The same outcome against the Dodgers that we've had all season brought out some boo-birds this morning. Notably, Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla who gripes about the Rockies payroll. The Denver Baseball Observer properly skewered Kiszla's last attempt at "covering" the Rockies, hopefully he'll do something similar this time around. Please stick to football, Mr. Kiszla, your opinions in regards to the Rockies are absolutely asinine. What's really sad is that when the Rockies do make it to the playoffs within the next season or two, that this clown will get free tickets. The one semi-constructive element that he posits, that the Rockies were wrong in trading mid-season for Jeremy Affeldt when Greg Maddux was available seemingly ignores that the price the Dodgers had to give up for Maddux (one veteran, starting caliber MLB shortstop in Cesar Izturis) was one that the Rockies would not have been able to give up without hurting the franchise more than helping it.

Kiszla has no clue when it comes to baseball, this team has more talent now than it has in the last ten years and we are legitimately on the verge of competing, giving up the soon to be dynasty for an ill advised one and done shot at glory is not what this team needs.

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Speaking of Affeldt, the Post also tells us that the Rockies have decided to not go ahead with the briefly thought about shift to starting for Jeremy. Maybe he's one of the "proven veterans" Hurdle refers to that he's looking for in the seventh or eighth inning next season. As was mentioned in the comments to last night's game, this is another unfounded and absolutely silly sentiment from our manager. Jonathan Papelbon is one of the AL's top closers this season despite spending less than a year in the majors prior to that. Mo Rivera, another closer you might have heard about, was used entirely in high leverage, seventh and eighth inning situations his second professional season. The point is, if the kids have the goods, then don't keep them from using it based on false constructs of your ideal bullpen Clint.

Anyway, back to another possible implication of the Post article, is that this could mean an interesting scrum next Spring for the bottom of the rotation. Particularly with the status of Byung Hyun Kim and Josh Fogg uncertain for next season, the Rockies must be seriously considering using one of the bunch of U-ball, Morillo, Bautista or Hampson straight out of Spring Training.

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The notes article from the official site also talks a little of Ian Stewart, who's still high on the team's prospect radar despite a cloudy position in the future. I'm of the opinion that 2007 needs to be a breakout year for Ian, but I'm also confident that he's fully capable of that.

In other minors news, Baseball America should announce their Northwest League top twenty later today, look for appearances from Shane Lindsay, Josh Sullivan, Aneury Rodriguez and Daniel Mayora. In a chat over at the BA site later today, I'll try to get to the bottom of the injustice with Mayora I described yesterday.