(Sports Network) - Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd will soon have some choices to make with baseball's non-waiver trade deadline just over a week away.

The Rox remain within striking distance in the competitive National League West, as the club currently stands 5 1/2 games off Los Angeles' lead atop the West. Colorado's even a little closer in the league's wild-card race, where it trails division-rival San Diego by 4 1/2 games for the top spot.

On the flip slide, the Rockies presently reside in fourth place in the West standings, and five teams stand between them and the Padres in the battle for the wild card.

Therein lies the dilemma for O'Dowd and the Rockies, a team that sorely needs inclusion in a pennant race to re-energize a waning and disenchanted fan base but also can't afford to mortgage what appears to be a promising future with the playoff picture so wide open and unpredictable.

Should O'Dowd dangle some of the jewels from a bountiful farm system in order to acquire the pitching help Colorado needs to become a serious postseason threat? Or should he deal attractive and expendable players such as Garrett Atkins and Brian Fuentes to further bolster the organization's long-term chances for success?

Actually, don't be too surprised if O'Dowd makes very few, if any, moves at all prior to the July 31 deadline. Colorado doesn't have the pitching depth to make a realistic playoff run over the next two months, and obtaining the necessary mound talent to make a charge will come at an exorbitant price in such a scarce market. And if the Rockies can significantly improve on last year's 76-86 record, that would show their long-suffering fans that this is indeed a franchise on the upswing.

That's a very attainable goal, provided the team doesn't sell off its proven talent in the upcoming days.

If the Rockies do make a deal, it will likely be to strengthen their shaky bullpen situation. Boston's Julian Tavarez, who was recently demoted to a relief role by the Red Sox, has been mentioned as a possible target. The veteran right-hander has had success pitching at treacherous Coors Field, having won a career-high 11 games with Colorado in 2000, and nearly became a Rockie once again this past offseason as part of the proposed Todd Helton deal.

It's also been rumored that the Red Sox have an interest in Fuentes, who will be due a large salary increase through arbitration this coming winter and may be no longer viewed as the Rockies' long-term closer. However, the left- hander's current status on the disabled list and a string of rough outings earlier this month may have lowered his trade value.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

The Rockies missed out on a golden opportunity to gain ground on the Dodgers and Padres, both of whom lost their most recent series, with a disappointing performance against the Washington Nationals over the weekend. The NL East cellar-dwellers took three of four games from Colorado at RFK Stadium and shut out one of the league's top offenses in each of the last two encounters.

Colorado mustered just seven runs during the series and lost the momentum generated from a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh to begin the week.

Perhaps the Rockies were looking ahead to this week's homestand, where they will face off against the top two teams in the NL West standings. Colorado will host San Diego for three games before four consecutive matchups with the division-leading Dodgers. How the Rockies fare over those seven games will likely influence their plan of action at the trade deadline.

"That's what you're looking for is the excitement that interdivision play will bring," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle told the team's official site. "You're playing the two teams who are on top. It's something our guys will be ready for."

A DEVASTATING LOSS

Tragedy struck the Colorado organization on Sunday, when Tulsa Drillers hitting coach Mike Coolbaugh died after being struck in the head by a line drive during a game with the Arkansas Travelers.

The horrific incident occurred during the top of the ninth inning. Coolbaugh, who was coaching first base, was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Drillers designated hitter Tino Sanchez and lost consciousness. He was transported to Little Rock's Baptist Health Medical Center but was unable to be resuscitated. The 35-year-old was pronounced dead less than one hour after being struck.

Coolbaugh joined Tulsa, the Rockies' Double-A affiliate, on July 3 and retired as a player from professional baseball the previous season. The former third baseman played in 44 combined games with Milwaukee and St. Louis between 2001 and 2002 and hit 256 career home runs during a lengthy minor league career.

"Our entire organization grieves at the death of Mike Coolbaugh," said Rockies team president Keli McGregor. "We were shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the accident on Sunday evening. Mike was a great husband, father, brother and friend to so many throughout the baseball community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, wife Mandy and sons Joseph and Jacob, and to all of those whose lives were touched by Mike over his career and his life."

INJURY REPORT

Fuentes, who was placed on the disabled list with a strained rib cage muscle on July 4, made a rehab appearance with Class A Asheville on Tuesday. Although the All-Star closer tossed a scoreless inning in that game, he has been unable to throw since that outing and is unlikely to be activated anytime before the end of the month.

Starting pitcher Jason Hirsh, who is recovering from a sprained ankle, made a rehab start for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Thursday but surrendered six runs in just 1 1/3 innings of work. On the positive side, the right-hander did throw 28 of his 39 pitches for strikes.

Hirsh will make another start for the Sky Sox on Monday. If all goes well, he could rejoin the Rockies' rotation for this weekend's series with the Dodgers.

WHO'S HOT

Right-hander Josh Fogg put together two very good starts during the recent road trip. The ex-Pirate defeated his former club with seven innings of two- run ball on Tuesday, then followed up with seven shutout frames in Sunday's game at Washington. Fogg, who yielded just three hits to the Nationals, left with the game scoreless and did not record a decision.

WHO'S NOT

Second baseman Kaz Matsui batted .107 (3-for-28) during Colorado's 10-game road trip and went hitless in nine at-bats during the Washington series.

ON DECK

The Rockies begin their crucial seven-game homestand on Monday, when San Diego invades Coors Field for the first of three meetings. Colorado ace Jeff Francis (10-5, 4.07) will pitch the opener opposite Greg Maddux (7-7, 4.17), with Ubaldo Jimenez (0-0, 3.60) matching up against Padres All-Star Chris Young (9-3, 1.85) the following night. Aaron Cook (6-6, 4.37) will take the mound for the Rockies in Wednesday's finale, with Justin Germano (6-3, 3.77) slated to go for the Pads.