May 16, 2008 8:06 AM

Time to bReak up Rockies?

If I hadn't seen "The Streak" for myself, I would begin chiseling a tombstone right now for the Rockies.

"The Streak" produced 21 wins in 22 games for the Rockies last fall. Now "The Skid" has the Rockies losing 18 of their past 24 games going into the inter-league match-up with the Minnesota Twins starting Friday at Coors Field.

I'm not ready to call the Rockies season over just yet. But they don't look like a team that's ready to win two in a row, let alone seven or eight straight - the kind of winning streak needed to right the ship.

What's funny is, we're hearing more about dismantling that improving the club.

My colleague, baseball Hall of Famer Tracy Ringolsby, has broached the possibility of trading All-Star Matt Holliday. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/may/15/ringolsby-could-holliday-be-on-trade-block/

Some readers of my Speak Up! forum have suggested trading left-hander Jeff Francis, who was the staff ace in '07. What, have the Rockies become the Florida Marlins -- tearing it down a year after having success?

I believe the Rockies do need to make a trade that wakes the players from their slumbering funk. But not at the expense of stripping the nucleus of the team. If you're trading Holliday, it better be a package that includes immediate help as well as a high-ranking prospect for the future.

Or maybe you sign the best all-around hitter on your team a long-term contract and find other means of improving the pitching staff.

The motto at Coors Field right now needs to be shake it up, not bReak it up.

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