Rosario giving Rox offense from behind plate

DENVER -- Walt Weiss can see Wilin Rosario developing into a more intelligent hitter, sitting on more pitches and understanding the pitching sequences.

And it is paying off big time.

Lost in Todd Helton's memorable performance in Friday 9-6 victory was a stellar night from Rosario, who went 4-for-5 with a double and scored two runs. The four hits tied a career high set in April.

Rosario is nearing the end of his best offensive month as a big league hitter -- batting .356 with five homers, five doubles, 15 runs and 20 RBIs (a career high) before ending August on Saturday against the Reds. With a month to play, he has already surpassed his doubles, hits and RBI totals from his rookie campaign.

His 72 RBIs are a season record for a Rockies catcher, and his 203 total bases are tied with Yadier Molina for second most among NL catchers, trailing only the Giants' Buster Posey.

"I said it this spring; I felt like this guy's going to be not only a guy that hits for a lot of power but a good hitter," Weiss said. "Had some tough spots this year, where he was getting pitched to a certain way and maybe struggled with the adjustments for a certain time. But he's figuring some things out. We're seeing the results of that."

Rosario's impressive offensive numbers allowed him to finish among the top five for National League Rookie of the Year in 2012, but his defense was a major liability. He allowed 21 passed balls and committed 13 errors, numbers that are down to nine and eight, respectively, in Year 2.

"He took a lot of criticism," Weiss said. "He got thrown into the fire; he struggled and still maintained that positive outlook and still showed up every day. ... When a guy gets beat up by the game and he's still able to maintain confidence and the type of outlook he has, that says a lot to me about him as a player."

At 24, Rosario is just beginning to tap into his offensive potential. He is the rare man behind the plate who can hit for power and average.

"When you look at the production, he's got a chance to be a very elite player," Weiss said. "A guy at that position, that gives you that type of offense, it's a rarity."