Monday Rockpile: Walt Weiss' Return to the Dugout?

by Russ Oates on Oct 13, 2008 8:18 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 9 comments

First an update on Casey Weathers. From the RMN:

[Weathers' injury] was officially diagnosed as a strained flexor muscle in his right forearm. The Rockies want club doctors to examine him to confirm the injury is not more serious.

Minor league director Marc Gustafson said Weathers, the Rockies’ first-round draft choice out of Vanderbilt in 2006, will be put on a rehab program with the expectation he will be ready for spring training.

Please don't be a more serious injury! We want to see Weathers get a spot in the bullpen at some point during the 2009 campaign instead of watching retreads fail and fail and fail. . . .

Also in the article, the coaching search receives a good deal of attention. The organization, it seems, would like Walt Weiss to become the hitting instructor, if he wants to be a full-time coach now. I can't really say much about that unless it happens, but I can tell you a bit about Walt Weiss and the 1985 draft.

The 1985 draft is one of the best drafts, if not the best, since 1965 (the year the draft started). Walt Weiss was the 11th pick of the draft, won the AL ROY award in 1988 (the third straight Athletics player to win it, after Jose Canseco in 1986 and Mark McGwire in 1987), became an oustanding defensive shortstop, played for the Rockies from 1994 through 1997, and finished his career with the Atlanta Braves.

But just take a look at the rest of that talent from 1985: B.J. Surhoff (1st overall), Will Clark (2nd overall), Bobby Witt (4th overall), Barry Larkin (4th overall), Barry Bonds (6th overall), Pete Incaviglia (8th overall), Rafael Palmeiro (22nd overall), Randy Johnson (2nd round/36th overall), and Mark Grace (24th round/622 overall). This article from 2002 will tell you even more about the 1985 draft.

Back to the vacant position that is the hitting coach. Greg Colbrunn and Tony Muser are possiblities for the job if Weiss doesn't accept. Colbrunn, we know, is a former Rockie. Tony Muser, as the article mentions, once managed the Denver Zephyrs. He also managed the Kansas City Royals from 1997 to 2002 (fired within days of Buddy Bell's dismissal from Colorado in April). He also had three solid seasons with the bat during the 1970s (73-75) but was done after a brief stint with Milwaukee in 1978.

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Terry Frei chimes in on the coaching staff, or more specifically, on Clint Hurdle's backside. Frei's bottom line:

Hurdle's still a good guy.

As a manager, he has become indefensible.

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Pebble Report Update: Chris Nelson collected his first two hits in the AFL. The first was a solo homer in the eighth inning of Friday's game and on Saturday he had a single and two RBI.

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Regarding Chris Nelson...

According to Keith Law (whom I respect very much), Nelson has thoroughly impressed offensively. He has put together some good at-bats in live game action, is showing good plate discipline and selection, and had probably the best BP session that Law has seen thus far (apparently Nelson hit the top of one of the light towers at the park, and has shown a lot of raw power and good bat speed). Also, he said that the home run that Nelson hit was off of a 91 MPH fastball and was hit to the opposite field.

Hopefully, this is all a sign that Chris is regaining his pre-2008 form, although also according to Law, Nelson is having trouble with the conversion to second base, as he is having trouble even with routine plays.

Rock rock 'til you drop!

by theoldgrizzlybear on Oct 13, 2008 10:37 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Nelson had trouble with routine plays at short too.

He started to show some life at the tail end of the year this year, but at the same time, he looked like he was trying to make up for several poor months with one swing a little too often.

Bat speed-wise, he’s upper echelon, and one of the quickest bats I saw in Tulsa. The problem may be recognition, as he had a late trigger and and was susceptible to breaking balls.

Talent has never been a problem, though maybe the finer aspects of baseball could be a problem, namely infield defense…

by David OhNo on Oct 13, 2008 11:54 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Apropos of nothing

I almost got into a fight with Pete Incaviglia in a bar in Tucson after he got hammered and pushed my friend’s sister to the ground for no apparent reason. He’s huge. To be fair, I was part of a large group of people that wanted to fight him, and perhaps fortunately for us, he was such a jackass he got thrown out of the bar by the bouncers and escorted to a cab by some other Dbacks. Man I miss college.

by Teekalong on Oct 13, 2008 6:52 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

So this was during Spring Training 1999?

"Never Surrender Dreams" - Inscription on J. Michael Straczynski's bench

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ Oates on Oct 13, 2008 7:07 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I assume so

I’m pretty sure Steve Finley was part of the crew that pulled him into a cab.

by Teekalong on Oct 14, 2008 1:46 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I say 1999

because Incaviglia had signed on as a non-roster invitee to the D’Backs ST over the winter and then retired in April 1999. It was the only time Incaviglia would have been around with the D’Backs.

"Never Surrender Dreams" - Inscription on J. Michael Straczynski's bench

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ Oates on Oct 14, 2008 1:52 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pick a side!

The conflict of the winter between the Holliday/Boras camp and the local media/Monfort group took a huge leap forward the other day when Krieger reported in his column that the reason the Rockies were so bad this season is because Matt turned down at least $72 million.

It’s going to be a great offseason!!!

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/oct/10/krieger-monfort-fall-began-in-spring/

by roxhead on Oct 14, 2008 12:37 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs