Rockies acquire Ramon Ortiz from Minnesota

by malakian on Aug 15, 2007 4:30 PM MDT in Rockpile

The Rockies have acquired Minnesota's Ramon Ortiz for Triple-A infielder Matt Macri.

__________________________________

This trade is part of a series of roster moves by the Rockies today, who've also promoted both Ramon Ramirez and Elmer Dessens to take spots on the 25 man roster, according to Denver Post. The Dessens call up is troubling, since it's to take Cook's place in the rotation temporarily, who might be pushed back to Saturday.

What we still don't know is who's leaving the roster. It looks as if nobody is heading down to the Springs for the time being, since the Rockies also moved Juan Morillo and Judd Songster to Triple A to take the places of Dessens and Ramirez. Taveras' trip to the DL opens up one 25 man spot, but where the other two spots, as well as the 40 man spot for Ortiz come from, is unknown to us at this time.

Ortiz is pretty much a journeyman pitcher who faced early ridicule in Minnesota for taking a roster spot away from one of their younger, talented pitchers (hmm, why does this sound familiar?). He's pitched to a 5.14 ERA between starting and relief, and has produced a meager VORP of 5.7 in 91 innings. He's long had troubles with the longball as a starter, but that hasn't been much of an issue this season. Ortiz has long caught the eye of O'Dowd and Co., but like many recent acquisitions, he comes past his prime and unlikely to make a large impact.

So, which is more disheartening to you? That we've lost Matt Macri, we've gained Ramon Ortiz, we're experiencing injury difficulties with Cook, we're being forced to rely on Dessens to start, or that we likely won't be seeing the young, talented Morales (despite prodding from players) any time soon?

-David OhNo

Update [2007-8-15 19:24:21 by David OhNo]:The story keeps getting worse. The Rocky Mountain News is now reporting that Cook is heading to the DL. For the next two weeks, our rotation could be Francis, Jimenez, Fogg, Dessens, and Ortiz. Our playoff odds just got a considerably smaller as the nightmare that started last night continues into the late afternoon hours of today. Oh please, Ubaldo, give us fans a sliver of hope tonight.

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Comments

Um, all of the above?

All of this is the unfortunate domino effect that results when a rotation gets banged up as badly as ours is.

I wasn't in favor of promoting Morales before, but if the alternative is Ortiz... well, let's just say I'm slightly more sympathetic to Franklin's cause now.

mvn.com/mlb-rockies - Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Aug 15, 2007 5:06 PM MDT 0 recs

Ortiz

(I originally posted this in today's Rockpile but it fits here as well. )Ramon Ortiz hasn't started since June 15th, a full two months, and his longest relief outing since was 2.1 innings. Uh, how does this help us? Buchholz has started since Ortiz last did and Buchholz has also pitched more innings than Ortiz has. Buchholz would be a better option that Ortiz to start. I don't see how this helps us at all. Not only is Ortiz not a good pitcher, he's not stretched out so he'll be putting more of a burden on our already overworked bullpen. This has got to be one of the stupidest moves I have ever seen.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 15, 2007 5:12 PM MDT 0 recs

We could be wrong

Ortiz could be on the team to be used as a 12th man on the pitching staff, not to be Saturday's starter. It's sounding more like Dessens is going to start tomorrow (not that that's really a good idea either), Cook will be pushed back to Saturday, and Ortiz is now here in case somebody else gets hurt, or in case Ubaldo completely falls apart in his next two starts or so.

You get the feeling that the Rockies don't think Morales is ready quite yet. Considering he's walked 13 batters in 17 innings since moving up to AAA, I think this is a valid belief.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 5:17 PM MDT up 0 recs

That still doesn't make it right

it wouldn't surprise me on bit if Macri became a better than league average everyday third baseman, or offensive minded second baseman. If the Twins get six years of solid performance from a guy we could have used at second or in place of Barmes as a super-sub, and all we get is a below servicable spot starter/reliever, we got absolutely worked over.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 5:20 PM MDT up 0 recs

No, it doesn't

My point is not that Ramon Ortiz is a good pitcher. We all know that is not true. But we're also probably placing a little more value on Macri than there really is. Would you rather have him or Ian Stewart?

Now, if the Rockies had traded Stewart for Ramon Ortiz -- yeah, we'd be calling for O'Dowd's head right now.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 5:24 PM MDT up 0 recs

It gets worse

Ringolsby expects Cook to be placed on the DL tomorrow to make room for Dessens.

by malakian on Aug 15, 2007 5:23 PM MDT up 0 recs

That sucks.

So maybe Ortiz will be starting for us on Saturday? That's just wonderful. Hell, why didn't we just let Tim Harikkala hang around?

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 5:26 PM MDT up 0 recs

At least it wasn't Russ Ortiz.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 5:14 PM MDT 0 recs

Better be lucky

On the surface (and every other level) this is an idiotic trade.

Why give up a valuable and promising player for a pile of junk?

Ortiz has experience, that is about all that I can say about him in terms of why the Rockies wanted him.

by MADness on Aug 15, 2007 5:17 PM MDT 0 recs

"Valuable and promising"

Not so sure I agree with that assessment of Macri. Sure, he had an .851 OPS at Tulsa, but he's 25 and was repeating the league. Furthermore, where's he going to play for us? Macri at this point mostly seemed like a spare part for the Rockies with Atkins and Stewart both ahead of him on the depth chart at third and Jayson Nix having worked his way back into the picture at second. And if he were really that promising, don't you think the Rockies would have held out for somebody better than Ramon Ortiz?

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 5:21 PM MDT up 0 recs

Are you playing devil's advocate?

Macri was only repeating because of a slew of injuries he's experienced at the Double A level. This has been his most extensive exposure to Double A, and he's been very good. The power is already there thanks to a 200+ ISO. He doesn't need much projection, and watching him play, you can see the raw power in the contact he makes. Nix is no more a sure thing than Macri, and as I noted a few days ago, needs to prove that his jump is more than BABIP. He could have easily passed Nix.

As for his future with the team, it could have been at second, and if not there, he could have been a power infield reserve with more pop and hitting prowess than Clint Barmes. That in itself has value.

Couldn't it just as easily be explained as O'Dowd panicking with the recent Cook news and sucumbing to the higher demands of trading teams, and falsely thinking that Macri was a bit more expendable than other prospects?

Sure he's no Ian Stewart, but don't act like he's monopoly money either.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 5:31 PM MDT up 0 recs

True

I'm kind of playing devil's advocate here. I am in no way saying that getting Ramon Ortiz is a good idea, though at the very least picking up Ortiz shows that the front office is not going to give up on the season despite the recent spate of injuries. To be honest, at this point if we're going to try to pick up a pitcher from somewhere else and not just throw in some guy from AAA and hope for the best, there's not that much better we can get than Ramon Ortiz. Just about any pitcher better than that probably wouldn't clear waivers, for one thing, and it would probably take more than Macri to get him.

As for our options at AAA -- obviously, we at Purple Row would rather see Morales in the rotation and Morillo out of the bullpen, but this is a situation where we're actually trying to make a push for the playoffs and we don't know what we're going to get with either one of those guys. If we were fifteen games out, yes, obviously we'd want to bring up Morales and plug him into the rotation, but at five games out we're looking at things differently. At the very least, we know what we're getting with Ortiz, and while Ortiz is not very good, there's a line between bad (Ortiz) and just plain awful (Morales -- potentially.) In the former case, at least with a good offense you can overcome your starter giving up six runs over six innings. It's much more difficult to overcome your starter spotting the other team an 8-0 lead in the first two innings.

I think the short here is that when you're making a push for the playoffs, you can't afford any surprises, and while Morales could come up and be absolutely lights out, he could also make three starts and post an ERA somewhere around 18. At least if Ortiz is bad (which he will be), you pretty much know he's going to be bad.

Macri -- yeah, you're right, he could be good, but at the very least we are trading from a position of relative strength here. And it's not worth hanging on to a guy if we only think he's going to be a utilityman -- although, I agree with everyone's sentiments that we could have held out for somebody better than Ramon Ortiz.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 5:44 PM MDT up 0 recs

I disagree

The fear of the unknown tends to paralyze people.

If we run out Ortiz and Dessens the rest of the season (or even for the next several weeks) we are NOT going to make the playoffs.

We do know what we will get with them and it will not be enough to get us into the playoffs.

Morales could either tank or he could do well and provide a large improvement in one starting rotation spot.

We can lose with the garbage, lose with a faltering Morales or win with a hot Morales. Of those three only one option involves enough winning to get us to the playoffs. I would take my chances at this point with the potential.

by MADness on Aug 15, 2007 9:42 PM MDT up 0 recs

Josh Fogg

Welcome to our new #2 starter. May his reign be just.

I've been in this game a hundred years, but I see new ways to lose I never knew existed before. - Casey Stengel

by Behrens on Aug 15, 2007 5:27 PM MDT 0 recs

We're screwed.

Completely.

Get Demented. I already am, and in severe emotional pain to boot.

by Silverblood on Aug 15, 2007 5:30 PM MDT 0 recs

Holy hell

This sucks. Francis really has no margin for error from now on. We can't have any more starts like last night. I just pray UBall can get it together and we continue to see good Fogg. Ugh. What a time for the entire rotation to go down.

Also, the RMN link at the top doesn't work. Well it doesn't link to the RMN at least.

by Knepster on Aug 15, 2007 5:31 PM MDT 0 recs

Sorry about that

I forgot to put the actual link in the story. But hey, it looked official. When it comes to breaking news, I'm pretty much fourth string, so you guys are getting mop up duty today.

It should work now.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 5:34 PM MDT up 0 recs

David Wells?

Doesn't seem like such a bad idea now. At least call his agent and see if he's interested.

by Knepster on Aug 15, 2007 5:39 PM MDT 0 recs

It was fun while it lasted

All we need now is for Fogg and Francis to end up on the DL and this team's rotation will have completely gone down the drain. Now, our rotation is Francis (who, as stated previously) really needs to step up and be the ace of the staff, Fogg (Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde personified), Jimenez (who has struggled in his last two starts) and two over the hill, washed up former starters from two other teams that, I'm sure, were more than happy to be rid of these guys and their contracts. Great. Why don't we just call it a season now and bring up the young guys to get some experience instead of watching these games the next two weeks in agony.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 15, 2007 5:40 PM MDT 0 recs

I wouldn't go that far yet

but like you, I'm starting to dampen my hopes for the post-season. This team cannot publicly admit it's out of the race, nor operate privately in that manner either. However, this team does have a promising 2008 ahead of it, and can't do any more future damage to the organization.

I don't think we'll be looking outside the organization anymore, and the team should simply play the hand it's been dealt from here on out.

However, the team should be putting plan B together soon, should the rotation struggles be too much to overcome in the next week or two. By plan B, I mean leaving Jimenez in the rotation, promoting Morales to the rotation, sitting Todd regularly to get an idea of what a Stewart-Atkins corner tandem will look like in the near future, audition Smith for the centerfield/right field jobs in case Hawpe or Taveras are shopped in the off-season, and give Morillo and Buchholz chances to grab late inning roles for next year.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 5:48 PM MDT up 0 recs

Plan B

I agree with most of your Plan B except that I think that Buchholz should go back to the rotation to attempt to get his confidence back in starting to see if that would help us next year. Given that we are already down three starters (Lopez, Hirsh and now Cook), a rotation of Francis, Fogg, Jimenez, Morales and Buchholz would work out fine. Both Fogg and Lopez will be free agents after this year so, if they don't come back, we'll need two starters for next year. This would give the front office a look at all three guys (Jimenez, Morales and Buchholz) against not just major league hitters, but division rivals over the remainder of the season. Personally, I still think that a rotation of Francis, Fogg, Jimenez, Buchholz and Morales would probably give us better results than what we'll be throwing out there this week and we'll have all five of those guys coming back next year.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 15, 2007 6:00 PM MDT up 0 recs

And if that rotation

you list doesn't help the playoff push, at least we'll know a lot about these guys heading into next season.

I think just as important as improving the rotation for the stretch is making sure the club knows what they want to do with Morales and Jimenez next season. It could be the difference in blocking their path with a marginal vet, making a bigger splash in free agency, or conserving free agent dollars to spend elsewhere. The FO has to keep 2008 in mind as much as 2007, as we could be in better position to make noise in October next year.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 6:22 PM MDT up 0 recs

Exactly

Using two "one month rental" players for the remainder of the season and blocking the young pitchers isn't going to tell us anything about next year and, considering who these two rental players are, really doesn't help our playoff hopes, either. I fully agree with you that we need to get some ideas of how Jimenez and Morales will perform in the majors before we have to make decisions on how to proceed in the offseason. Also, if Buchholz gets his confidence in starting back and can pitch in the rotation the way he has in the bullpen, that will help immensely.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 15, 2007 6:31 PM MDT up 0 recs

Francis has too much pressure on him....

right now. We are in the stretch run, starting this week, and Jeff probably knew of Cook's issue last night. He probably put the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Francis is still young, and has never been through a stretch drive for the playoffs. I'll bet he tries to do too much, falters, and let's just hope he doesn't hurt himself in the process!

by Roxpert on Aug 15, 2007 5:57 PM MDT 0 recs

Yeah

I was definitely surprised at how quickly the wheels came off for Francis last night. He's about the only MLB-quality starter we have now, Josh Fogg's occasional good start notwithstanding.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 6:00 PM MDT up 0 recs

WTF??!!

Uhm... when did this sort of behavior become okay? Right now, this move is entirely too reminiscent of early O'Dowd plug-a-leak moves for my comfort. We better hope that the move to the NL makes Ortiz look like a Cy young for two months.

Macri was definitely a valuable asset to lose, but i've been afraid that he'd get lost in the roster crunch this offseason (via the Rule 5 draft) anyway. Getting something for him is a lot better than getting nothing. I'm just very skeptical still nonetheless.

by Rox Girl on Aug 15, 2007 6:17 PM MDT 0 recs

Hey guys...

Dustin over from TwinkieTown here.

Sorry about you guys getting Ortiz. Just call him Mr. Peepers (the SNL character he's always reminded me of) and laugh your sorrows away. Ortiz really isn't THAT bad I don't think if used in short stints. He just has that one big blowup at times that really gets to him. Your pitching coach has to pull him early and often to avoid that.

I'm curious to get an analysis on Macri from you guys? Can he really play 3b? We have the worst 3b in the history of MLB on our team currently (Nick Punto) so any thoughts would be welcomed. Thanks guys!

by DJSkillz on Aug 15, 2007 6:20 PM MDT 0 recs

Macri's got the bat to be decent

He played shortstop in college, and third seems to be his most natural position in the majors. With Atkins/Stewart/Baker already clogging our third base picture, he was kind of the odd guy out.

The one real big issue with Matt is his injury history, as this is the first full season he's put in for a while. As long as he's healthy, he'll be a good but not great power guy with a decent average. Glovewise, he's still got some issues and his arm will only be average, but focusing on one position rather than being shuffled around like the Rockies have had him do will help him settle down.

by Rox Girl on Aug 15, 2007 6:30 PM MDT up 0 recs

Yes he can play third

more offensively than defensively though. I've seen him play third several times this year, and he has soft hands, good range, and a strong arm, but he can get a little mechanical with his footwork and throwing motion, leading to errant throws or poor positioning to turn double plays. He was a short stop at Notre Dame, though, so the athleticism is there for him to improve at the position.

Offensively, the one big tool he's shown this year is power. Macri has a compact swing with a slight uppercut that he uses to pepper the left center gap with line drives. Most of the homers I've seen at Tulsa have come from pulled balls, and he's had some impressive homers over the net protecting the street behind Driller Stadium (tough visual reference, but think 20 rows up left field at the Metrodome.) His patience is only adequate, and he will chase balls out of the zone. I don't know if he'll consistently hit .300 in the bigs, but would be surprised if he had a .280/.330/.480 line in the pros soon, with 20-25 homer potential.

The knocks have been his defensive inconsistencies and health. This is the first year in two years Macri has had a lengthy stretch of time playing, and he's still missed time at the start of this season. At 25, he's not likely to improve much, but with a .200 ISO in Tulsa right now, the package is pretty solid.

I don't think you guys are getting any all star in the making, but he's already better than Punto, and as long as you get a hadnful of above average seasons for peanuts, you've walked away with a steal.

FYI, I live in Tulsa and attend Driller games fairly regular. So if you find this worth anything, you're more than welcome to copy and paste this on your Twins site.

I personally wish nothing but the best for Macri, and am deeply dissapointed to see him go in this nature.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 6:32 PM MDT up 0 recs

Thanks David...

my sincere thanks.

I've stopped by here before and really enjoy your guys' site/thoughts. Stop by TwinkieTown anytime.

Man, Punto is awful. The guy can't even BUNT anymore. Like I said, worst regular in the bigs right now.

I am SO jealous of your 3b options guys. I like ALL of Atkins/Baker/Stewart a great deal.

Like I said, good luck with Ortiz, and good luck in the West. Down with the Dodgers! (though that's already happening) Thanks again.

by DJSkillz on Aug 15, 2007 6:35 PM MDT up 0 recs

That at least made me smile...

Probably kept me from putting a fist through my desk in frustration. Thanks buddy.

President of the Kazuo Matsui Fan Club

by MattTheRock on Aug 15, 2007 6:35 PM MDT up 0 recs

Does Ortiz

go hump the home plate umpire's leg? That would be entertaining. More entertaining than watching him pitch, I'm sure.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 6:39 PM MDT up 0 recs

haha...

he might. I'd prefer that over him pitching, at this point actually. :)

Seriously, as much as I hated him as a pitcher, it always brought a smile to my face watching him enter a game, just thinking of that image.

I keep wanting to go to a game and throw an apple his way; see if he can tear through it Mr. Peepers-style.

by DJSkillz on Aug 15, 2007 6:44 PM MDT up 0 recs

By the way...

hate to chime in on your poll, but it's almost GOT to be "Which of these baseball broadcasters would you want to be stranded on a desert island with?" right?

Then you can hear the question (in Will Ferrell's best Harry Carey) "If I was a hotdog, would you eat me? I know I would!"

by DJSkillz on Aug 15, 2007 6:27 PM MDT 0 recs

Hahaha

I love Will Ferrell's Harry Caray.

by Knepster on Aug 15, 2007 7:53 PM MDT up 0 recs

Ortiz update

Troy Renck updated the Ortiz article I posted earlier.

According to Hurdle, Ortiz is not a candidate to start Saturday and will work out of the pen initially. He also notes that the team is still looking at other external options like Trachsel and Towers, but Morales remains the favorite for Saturday's start.

So what does this mean? Does it mean Buchholz gets moved into the rotation? I can't imagine the club going with an 8-man bullpen for too long.

Corpas
Julio
Fuentes
Affeldt
Hawkins
Herges
Buchholz
Ortiz

by malakian on Aug 15, 2007 6:32 PM MDT 0 recs

I was wondering about that

When I looked up Ortiz's stats and noticed that he hasn't made an appearance longer than 2.1 innings in two months, my first thought was how is he going to be stretched out to start on Saturday and not wear down the bullpen.

Starting Buchholz would make much more sense. Even in the light of Cook going down, I still say that Morales needs a little more time in AAA. Having to rely on Francis, Fogg, below average Dessens and two rookies does not seem to be the best route to the playoffs. At least Buchholz has major league starting experience (not to mention a complete game shutout) and has also been involved in a playoff race, being with the Astros last year.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 15, 2007 6:38 PM MDT up 0 recs

I step out for a few hours

and this stuff happens . . .

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Aug 15, 2007 6:35 PM MDT 0 recs

I'll admit

I'm not a Simpsons guy. I might have seen maybe five or six episodes. But for some reason, I'm getting flashbacks to one of the episodes I saw, where they're trying to leave the factory in a panic, but the exit door was painted on the wall...

I don't know how to explain that episode, or my feelings forthe panic insuining by both the club over injuries, and us fans over the moves, but somehow, a fake exit door seems appropriate.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 6:40 PM MDT up 0 recs

We'll be irrational about this for a while

I think all of us have kind of been enjoying the run, but not really believing that it's happening. We've all been sitting there waiting for the other shoe to drop at some point to remind us that we're not quite there yet.

Well... The other shoe is falling. I expect by the end of this road trip now, it'll have hit rock bottom.

President of the Kazuo Matsui Fan Club

by MattTheRock on Aug 15, 2007 6:43 PM MDT up 0 recs

If Ortiz isn't going to start

If Ortiz isn't a candidate to join the rotation, and we're going to give Buchholz/Morales/Jimenez a chance to lose a rotation spot before Ortiz is handed one, I'm a little less frustrated with the circumstances of this play.

Our rotation is in shatters, for no other reason than the fickle whims of Lady Luck. It's a catch-22 - commit to untested youngsters, and it looks like you're giving up, but go out and try to get a veteran spot filler, and you're not going to end up with anybody who is all that good.

mvn.com/mlb-rockies - Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Aug 15, 2007 6:41 PM MDT 0 recs

And if he isn't going to start

where are we going to get all these roster spots? There's only so much roster manipulation left before we DFA a potentially useful player.

by David OhNo on Aug 15, 2007 6:43 PM MDT up 0 recs

Roster spots

Assuming we're going to carry 12:

Francis, Dessens, Fogg, Jimenez are in the rotation.

Herges, Buchholz, Affeldt, Hawkins, Julio, Ramirez, Fuentes, and Corpas are in the bullpen.

If we add Ortiz, we could send Buchholz to the rotation... which I think is a real possibility considering Ortiz isn't ready to join the rotation.

mvn.com/mlb-rockies - Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Aug 15, 2007 6:50 PM MDT up 0 recs

That would work

Herges has now pitched right around 3 innings in his past two appearances, moving Buchholz to the rotation and Herges to the long reliever role should work out fine. I would much rather do that than try to get Traschel or Towers. Let's not give away the farm for a couple of rental players.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 15, 2007 6:57 PM MDT up 0 recs

Cook to DL

According to the Denver Post, Cook will be placed in the DL tomorrow. Now we just have to wait and see what the corresponding move to get him on the 40-man roster will be.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 15, 2007 6:45 PM MDT 0 recs

Methinks

somebody may be moved to the 60-day DL? Or else the Rockies will realize that having five catchers on their 40-man roster is incredibly stupid and try to pass one of them through waivers.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on Aug 15, 2007 6:50 PM MDT up 0 recs

WOW!..

you guys have FIVE C's on the 40? That even beats Ron Gardenhire's obsession with C's. I feel your pain. We've already lost guys like Kevin Cameron to waivers because of this infatuation.

And he almost always refuses to play Mauer and Redmond together because he fears "losing the DH" even though he'd lose one for at most 1-2 ab's.

Gah, our organizations both sound extremely frustrating.

by DJSkillz on Aug 15, 2007 6:56 PM MDT up 0 recs

Had Edwin Bellorin

not gotten injured in the first game he played for the Rockies this season, we'd only be at four.

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Aug 15, 2007 7:00 PM MDT up 0 recs

How does this trade make sense?

Especially with the Cook situation and a woefully transient rotation, why make this trade? If the last homestand was the Rockies' last stand at being a real contender, so be it.
Things certainly don't look promising now, so why trade a potentially useful player for a has-been who's just taking up a roster space? If the season is indeed about to spiral out of control, wouldn't it be more prudent to see what some of the young arms can do the final six weeks?

No one knows what kind of career Macri will have, of course, but this is quite reminiscent of another Notre Dame infielder traded too soon for less than chump change who turned out to be a valuable contributor to two World Series winners, Craig Counsell.

Is it possible O'Dowd knows something we don't about all this?

by moose14 on Aug 15, 2007 7:03 PM MDT 0 recs

Maybe it's just karma...

after O'Dowd absolutely ripped Purpura a new one with the Jennings trade.

by DJSkillz on Aug 15, 2007 7:11 PM MDT 0 recs

my 3 cents

I got no problem trading Marci. Yes, he is a talent with some potential, but the beauty of the Rockies minor league depth is we have value like him to trade, and not hurt the organization at all.

Now for the rotation. I assume Ramirez goes right back down when Ortiz actually reports (he has like 5 days to actually show up to the Rockies)

As for Bucholtz, he has stated, he likes being in the pen. Hurdle and the Rockies Front office seem think he is better in the pen, and Bucky has actually done better in the pen then starting over the last couple months. So I think Bucky should stay in the pen. But the numbers don't look right unless he starts, possibly sending Dressens back down, but that gives Bucky some time to get in the swing of regualar starts. (or Ortiz starts and Bucholtz stays in the pen)

So that makes the Rotation:
Francis, Jimenez (tonight), Dressens/Bucholtz/Ortiz (Thursday), Fogg (Friday), and Morales (Saturday).
the 'Pen: Ortiz/Bucholtz, Herges, Affeldt, Hawkins, Fuentes, Julio, Corpas

This is still a mess. Out of our rotation we now have lost Cook, Hirsh, and Lopez.

Chairman of the Sub-committee to resign Kazuo Matsui

by Redhawk on Aug 15, 2007 7:59 PM MDT 0 recs

Would you Fans

rather have BY Kim? just released today by the Diamond backs!

Chairman of the Sub-committee to resign Kazuo Matsui

by Redhawk on Aug 15, 2007 8:31 PM MDT up 0 recs

actually....yes

Kim is just as good if not better than Ortiz and certainly is a better bet than Dessens. Most importantly, he wouldn't have cost the team Macri.

by DenverBears on Aug 16, 2007 3:59 AM MDT up 0 recs

Er...

Been paying attention lately? BK has been absolutely terrible. I want no part of his bitching about not being in the rotation. He's not good enough.

President of the Kazuo Matsui Fan Club

by MattTheRock on Aug 16, 2007 12:29 PM MDT up 0 recs

yes, I have...

his last two starts have been awful, but before that he was ok--certainly better than Dessens and Ortiz. Whether he would blow up like the last two games he pitched, is a valid question. Keep in mind that Ortiz hasn't started since May and had a 10+ ERA in 5 starts in May and the Rockies had to give up a prospect to get him...sure, I'd rather have Macri and given Kim a chance to start again than this alternative. I also think that as bad as Harikkala was, I don't think Ortiz or Dessens can be expected to be better.

As for his constant whining about starting, I have to agree that would be pretty annoying, but I wouldn't have to deal with it.

by DenverBears on Aug 16, 2007 1:38 PM MDT up 0 recs

W/ the injuries

it seems pretty obvious that we have little to no chance of making the playoffs, and that was punctuated last night. I am ok w/ that realization because I think we have a promising 2008, especially after watching Jimenez tonight. The fastball he threw Greene in the 4th was unreal. After saying all that, I just don't understand this trade. Why bring in a guy who has no chance of being a Rockie next year. I understand we may have lost Macri anyways, but don't waste a roster spot on Ortiz.

The other point is that, if we don't re-sign Matsui, who is the future 2B? I thought it could be Macri. We don't have many great 2B options, Barmes is not an option. Nix, maybe, but no better option than Macri.

Also, why is this ump squeezing Uball? He has not given him the corner at all. 2 of the pitches he called balls against Young were strikes, especially ball 3.

by smokinRox on Aug 15, 2007 9:31 PM MDT 0 recs