in mid-season during which Brian Fuentes, previously perfect in saving games, blew four straight saves then went on the DL. Do you have any information that would suggest Brian was hurt earlier than he let on?

Brian, that's a very good question. However, the first two blown saves were because of defensive blunders. In Toronto, a routine ground ball got by Atkins for a base hit and then Iannetta's throw into left field allowed the winning run to score. In Chicago. Kazuo Matsui booted the most routine of routine ground balls. Then Carlos Lee dumped on Fuentes in Houston. Also remember it wasn't that Fuentes blew the saves and went on the DL It was about a week later, and the inury was the pulled rib cage muscle, simliar to what Cook had. It's not the type of thing you pitch thorugh. Truth is that 1-9 road trip may have been one of the keys to this team becuase of the way it responded throughout the road trip.