The first Monday after a long vacation is the worst. Jobs are piled knee-deep on your desk top. Your e-mail box reads "Inbox(547)", and the red message light on your phone looks as red as a baboon's butt. People ask you questions about jobs that you haven't the faintest clue about. And, oh, then there's a did-you-read-the-brief-there's-a-2-hour-meeting-on-it" in 15 minutes meeting. It's at this moment you know two things: 1.) I want to be back on vacation and, 2.) My day is completely shot, I'm totally lost and I won't be home until, oh, 7:30, if I'm lucky.

Sort of how the Colorado Rockies have looked and must feel after World Series Games 1 & 2 and an apparently crippling 8-day layoff.

The Rockie bats were still on vacation as Josh Beckett threw a masterful and dominate performance in Game 1, all but securing his 2007 Cy Young award. Beckett struck out the side in the 1st inning, indicating the 8-day layoff was like pulling the plug at a nuclear reactor--everything shut down for the Rockies. Things only got worse when Boston's ridiculously hot Justin Pedroia hit a deep lead-off home run in the bottom of the inning off Jeff Francis. After that, Beckett and the Sox hitters just pounded the Rockies. The timing, rhythm and confidence that were all there during Colorado's post-season surge to the playoffs were all long-distance memories. Final score: 13-1.

Last night's Game 2 was a bit more interesting when the Rockies got to Boston starter Curt Schilling in the top of the first for a run. But Colorado starter Ybaldo Jiminez was flatout shaky, throwing a dismal 91 pitchers in 4 2/3 issuing 5 walks before finally being yanked. To his credit, Jiminez did manage his way out of trouble during the 3rd and 4th innings, keeping the Rockies in the game. However, the Rockies couldn't manage another run off Schilling or reliever Hideki Okajima, who positively handcuffed Colorado hitters with his nasty curveball, giving up no hits and striking out 4 in 2 1/3 innings. In fact, I think Colorado's Ryan Spiloborghs' knees are still breaking from one of Okajima's Uncle Charlies. Just sick stuff.

So what's Colorado have to do besides--OK, smarty pants--a lot?

1.) Get the top of the order on base. Willie Tavarez and Kaz Matsui have looked overmatched by Boston pitchers, going 1-17 with 1 walk and 1 run scored. Worst of all, not drawing walks. Ouch.

2.) Get the "little" bats of Troy Tulowitzki, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe going, too. Post seasons are won by little guys doing big things at the right time. Like Pedroia has been doing for the Red Sox. Colorado needs a lot of that, and fast.

3.) They'll also need performances of a lifetime from Josh Fogg and Aaron Cook in Games 3 and 4, if they want to get back to work and get in this thing. And they'll need to go relatively deep into the game so that the Rockies bullpen doesn't get taxed.

4.) IF the Rockies manage to win Games 3 and 4, they are going to have beat Beckett. Period.

5.) Loosen and lighten up. The Rockies have looked tight, tense and concerned. This is definitely not the loosey-goosey team that won 21 of 22 to get here.

Considering how Boston is firing on all cylinders right now, this is a very tall order. All Colorado can do is suck it up and say "Vacation's over, boys. Time to get back to work." Or else.