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PREGAME: Odds long for Rockies »
October 27, 2007
BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
DENVER -- In an effort to jump-star his offense, Colorado manager Clint Hurdle has made a few lineup changes for tonight's Game Three.
Hurdle has pushed second baseman Kaz Matsui up to the leadoff spot from his number two slot in the batting order and brought hot-hitting shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (.400 against Boston) up to second from seventh, where he batted in the first two World Series games.
Those changes forced out Willy Taveras not only from the leadoff spot, but from a start in center field. Taveras is batting only .120 and has an on-base percentage of .214 in the postseason. He also has fanned 10 times. Taveras is being replaced in center field by Cory Sullivan
Taveras had missed the final 21 games of the regular season because of a quadriceps injury. His absence caused Hurdle to put Tuolowitzki in the number two stop with Matsui leading off, and the Rockies went 17-1 with that lineup. Taveras returned to the lineup in the NLCS.
Hurdle has felt the need to shake up his lineup because the Rockies, who led the National League in hitting during the regular season, batted only .180 (11-for-61) over the first two games of the Series. And with Colorado down, 2-0, in the Series, there's no time like the present, he figured, to make some changes.
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 4:47 PM | Permalink
