Wednesday Morning Rockpile:

by Rox Girl on Aug 8, 2007 7:32 AM MDT in Rockpile

Yesterday's win wasn't without it's troubling aspects, Edwin Bellorin, for one, certainly didn't picture his MLB debut getting injured on a GIDP in his first at bat. That said, the win does pull us a little closer within the division and into a tie for third when combined with the Dodgers loss. There are still five games left on the homestand to actually create some separation between us and LA, and get closer to the Snakes and Pods before a tough Southern California road trip.

The above link mentions that the Rockies are looking into the Cardinals' Kip Wells for the bullpen or emergency starts. Wells' was on a pace for twenty losses earlier this season, and he's never been as good in performance as his reputation seems to have him. Still, depth moves are important this time of year, and the price for Wells doesn't figure to be prohibitive.

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Kip Wells and stuff

as a long guy maybe. I'd rather see Josh Fogg in the bullpen, and someone else in the Rockies Rotation. Someone? like who? well, that's the rub. Even when they were with the Pirates, I liked Fogg better then Wells.

That said, if the closer is an overrated position, then I think the long guy is underrated. The ability to eat 3-4 innings on a moments notice, or to spot start seems to be an ability many pitchers just can't do, at least regularly. Do we have in house solutions better then Kip Wells? Denny Bautista? Juan Morrillo? Darren Clarke? Maybe even Franklin Moralles? Starter or Reliever for Moralles?

Speaking of Bullpen help, Mike Myers is one I'd love the Rockies to look into.

And on the ex-Rockie Watch, Boston sent Javier Lopez down, and he was having a good year. And Royce Clayton was cut by the Blue Jays.

Catcher will be an interesting situation. Iannetta I don't think can be recalled for a certain amount of days (10?). We have a day game after a night game which is hard on a catcher. Will we see Colina? (I'm assuming that's the only move the Rockies could make at the moment.)

Chairman of the Sub-committee to resign Kazuo Matsui

by Redhawk on Aug 8, 2007 8:17 AM MDT reply actions

Iannetta

Can actually be recalled. You can recall before 10 days in the case of an injury.

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 8, 2007 8:25 AM MDT up reply actions

Fogg in the bullpen?

Did you see his last start? 7IP, 2 ER. He's 3-1 with a 2.52 ERA in his last 4 starts. What does the guy have to do to get you guys off his back? Magically start throwing in the high 90s? Turn into a 23 year-old phenom with unbelievable upside?

Anyone who doesn't love and constantly use statistics to analyze baseball is ignorant and shouldn't even be allowed to watch the game.

by rox in october on Aug 8, 2007 11:29 AM MDT up reply actions

Yes Fogg in the bullpen

Rox In October you are missing the point. Although yes he has been very good in his last several starts. Josh Fogg is not nearly as good a pitcher as some of The Next Big Things that are eegerly awaiting their call-ups from Colorado Springs and Tulsa, OK. As I watched him get lucky over and over and over and over again on Monday night, I could not help but think of how much easier a time the Rockies would have had to win the game if Taylor Buchholz or Franklin Morales would of been pitching. They would not of given up those home runs. Like I said yes Josh Fogg has had some good starts recently. But look at his projections and better yet look at his high walk and hit totals and look at his low strike out totals. He is a has been. He is a never was. The time for the Rockies to get with the future and put the pitchers that are better suited for winning both now and in the future on the Major League roster. Redhawk is right Kip Wells is also not very good but I would take him over Josh Fogg. Who to start besides Josh Fogg well haha that is "the rub"!!!!!1 I would take one of The Next Big Things over either of those old players anyways. I shutter to think of looking back at 2007 as a season that could of been. If only management had made better decisions in getting rid of players that don't belong.

Go Rockies!!!

by Kyzslew77 on Aug 8, 2007 12:15 PM MDT up reply actions

wow... just... wow

i'm speechless.

rockies in october.

by LarryB303 on Aug 8, 2007 1:34 PM MDT up reply actions

Good Fogg VS Bad Fogg

I love Good Fogg...I can't stand Bad Fogg. He seem's to show up with too much regularity. In fact when I see Good Fogg, I'm not happy, cause I know that means Bad Fogg is just around the corner.

If your argument is a Fogg in the Hand is better then some other pitcher in the bush, well, then we disagree, some what. I think Fogg could be a very valuable long reliever/spot starter (he's done it in the past while in Pittsburg. But that means the guy that replaces him in the rotation is better then Fogg. And that means our rotation would be better then it is now. And I'd like to see the rotation improved.

And no I don't think Kip Wells is better then Fogg.

Chairman of the Sub-committee to resign Kazuo Matsui

by Redhawk on Aug 8, 2007 6:33 PM MDT up reply actions

Just read about Hirsh

and his broken ankle. And Lopez's possible surgery. Fogg just got better.

And Helton back is hurting (officially left due to spasms today)? This is NOT a good time to have the injury bug hit us.

Chairman of the Sub-committee to resign Kazuo Matsui

by Redhawk on Aug 8, 2007 7:11 PM MDT up reply actions

The silver lining in the injuries

is that they are at positions with "ready-made" replacements. The difference between Morales and Hirsh can't be that great, and potential-wise, it's higher on Franklin's side. The downside is that it does make the depth thin and could necessitate a Kip Wells move.

If Helton has to go on the DL, the Rockies could do any number of things, from moving Hawpe to first and playing Spilborghs/Smith, moving Atkins for Stewart, or just use Koshansky at first.

Injuries are never good, but it could be worse. The team has no cushion in case of an injury to one of Cook, Corpas or Francis on the pitching side, or Tulowitzki, Holliday or Torrealba on the hitting side.

by David OhNo on Aug 8, 2007 7:18 PM MDT up reply actions

How about going to a different Well(s)

I see that Boomer's days with the Pods are numbered. Wouldn't mind making a play for him. He may feel a little revenge factor. What do you think?

by Drewan on Aug 8, 2007 7:46 PM MDT up reply actions

Interesting option

I thought the same thing.

I am pretty sure he wants to remain on the west coast though.

by MADness on Aug 8, 2007 7:51 PM MDT up reply actions

One problem, though

The 40-man roster is full. That means, if Hirsh goes on the DL, in order to call up Morales, someone would have to be removed either by DFA'ing a player, exposing someone to waivers, or placing either Hirsh or Lopez to the 60-day DL since it sounds like Fuentes should be coming off the DL early next week. I'm not sure that O'Dowd would want to do any of that right now with a ton of teams needing help. The easiest solution is just to move Buchholz back to the rotation and bring back Ramirez to put in the bullpen. That move does not require any additions or subtractions to the 40-man roster.

The other thing with Morales is that I'm still not too cinvinced he's ready yet. His ERA in his first AAA outing was good but the 5 walks were a little concerning. Jimenez is already not going very deep into games and if Morales has the same issue, that is really going to tax the bullpen. Add in Bad Fogg showing up once in a while and the fact that Cook's personal catcher is now back in AAA and Cook working with Torrealba wasn't working very well, the rotation is going to have some issues. Buchholz in the rotation may help (once he re-adjusts). I definitely would rather have Buchholz start than bring in Kip Wells. Wells is having major issues pitching in St. Louis, I cringe to think what he would do here. Also, Morales is pitching tonight so he would be on short rest to start on Sunday which I doubt Hurdle would do. Morales has already thrown 33 pitches and given up 2 walks in 2 innings. I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what happens.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 8, 2007 7:51 PM MDT up reply actions

rami has been sucking

i would not wan to see him up so soon if we can avoid it

by roxfan4life on Aug 8, 2007 8:25 PM MDT up reply actions

If Hirsh has a broken bone in his ankle

15 days on the DL with less than two months left in the season doesn't equate to much return time. I'd imagine either Hirsh or Lopez can be placed on the 60 day with their respective injuries, especially Lopez. You also can't rule out the team designating someone like Thompson in hopes of him clearing waivers and staying on.

I'm sure the team could patch together a start on Saturday with the likes of Herges and Buchholz stretching out for a couple of innings until they can bring along Morales.

You can say what you will about Morales, but you aren't offering better alternatives. Asking for Buchholz to move into the rotation is like asking to move Cook into the bullpen, neither is likely. Hurdle feels like he has a good grasp of what Buchholz's viability as a starter is, and that is that.

Morales has been talked up as the next in line, and the team won't hesitate to make room for him if Cook goes down. Besides, both Jimenez and Morales are considered the future, so if they can get quality results and stay competitive, the team will be far better for it than any other alternatives.

As for the Wells' two, neither are as bad as their numbers suggest, but both should be in the higher 4's ERA, so it's no great consolation. Kip is the "safer" bet. He has a better FIP, a better K and GB rate, and hasn't gone in the tank like David recently (who's more likely to retire than head elsewhere).

by David OhNo on Aug 8, 2007 8:28 PM MDT up reply actions

That's part of my point

We are starting to be stretched very thin in depth right now as far as starting pitching goes. With Morales pitching right now as I type this, he will not be ready to start on Sunday and with no off day, we can't rearrange the rotation. Kevin Walker is not a good option at AAA either, nor are any of the other AAA starters. My point is that I would rather put Buchholz back into the rotation than pick up Kip Wells (who is not even on waivers yet and could also be picked up by someone with a worse record than us), especially since Buchholz has not been lights out in two of his last three appearances.

I'm not dissing on Morales but I still feel that he will benefit from more time in AAA, facing the more disciplined hitters. He is currently pitching in only his second AAA start. If he can continue to dominate the more disciplined hitters, than I'm all for him coming up but he should at least have some time in AAA.

The fact that Iannetta, who was working great with Cook (and actually has hit a homer already for Colorado Springs today) is not here to work with Cook, I'm getting a little concerned about how Cook will fare in his next start.

Free Taylor Buchholz!

by lgh77 on Aug 8, 2007 8:55 PM MDT up reply actions

KIp Wells?

I've watched the Cards a lot. Do not want.

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

by Silverblood on Aug 8, 2007 8:19 AM MDT reply actions

There is no room

Why would we want to tie up a roster spot with anyone less valuable than Fogg? Anyone we bring on would have to go on the 40-man and I'm not sure if there is anyone there that we can afford to lose.

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Aug 8, 2007 8:33 AM MDT reply actions

MLB CONSPIRACY THEORY 101:

How much did MLB and Bud pay Hank Aaron to read his prepared speech in order to DEFLECT attention from the embarrassing absence of Bud and his watered down comments. They all knew steroids were in use and now hide from acknowledgement of the tainted record. The only one to come out looking like a CLASS act is Henry. The rest look like clowns and snakes. First the grassy knoll, now this. The record will be broken 4 more time before the MLB roid investigation concludes that their results are inconclusive. Spineless Bud rides again.

by 86 wins in 07 on Aug 8, 2007 10:00 AM MDT reply actions

I thought

Bud, should have done a recorded message as well. I didn't expect the Commish of Baseball, to be at EVERY game, but he could have recorded a message.

Now, I don't like Bonds, but I don't see his record to be that tainted. It's a different era. Like the live ball VS the Dead Ball, or the Expansion era of the late 60s-early 70's. The stats should be compared to their own era, and Bonds is the best of this steroid era. Is he better then Aaron? I don't think so, but I didn't think Aaron was better then Ruth....different era's.

I'll always wonder how many of the pitchers Bonds faced were on Steroids as well. I think if we fans knew the truth, I think we'd be shocked to know how many players were on Steroids. As a fan of the Rangers from the 90's I can list several: Canseco, Juan Gonzales, Ken Cammenitte, Palmerio, Ivan Rodriguez. So I think 'roids were every where.

I think it will be interesting to see how the Hall of Fame reacts to this era going forward.

Chairman of the Sub-committee to resign Kazuo Matsui

by Redhawk on Aug 8, 2007 11:09 AM MDT up reply actions