Monday Rockpile: Pitching and Catching and Paige, Oh My!
by Andrew Martin on Mar 22, 2010 8:08 AM MDT
in Rockpile
17 comments
All Things Rockies: Cook discovers inner sinkerballer || Jim Armstrong
MLB.com: Cook bounces back in Minors game || Thomas Harding
Both of these articles give us similar news, and good news from the sounds of it. Aaron Cook, who's been absolutely battered this spring, has seemingly gotten a grip on his sinker again, getting the bite, throwing the nasty, at least as far as C Miguel Olivo saw it. Apparently they did't venture from the sinker and slider, and it worked (against Diamondbacks minor leaguers).
Speaking of Olivo and Cook, it seems that Olivo has never really had to experience Bad Cookie, as both of the games he's caught for him have been pretty decent. Harding also brings up something Olivo and Cook worked on together: 70 ft bullpen sessions. The thought behind these sessions is that it will allow Cook to get fully extended, rather than shorten up, like some pitchers do during remedial drills. Cook wants to really stretch it out, throw it through Olivo, get his arm real loose tonight, throw a hand in the air if he's feeling alright, he don't care if you stare cause his sinker is tight, put the catcher back there so he can do this right.
The last little nugget from both articles comes from an unexpected source: Jason Giambi. Yes, Jason Giambi is apparently advising our pitchers as well. Giambi basically told Cook that when you play your career with fluctuating weights, you're gonna have to re-find your timing quite regularly, as your body is "firing" at different points. Man, Giambi is just advising everybody. If he fixes Cook, too, man this guy will be worth every dime.
Denver Post: Rockies aim to be running on the basepaths || Jim Armstrong
Citing yesterday's bizarre game of 3 SB, a suicide squeeze, 2 runners thrown out at home, stretched doubles, everything, it apparently tells us that the Rockies are going to be scrambling all over the basepaths this season. I don't know how to feel about that, honestly. Carlos Gonzalez (who is cited as a leadoff manfffFFFFFFF), Dexter Fowler, Clint Barmes? Yeah, I want to see those guys all over the diamond. But Ian Stewart? Chris Iannetta? Yeah let's keep them station-to-station as the situation demands. I don't want to see Stewart caught in even more failed Hit-and-Runs this season and then get benched or something like that.
Armstrong also cites some other quick nuggets, including Justin Speier helping his case for making the 25-man (wooo Justin!), Betancourt saying "hey I'm doing OK" and Matt Reynolds also being a candidate to stick with the club. Justin Speier for the 25-man!
Denver Post: Paige: 99 wins, not tears, for these Rockies || Woody Paige
I seriously thought this was going to be a Jay-Z joke when I read the headline.
Woody Paige falls into the trap that oh-so-many people fall into this time of season: he declares the team will mash purely based on Spring Training. That they'll wreck the basepaths based on Spring Training. That we'll win based on Spring Training.
Oh, Woody.
But he does cite a couple of important things, mainly the fact that the team knows who will be the starter, bringing us back to opening day 2009 where Barmes, the starting 2B, was benched for Stewart, and that fact, that continuity will drive this team to succeed.
Other nuggets:
- Our 1B has been nicknamed Toddy Ballgame.
- Jason Giambi is apparently Russell Crowe.
- Suggesting that the rotation repeats last year's success is unreasonable, but Ubaldo winning 20 and Francis winning 12-14 in 2010 isn't. (wasn't this the same rotation he's tried to shred in the past?)
- Manny Corpas will be sent to the Springs.
- This:
Surprise. Something very special.
For 17 consecutive years, I've correctly predicted that the Rockies would not finish first in the National League West. For the 18th season, I'm predicting that the Rockies finally will finish first and win a team-record 99 games.
Yes, it's cheesy, yes, it's kind of short sighted, yes, it's one of those articles written for those just tuning in and not us who've been watching but... sigh. Ok guys, scoot over, make some room on the wagon for Woody. I guess I'd rather have him here and rooting than running around elsewhere trying to tell us something that just is flat out wrong.
Lots more after the jump, so stay tuned during this message from our sponsor, Ovaltine!
17 comments | 0 recs |
Rowbot Radio - Episode 7
by WolfMarauder on Mar 22, 2010 4:01 AM MDT
in Rowbot Radio
0 comments
Welcome to Episode 7 of Rowbot Radio! On this edition, Andrew and I discuss possible solutions to Huston Street's presumed absence at the beginning of the season, the team's defensive issues in Spring Training so far, and Andrew rants about sacrifice bunts.
As always, any questions or comments that you want addressed on the program should be sent in the comments section. Thanks, and enjoy!
0 comments | 0 recs |
Rockies Review: Forging forward on the purple path
by Silverblood on Mar 21, 2010 9:04 PM MDT
in Rockies Review
7 comments
Good evening, Rowbots. I apologise for the lateness of this edition, and also for the fact that we will be going in a slightly different direction tonight. It's still spring training, so I figured this was the best time to do so. (Hey, we don't really want to rehash all the pain of our latest entanglement with the Royals, do we? God, I can't believe we have to play them again this year). Arriving at the end of one part of my life has gotten me thinking about the importance that baseball is going to play in the next part of it, specifically the Rockies. They've been involved in my life in a bigger way before, and will be so again.
So if you feel like delving into something that's not specifically game-related, but is important to me and has to do with how much our favorite team is really part of who I am, then join me after the jump.
7 comments | 4 recs |
Rockies 11, Royals 11: Chacin struggles in Rockies' first spring tie
by Andrew T. Fisher on Mar 21, 2010 5:55 PM MDT
in Game Wrap
26 comments
The Pebbles have made a habit of scoring late. For the second straight day, the Rockies came from behind late, this time on the strength of a two-run triple by Michael Paulk in the ninth to cap a 3-run ninth. The two run lead was not safe in the hands of Scott Rice, whose career highlight came June 3, 1999. Rice served up a two-run home run to Wilson Betemit. Both managers decided they had enough of what was a sloppy game, calling the game a tie after nine innings.
The game started off well offensively for Colorado as well. Even though it has taken awhile for Eric Young Jr to start hitting, he really has been hitting well of late. A day after hitting a walk-off three-run triple to close a five run inning, he led off another five-run inning with a single and stolen base in the first. A Seth Smith triple, Chris Iannetta double and Ian Stewart single facilitated the scoring.
Unfortunately, a couple prized Latin pitchers struggled, namely Jhoulys Chacin, who gave up five runs on six hits in the first inning. He rebounded to hold the Royals to one run on three hits in his subsequent two innings. The good news for the Rockies is their significant rotational depth, allowing Chacin (who just turned 22 this January) time to figure out his issues at Colorado Springs. Samuel Deduno continues to impress with his stuff, which is enough for me to be excited in spite of his four hits, two walks and two runs allowed in two innings of work.
Justin Speier and Matt Daley pitched perfect and dominant innings, striking out two each, and Franklin Morales was impressive again, allowing an "earned" run on the strength of a hit that was lost in the sun.
Seth Smith had three hits, Chris Iannetta roped a couple doubles, and Chris Nelson had a couple hits. EY2 drove in a run with a squeeze bunt, tripled and singled in addition to his leadoff single. Colorado came into the game leading the Cactus League in doubles and added four to that total, as well as three triples. We were also leading the league in errors, but it was Kansas City who had four defensive miscues while the Rockies were technically error-less.
Scott Rice for closer!
26 comments | 0 recs |
Spring Training Game #20: Jhoulys Chacin vs. Gaby Hernandez
by Andrew T. Fisher on Mar 21, 2010 1:00 PM MDT
in Game Thread
599 comments
It's Aaron Cook's spot in the rotation today, but the Rockies have decided to keep him in Tucson to pitch in a minor league game rather than ship him the potential three hours to Surprise. So while we will be following the official major league Spring Training game here, there's still plenty of interest in how Aaron Cook recovers from two putrid outings.
In Cook's place will be right-hander Jhoulys Chacin to face the Kansas City Royals and Gaby Hernandez. If Friday or Colorado's recent history against the Missouri royalty is any indication, we are screwed today.
I am going to go take a nap now. I'm exhausted from driving through the night from Tucson back to Colorado.
The game today is on MLB.tv, KOA, Gameday Audio and FSN. MLB Network will air a tape delay later tonight.
Lineups:
COL:
Eric Young, Jr. - 2B
Jay Payton - CF
Carlos Gonzalez - DH
Seth Smith - RF
Chris Iannetta - C
Ian Stewart - 3B
Matt Miller - LF
Mike Paulk - 1B
Chris Nelson - SS
Jhoulys Chacin - P
KC:
Scott Podsednik - LF
Chris Getz - 2B
David DeJesus - RF
Billy Butler - 1B
Alberto Callaspo - 3B
Josh Fields - DH
Brian Anderson - CF
Vance Wilson - C
Yuniesky Betancourt - SS
Gaby Hernandez - P
599 comments | 0 recs |
Sunday Rockpile: Why Brad Hawpe is a better fit for the Rockies than you may think, Part 1
by Rox Girl on Mar 21, 2010 8:47 AM MDT
in Rockpile
91 comments
So today, I'm very busy with real life stuff and sort of running desperately late, so no links other than to Troy Renck's article at the DP, talking about how the Rockies are navigating past the obstacles presented this Spring. Instead, I'll just put up a post I've been working on regarding Brad Hawpe, that's still in a nascent stage, so I'll just call it part one.
I've been kind of troubled by my affinity for Brad Hawpe this winter, and no, Mrs. Hawpe, it's not that kind of affinity. Anyway, why I'm troubled is because I really don't believe he's as bad for the team as some very intelligent people make him out to be, and whenever that sort of disconnect takes place, it causes me to question my own stance. Today, I'm going to try and reconcile why I feel that some of Hawpe's value to the Rockies may be missed (note: in part two, I'll try and figure out how to actually put it in numbers, rather than theory). Let's first review the two basic facts that we know about Brad Hawpe:
- He is a liability defensively, likely a very large one relative to replacement level.
- He is a credit on offense, again a pretty large gap between him and your standard bench (not Seth Smith) level.
The sum total of these two facts lead sabrmetricians to the conclusion that on a completely average team, Brad Hawpe is a slightly below average player. No, actually that's not true, it seems to lead most of them to the conclusion that on any team, Brad Hawpe is a below average player. And that highlighted word is important, because I believe this is where people are generally missing something important.
Let me show this with a geometric proof, so you can see where my logic's coming from:
- The object of baseball consists of two distinct phases, scoring as many runs as possible while on offense, and preventing as many runs as possible on defense.
- There are hierarchies of player importance in both run scoring and run prevention. For run scoring, the top and heart of the lineup are most important as they get the most plate appearances and also the most plate appearances with high percentage scoring chances. In run prevention, the pitcher carries by far the most importance.
- Right field, because of the relative scarcity of play opportunities, is close to the bottom of the defensive hierarchy, but (depending on the individual player) usually near the top of the offensive side of the equation.
Is everybody with me so far? This is where it will get a little more tricky:
91 comments | 0 recs |
Rockies 11, Angels 10: Rockies rally in ninth to win
by Russ Oates on Mar 20, 2010 7:37 PM MDT
in Game Wrap
7 comments
You've probably read all the recaps of this game already, but to rehash all of it:
- Eric Young Jr.--clutch. We still spilly Spilly. Wilin Rosario hits homers.
- Jeff Francis had less-than-desired results during the first couple of innings.
- The Rockies won.
Anything else?
7 comments | 0 recs
Spring Training Game #19: Scott Kazmir vs. Jeff Francis
by Russ Oates on Mar 20, 2010 1:00 PM MDT
in Game Thread
189 comments
A couple of years ago, this match-up would have been one you'd want to actually attend. Now, not so much. Francis is still on the road back from injury, and Kazmir hasn't kept up with the expectations placed on him. Time for the Rockies to beat the team that's somewhere in California. Possibly Los Angeles, historically in Anaheim. Maybe the Angels are actually from the island on LOST (oh, um, I shouldn't have done that).
Go Rockies!
189 comments | 0 recs
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
Purple Row Cares
Current Series
3 game series vs Brewers @ Miller Park
| Tue 04/06 | 6:10 PM MDT | |
| Wed 04/07 | 11:10 AM MDT | |
Blogroll
News and Stuff:
Official Rockies Site
Rocky Mountain News
Denver Post
Inside the Rockies
Hardball in the Rockies (Thomas Harding's blog)
The Growing Colorado Rockies Blog Avalanche:
Diamond in the Rox
Denver Baseball Observer
Rox Head
Rockies Photo Blog
Inside the Humidor
Purple Rox Squad
Rockpile Rant
View from the Rockpile
I Live for This
Rocky Mountain Way
Rockies Review
Rockiescast
Other Colorado Rockies forums/discussions:
TheScoreBoards.com
Colorado Sports blogs:
Mile High Report (Denver Broncos)
BroncoTalk (Denver Broncos)
Mile High Hockey (Colorado Avalanche)
Denver Stiffs (Denver Nuggets)
The Ralphie Report (CU Buffaloes)
SBNation.com Recent Stories
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Spring Snapshot: Royals resting all of their hopes on three kings
- Greinke has minor command problems in start against farmhands
- Done deal: Joe Mauer signs with Twins for 8 years, $184 million
- Joe Nathan's elbow tells him it's time for Tommy John surgery
- Small Twitter account creates big drama in White Sox camp
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
