Friday Morning Rockpile:

by Russ on Apr 25, 2008 8:54 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 27 comments

Kosuke Fukudome didn't have anything on Brian Fuentes yesterday afternoon during the ninth inning. Neither did Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, for that matter. That certainly was quite the first test for Fuentes in his return to the closer role: facing the heart of the Cubs lineup. How long will this move last?

Hurdle said it served no purpose to say whether the move would be temporary, since there is no way to predict how Fuentes and Corpas will perform.

"I think you do is what's best for the club," Hurdle said. "And that's to give the ball to Brian right now, get the heat off Manny, give him an opportunity to work his way (back). See how that plays out."

Sounds as if Hurdle will stick with this until Fuentes blows a few saves in a row, no?

Cook might have a new nickname soon, "The Terminator," if he keeps coming up big after the Rockies fall big time.

Tracy Ringolsby suggests two possible lineup changes, one Hurdle likely won't do and the other, possibly. Todd Helton moving to the two-hole has been bandied around before, but would Hurdle actually stick with such a move for long?

Mark Kiszla chimes in with a "This isn't October anymore for the Rockies" piece.

Next up, a weekend series against the Dodgers. We'll get our first look at Hiroki Kuroda tonight.

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Ringolsby

Todd in the two hole is a great idea. I have to wonder what kind of dope Tracy is smoking if he thinks that getting our pitcher more at bats than Barmes is a good idea considering how Clint is hitting. I mean I know that allows Bake and Spilly to get up there, but I just think the pitcher should hit 9th.

The poster formerly known as Blake20th.

by NewMexicanSteven on Apr 25, 2008 9:20 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

We're OK

The four straight blown-save-for-loss streak stung, but yesterday’s win was big. Rockies are two games below .500; if they can go 4-2 on this road trip, certainly plausible against LA and SF, and finish the month at 14-14, we’ve got 16 of the next 22 at home in May to build on a winning record. I had hoped for a better start, but we’re OK at this point.

by DeepPurple on Apr 25, 2008 9:30 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

The game...

is ridiculously late tonight. 8:40 mountain time…yikes. Let’s hope to take some games from our division rivals on this trip…and hope the DBacks lose a bunch as well. I agree with DeepPurple, though: considering we just blew four straight games, our record isn’t too bad right now. And let’s also hope that Fuentes does what Manny did last year: takes complete control of the closer role. I would hope that we don’t have to see another road trip/homestand from hell and have to change the closer again.

www.notthisday.com ....coming October!!!

by Squeaky on Apr 25, 2008 9:40 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Could be worse.

You could be the Padres.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 25, 2008 10:31 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

The time is a drag

I’ll be at the game tonight, and the one certainty is that my wife will make me leave early. I’m sure the later friday times have something to do with attendance/money (else the McCourts would never do it) but it is really annoying.

by Teekalong on Apr 25, 2008 12:51 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Weekly update

Sports Illustrated Power Rankings

Also, i liked the batting order yesterday( except would like taveras in there, just ‘cause he is on my fantasy team and i need him getting stolen bases not pod) But i think TULO needs to be down in the 6/7 hole to let him relax some at the plate. I wish the O would come along more then once/ twice a week. still close to . 500 and i really think the pitching will be Ok/ yes even the pen will be OK.

by ColoroxWS07 on Apr 25, 2008 10:15 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Kiszla is the Worst

Why does this guy cover sports in Colorado? I can’t stand his drivel and his “our teams suck” posturing. He doesn’t use much in the way of statistical arguements, and it seems to me many times his emotional arguements are outdated by several seasons. He should do himself and us a favor and ship off to Pheonix, where it seems no sports team can do wrong, or KC or someplace where he would obviously be happier.

by Rox R Champs on Apr 25, 2008 10:45 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

In general

I’d have to say that we NOT living in the Golden Age of Denver Sports Writing. Kizla, Paige, and Lenicome have all proven to be less than illuminative when putting fingers to keyboard. It’s a real shame, in my opinion. Denver’s such a good sports town. It would be nice to have a bit more thoughtful commentary a good deal less reactionary name calling.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~ Earl Wilson

by rockhead on Apr 25, 2008 1:07 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Your Final Ramirez Update!

Ramon tossed 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings last night, striking out two and requiring only 25 pitches to do it. He now has 12 Ks, 1 BB in 10.1 IP, with an ERA of 0.87.

OK, point is made. Bad deal. No need to continue these updates.

Danny, you got your one mulligan for winning the NL Championship. No more deals like this please.

by BroJB on Apr 25, 2008 11:18 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Rotation

For some reason I had figured the rotation wrong and thought I’d be seeing Francis and Morales when I go to the games on Monday and Tuesday. But I was wrong and it will be Morales and Cook instead. I’m thrilled we have Cook going up against Lincecum on Tuesday. We might actually have a chance against the guy with Cook out there. I think he’s easily my favorite Rockie right now.

by holly96 on Apr 25, 2008 11:35 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Interesting thread today

First, when does Kiszla write ANYTHING that is positive about ANY denver sports team? He waits for a team to struggle , or a team to fail, or a team to make a debateble question before jumping into the fray. I avoid reading anything and everything he writes. It is more just to stire the fire and create drama then it is good journalism.

by ColoroxWS07 on Apr 25, 2008 12:40 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Substitute

Lenicome for Kizla, and it’s the same for me. As rockhead said above, Denver deserves better.

What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?

by Redhawk on Apr 25, 2008 1:10 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kizla

Only time I ever find myself agreeing with Kizla is when he’s writing negatively (although that’s not really a necessary qualifier when talking about his columns) about the Nuggets or the Broncos, and that’s because I hate the Broncos and am constantly frustrated by the Nuggets.

Remember, this is the clown who declared the Rockies season ‘over’ after 13 games last year (as a colleague put it, “That’s like saying the Broncos are done if they lose their first game and are trailing 3-0 after the first quarter in Week 2”) and said he wouldn’t go to any more Rockies games after the Rox dropped 2 of 3 to the Royals. Wonder how long that boycott lasted?

However, I must grudgingly admit that the guy is clearly doing his job well – he’s supposed to be the Post’s lead shit-stirrer, and he rarely fails to accomplish that mission.

Now, Linicome and Paige are simply unreadable. Krieger and Armstrong are the two shining lights of Denver sports column writing. And at least our beat guys are decent, ranging from great (Renck, Etkin, Adrian Dater) to at the very least passable.

Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Apr 25, 2008 1:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pitcher bats #8 / Tulo

Proponents of the “pitcher bats #8” tend to minimize the rally killing effect of the pitcher in the 8 spot. The 4/5/6/7 hitters get a rally going … only to have it killed by the pitcher (instead of being extended one extra at bat). I’ve seen a few studies on this, and the consensus seems to be that there is very little overall impact. It will boost runs/rbi for certain members of the team, at the expense of others.

I saw one blurb in Sports Weekly where they compared the Cardinals OPS before and after the change to the pitcher at #8. They completely ignored the fact that the team might have been composed of different batters before and after the switch :)

I figured out the problem with Tulo. SI cover jinx. (Sorry if someone already mentioned this in another thread – which is very likely). Not sure how to reverse the course. Maybe a DOS attack on si.com :) (ahem – just kidding about that)

by kosmo99 on Apr 25, 2008 1:22 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Tulo's hitting

I’ve determined that the Tulo Chant is some sort of voodoo curse, possibly the work of Jose Valverde, I’m not sure. I don’t know exactly when it started, but since the last regular season homestand in ‘07, Tulo is hitting .184.

All we need to do is remove the curse. Maybe we have to do the chant backwards once or start calling him Tulowitzki again or something. However, the most likely solution is to cut the Tulo chant, get that commercial off the air, and watch Tulo hit again.

Every day is a Holliday!

by free7694 on Apr 25, 2008 2:14 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jose Valverde --

the root of all evil.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 12:15 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well,

remember, Justin Upton was on the cover too….

::knocks wood immediately::

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 25, 2008 2:14 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dude

What’s up with the new avatar? You feeling Napoleonic or what? ;)

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~ Earl Wilson

by rockhead on Apr 25, 2008 7:48 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

It comes naturally

when you’re 5’6”.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 12:13 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rockies lineup

Sorry, I haven’t been following the Rockies lineup changes from day to day, but just a look at the last three games it seems like there is a three-headed platoon in CF between Taveras, Pods, and SpellingB. Could someone please explain the platoon and who is more likely to start vs LHP/RHP?
Thanks. vr, Xei

by Xeifrank on Apr 25, 2008 2:29 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

From Clint

He said the other day to not read to much into it, wants to keep taveras fresh.

I think it is taveras is weakest outfielder D and weakest bad, so best place to insert pod, or spilly is in Center

by ColoroxWS07 on Apr 25, 2008 2:32 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the throw against the Phils

Has something to do with Willie T riding pine the last couple of nights. Really, with that boneheaded of a play, he deserved a couple nights off… I imagine that Willie will be our main CFer though for the majority of the year, barring injury.

by Rox R Champs on Apr 25, 2008 2:45 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

So

Taveras is the primary starter in CF?
vr, Xei

by Xeifrank on Apr 25, 2008 2:49 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would guess that if everyone stays healthy...

We see something like a 70/20/10 split for Taveras/Spilly/Pods, or maybe even 60/25/15. Thats just my gut feeling with CF right now. But yes… Taveras is stil the primary.

I think he might lose more playing time, though, if he doesn’t hurry up and get going this season. Hurdle has already shown that he is much more impatient this year (see: Jayson Nix) with struggling players. I think some that has to do with much higher expectations this year.

Thank god for baseball season.

by jcd823 on Apr 25, 2008 3:33 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

pods should play tonite

the guy went 4 for 5 yesturday with a cluth hit the night before. you have to ride the hot bat i dont care who it is. ex… barmes. see what the guy can do. i can tell you right now pods is a way better hitter and fielder than taveras. taveras takes horrible routes to balls and makes a routine catch look hard, and a hard catch uncatchable i,e, werth inside the parker. pods is smoother in the outfield and gives much better at bats. he walks and gets on base very well. also taveras dinks around and waits for a pitch or whatever, screwing up the next hitter cause he is a taking pitches. pods straight up steals on one of the first two pitches i really like that. i strongly think pods should be our starting center fielder right now. and see no reason why taveras should be ahead of him. taveras is a great pitch runner canidate/ bunt sitution PH. guy… just my two cents

hurdle mistake counter: 4

by roxfan4life on Apr 25, 2008 3:31 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

21 Days

Can some one please tell me how and where I can watch this movie. Is it online anywhere or do I need to buy it? Please help!

by OutHereInPA on Apr 25, 2008 5:23 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Far as I know

The only way to buy the DVD is by donating to “Wins for Kids”. You don’t have to donate a ton of money, or make a season long pledge. A one time donation will do it. I’m waiting for my copy to arrive any day now. Also, you need to donate by April 30th. What happens after that, I’m not sure. I read in the Rocky that commercial sales were possible if all the legal stuff could get worked out. I wasn’t willing to bet on that, so I made the donation. And it’s a darn good cause too! The link:

https://secure.mlb.com/col/community/winsforkids.jsp

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~ Earl Wilson

by rockhead on Apr 25, 2008 7:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs