DENVER -- After being knocked out by the Dodgers in the third inning of Sunday's 9-6 loss, Tyler Anderson said his confidence remains high.
"If I were to face those guys tomorrow, I'd get them out," Anderson said after the game. "It's just one of those things. You always believe you can do it."
Rockies manager Bud Black says he shares Anderson's confidence, despite seeing him get knocked out in the first and third innings of two of his last three starts, allowing a combined 12 hits and 10 runs (nine earned) in 3 1/3 innings.
"That's part of what makes players successful, is their self-confidence," Black said before Monday's opener of a key four-game home set with the D-backs. "With Tyler, who's healthy, his stuff is fine, he's just not locating it. I think probably most of it is mechanics. You get on those rolls, the 1-2-3 innings, the double plays, that sort of builds momentum. He hasn't been able to do that through August. Is he capable of doing that the next time he starts? Absolutely. Because the talent is there, his stuff is there, his self-confidence is there. Now he just has to be right physically."

Black has spoken to Anderson about some mechanics that the left-hander can work on between starts, and the biggest issue is cementing his delivery so he's repeating it on every pitch.
"The consistent arm slot is imperative," Black said. "I've spoken to Tyler about sometimes when he tries to go to the outside corner vs. a righty you can see his arm drop a little bit. And then you'll see his arm slot go up a little higher when he's trying to create a little better angle with his fastball and slider. For me, that's a little inconsistent, but Tyler feels at times he needs to do that."
As the Rockies get deeper into September, having an available arm capable of long relief -- or of taking Anderson's spot in the rotation if he doesn't get right -- becomes increasingly challenging. They have two pitchers on the roster who would be stretched out enough to make a spot start or eat significant innings of long relief -- Chad Bettis, who last started for the Rockies on Aug. 12, and Sam Howard, who started for Triple-A Albuquerque on Sept. 1.
"I think Chad is still capable of 45 to 50 pitches if he's rested," Black said of the length available out of the 'pen. "Sammy Howard, he's very capable of throwing 75-90 pitches, which could be five or six innings. Sammy's still coming off a start in Triple-A not too long ago, so he's capable of a great deal of length."
New from Nolan
Nolan Arenado has been increasingly forthcoming about how his Aug. 10 shoulder injury is affecting his play following the decision to bench him for Saturday's game against the Dodgers. He came back Sunday and snapped an 0-for-15 streak with a two-run homer, while also making a pair of characteristically impossible fielding plays at third base.

"I'm in the training room all the time trying to do some things," Arenado said Monday. "There's only so much they can do. They can only make it feel so good. It's just a matter of dealing with it. We've done enough treatment so it kind of just feels the same. It feels better than it has. It's kind of like dead arm. I feel like it's not very strong right now. I think that just comes with rest and it'll come back. But there's no time to rest right now."

Arenado has said he doesn't think it will feel completely right until next season.
"One day it feels decent, and the next day it's sore, but it's fine," Arenado said. "I'm going to play through it. It's no big deal. It doesn't hurt me hitting. I feel like sometimes when I throw the ball, it's not as hard as I'd like it. It just comes with having an injury. It is what it is."