My mom, a die-hard Rockies fan, has pointed out to me on several occasions that I’m too negative when I write about the team.

I’ve told her that when a team opens the season 11-3 but then goes 9-20 to stumble to the edges of the playoff race, it deserves tough scrutiny. I’m not sure she buys my argument, but what’s a son to do?

Anyway, to honor my mother, I’ll put on a happy face and present the things that must happen in order for the Rockies to be one of eight National League teams to qualify for the 2020 postseason:

Finish 31-29

I figure that record will get the Rockies in, although a 30-30 record might do the trick. As I write this, Colorado would have to go 11-6 down the stretch in order to win 31 games.

Starting pitching to rescue

On Friday, lefty Kyle Freeland parroted the Rockies’ oft-repeated phrase, saying, “We have to start clicking on all cylinders.” When I asked Freeland want he meant by that, he said: “To me, it starts with the starting rotation. That means that guy setting the tone early on in the first two or three innings, letting the opposition know that we’re not here to mess around.”

Freeland and Antonio Senzatela have, for the most part, done that this season. Opening day starter German Marquez? Not so much. He entered Friday night’s game against the Angels in a funk, having gone 0-4 with a 6.00 ERA since his last win on Aug. 4. Simply put, Marquez has to step up in the four starts he has left.

Deliver hits in the clutch

Colorado entered the weekend with a .258 average with runners in scoring position, ranking 15th in the majors. It also would be helpful if the Rockies would hit more home runs with men on base. Their 22 homers with men on ranked 20th in the majors. Atlanta, by comparison, had hit 41 entering the weekend.

Blackmon must heat up

The bearded one got off to a sizzling start that coincided with his team’s hot start. As late as Aug. 23 he was still hitting .390. But then Charlie Blackmon got as cold as Colorado’s wonky September weather. Entering Friday, he had struck out at least once in a career-long 14 consecutive games and was batting just .157 (8-for-51) over those 14 games.

Find another dependable reliever

Daniel Bard looks like the real deal as a closer. Yency Almonte, Mychal Givens and Tyler Kinely, despite some hiccups, have been reasonably reliable. But the Rockies desperately need another late-game reliever to emerge.

Can it be Carlos Estevez? With a 98 mph fastball and a sharp slider, he certainly has the firepower to get the job done. As late as Aug. 25, his ERA was 2.25, but he’s been ineffective in four of his past five outings and his ERA is now 6.41.

The big right-hander had been a shutdown artist on the road, not allowing a run in his first eight games away from Denver, with opponents batting just .188 against him. But on Sept. 4 at Los Angeles, he allowed a season-high four runs on four hits in a loss to the Dodgers. Then Estevez served up the winning run on Monday night in San Diego’s 1-0 win at Petco Park. Estevez has the stuff but can he harness it?

The bottom line

It’s not too late for the Rockies to make a run to the playoffs. Of course, that would likely get a best-of-three, opening-round match against the Dodgers.

Sorry about that, mom.