Saturday Morning Rockpile:
by Rox Girl on Apr 26, 2008 8:28 AM MDT
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PrintIt's almost always true of people that if they're not the top dog in a given situation, that their insecurities start to eat away at the edges of their self confidence. In short, first you become a grunt, and then you become disgruntled. So it comes as no surprise that Willy Taveras is getting upset about his playing time and questioning his role with the Rockies. With Scott Podsednik set to start again tonight, don't expect Taveras to find his inner peace just yet.
While the Rockies are concerned about Ubaldo Jimenez's lack of progress so far this season, things could be a lot worse. The Twins were hoping Francisco Liriano would make the loss of Johan Santana bearable by returning from Tommy John surgery with the same dominance he had in his rookie season. Far from contending for Cy Young, Liriano got himself demoted to AAA after a miserable start to his season.
Some are conceding the division to the Diamondbacks already, which is perfectly understandable. Their magic number on us is only 133. Seriously. It's not even May, Jim. We haven't had our twenty game win streak this season, yet. Wait until after that before you pronounce us dead.
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I didn't see how many innings he pitched...
but Taylor out for 41 pitches? Hmmm…..The lineup got all screwed up, too, it looks like…
That’s a tough loss. Hopefully the Rox can bounce back tonight and get themselves back on track and not get disheartened by the extra inning loss…though thirteen innings is nothing compared to 22.
Anywho. I’m getting sick of Nix and Torrealba and their offensieve. I’m glad Tulo got a couple hits last night, and looks like the middle of our lineup is finally doing something with their lives.
I’m also running out of patience with Uball. either he needs to fix his control and focus problem, or we need to start looking at other options. We can’t have this five inning or less nightmare everytime he’s out.
www.notthisday.com ....coming October!!!
Oh...
And I’m also getting sick of HurdleLogic. I get the double switch, but Tulo had two hits, and he’s been great at game winning RBIs. Not to mention he’s the best SS in the field. I don’t like the decision to take him out. We all know this team has the ability to be good – unless last September really was a fluke – and yet here we are with a 10-13 record. I just don’t think that’s acceptable for a team with this kind of talent, unless we were all wrong about that, too. I think Hurdle is managing too much. Last year when the Rockies were best, they were just managing themselves, basically.
Last year they were just a bit over.500 before that magical stretch. Right now we’re looking at an incredibly talented team that just can’t pull it together. What’s it going to take to get these guys in the headspace they were last year?
www.notthisday.com ....coming October!!!
I posted
a bit in anger about this last night, but I’m starting to think that this team isn’t much better than its record. I’m not saying October was a true fluke…but the fact is, it was an experience that nobody could realistically duplicate. And beyond that, it seems this team isn’t much better than a .500 club as currently constituted.
My biggest problem is that management seemingly had so much fun last year that they forgot that we didn’t actually win the WS. And the weaknesses exposed by the Sox are playing out right now. You can’t make the necessary fixes in April.
Yeah, I'm starting to question it, definitely
We’re all waiting for the breakout and I’m just wondering if it’s coming, that’s all. We know these guys can hit, pitch, whatever…but they haven’t gotten it together.
Oh, and I wasn’t so sure about the management’s “improvement” over the offseason. Josh Towers, Mark Redman, and Kip Wells, plus losing some key players in the stretch last year like Matsui and Fogg, is not exactly what I would call “improving” a team.
Let’s just say I’m a little fed up with both the front office and the manager right now.
www.notthisday.com ....coming October!!!
I still think
we should consider trading for a starting pitcher. Obviously that’s easier said than done. But the way Stewart is killing it at AAA, I feel better if we have to give up atkins.
I hear
Danny Haren is on the market? Oh, wait….
Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
"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 12:16 PM MDT up reply actions
Dude.
Just because your team never loses doesn’t mean you have to rub it in that we suck right now….
www.notthisday.com ....coming October!!!
Whoa.
Not only did Haren suffer his first loss of the season this week, but as a Rox fan, after 2007, you’re not one to talk about never losing….
"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 12:36 PM MDT up reply actions
Sorry.
It’s just, the gloating about starting pitching is a little hard to take after a rotation with a struggling Francis, Jimenez, plus Morales and Redman, who are both just a bit inconsistent.
www.notthisday.com ....coming October!!!
That's more than fair.
Cook’s looked pretty damned good so far, though.
"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 12:40 PM MDT up reply actions
Which is one consolation, I agree
I guess it’s just frustrating to be a Rockies fan right now…everyone is hanging 2007 over our heads and the guys are 10-13.
www.notthisday.com ....coming October!!!
Well
you’re not 9 games under .500 yet, so you’re still doing better than last year.
"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 12:45 PM MDT up reply actions
Not only do I agree we should consider trading for a starting pitcher
but that this is a must, if we really think we have playoff hopes.
Worst case scenario going into the season was that Jimenez and Morales, would BOTH take a step backwards. And they have. Neither seems capable of getting INTO the 5th inning, which is just killing our bullpen. Throw in a Hirsch injury, that was almost a torn rotator cuff (luckily just a strain) and our rotation is a complete mess. And can’t simply match up to the other rotations in our division (which to be fair to the Rockies have the best rotations as a division in all of baseball)
This leaves soft throwing Francis as our “ace” and he’s at best a #3 pitcher on any other team in our division (Randy Johnson, Barry Zito, Kurado, Greg Maddox are your other #’3’s in the division), and it shows you how out classed in the rotation we are before we even start.
I don’t think we can get a top of the rotation type of player, but we should be able to get a #3, or #4 type, move Morales and/or Jimenez to AAA, and make the team better. Hell….for the right deal/pitcher, I’d throw in Morales, his low 90’s fastball (and dropping) and 10c head, doesn’t make me think he’s the next Santana anymore.
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
I second that
With an amendment. Either sign Garrett long term and deal Stewart, or trade Garrett and promote Stewart. This mamby-pamby wishy-washy stuff has got to go. Some one else noted the other day that the Rox have a stockpile of desirable prospects that, at least for the time being. have no chance of moving up. The exception of course, is Fowler. Move a couple of them to improve the major league team. I’m not talking fire sale here, just one or two.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~ Earl Wilson
Prospects
Some pan out…some don’t. And we have more then we need. The excess should be traded before it’s yesterday’s fish (see Joe Koshansky) and not worth anything.
I agree on Stewart. Now I see him playing RF or LF as well. But he’s blocked right now. Either unblock him…or trade him
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Could it be possible?
That Pod’s is getting more playing time for a possible trade down the row, or that we are building him up because of a possible trade of Taveras?
Willy T is a guy who is always tradable, because of his past numbers, and his age, but Pods is a different story. Either way, I know Pods is playing better right now, but it is unlike Hurdle to sit anyone unless they are just doing terrible, as in the case of Nix, who for some reason is getting two straight starts.
Nix
I hate to dog on a guy so early into his career, but he looked to have about as much of a chance against Broxton as I would have. I think its becoming more and more obvious that he is not ready (capable?) to hit at this level. I’m not a huge Barmes guy, but he’s seemingly a far better option at this point. So long as he’s not fielding key grounders in extra innings, apparently.
I took it
as more of playing the hot hitter then playing for a trade.
But Willy T IS a trade able commodity. With Dexter Fowler in the wings, this may be a good time to trade Wily. His speed and age really makes him desirable and valuable. Pods won’t have the same value, but could be a respectable place holder for Fowler.
And the Rockies are in a BIG need for a major league 2ndbaseman (as are most teams), and a Starting pitcher.
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
they are playin him
cause HE IS THE BETTER PLAYER. bar none. pods is way better than taveras. i have said it since opening day.
Scott Podsenik for center field 08
Actually
their career stats say they are about the same player. (career OBP about the same)
One has more experience but had 2 awful years, and was a non roster invite and who’s fielding ability landed him playing time in Left Field for the White Sox and the Brewers. The other is still actually young, and raw. (though he should be getting over the raw stage by now)
I’m not sure Pods is better, but he’s hot, and Willy isn’t.
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Neither one
is really all that special. Both are basically one-skill placeholders.
Liriano
Got demoted? Holy cow, how did I not see that?
Insert clever and witty remark slash pun here!
Harding's game story on the team's site...
says Tulo made the 13th-inning error. So does the A.P. game account, as well as the one on the Dodgers’ site.
I know it was a long game, but it’s inconceivable three different ‘reporters’ missed a decisive play so badly. Or maybe the teamwide late-game slump has even reached the pressbox.
What does
the box score say?
"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 12:16 PM MDT up reply actions
Hurdle on Nix..."he can't hit from the bench."
Nor can he at the plate, and evidence mounts daily that he never will at this level; he’s simply overmatched almost every AB.
Other than last season’s solid offensive performance, look at his prior three seasons: .213 (Tulsa ‘04), .236 (Tulsa ‘05) and .251 (Colo Spgs ‘06). Maybe his 2007 production was the anomaly.
And while we’re at it, anyone else out there who wouldn’t mind seeing a few days off for Hawpe and giving Spilborghs a decent shot at playing time? Sure, Hawpe’s OBP is good, but his lone homer came in the second game of the season and there are times when a walk is NOT as good as a hit, particularly with Torrealba and Nix behind him.
About time some one pointed
out that one of our big power hitters…has only one homer so far this year.
AS far as Nix goes, I didn’t expect him to hit in the majors, but I didn’t expect him to be THIS bad. He needs to go down. Sorry kid, as Hurdles says: “This isn’t the TRY good league, this is the DO good league”
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Oh
and could somebody please tell Mr. Armstrong that it’s “Micah” Owings, not “Michal” Owings??
"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."
My issue with the pitchin was...
a. Rocks settled that the rotation was set with these relatively “unproven” commodities (Morales and Jimenez).
b. Rocks sought no extra pitching help other than bascially retreads (Wells, Towers, Redman, etc.)
c. Rocks saw other division rivals score pitching coups, and the Rocks did nothing and actually gave up a proven innings eater (Fogg).
d. Lost a lefty middle guy and basically never filled the role.
Sometimes the doing everything from within works and sometimes it bites you in the fecal exit.
by PinchHitLancePainter on Apr 26, 2008 3:02 PM MDT reply actions
I'll give you all of those
except A. I don’t believe anyone was planning on Hirsh being injured again or Franchise starting to revert to his 2005 self. Maybe we should’ve seen both coming, but we had no real reason to. But yes, that Danny Haren non-action and the Wells/Redman/Towers action are looming larger everyday.
As promising as Hirsh is...
He’s basically unproven, too. Let’s hope he isn’t injury-prone throughout his career.
Unfair
The two injuries last year were fluke injuries and didn’t involve his arm.
This most recent one is the one that concerns you but the two leg/foot injuries last year were just bad luck and not an indicator of any sort of pattern.
not so Unfair
some players just are injury prone. They get fluke injuries all the time. Like: Garciaparra, Sheets, Prior, Wood, Sammy Sosa (remember when he sneezed and went on the DL?)
Sometimes is bad luck…some times it’s the player. Hirsch so far looks like he maybe one of those always injured guys. (I hope I’m wrong, and it’s just bad luck over a short time frame)
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Injury history
A six month span is sort of a small sample size to start speculating on any sort of long-term trend.
Oh I Can Speculate
it just might not be accurate.
But that has never stopped me before
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
My original comment was...
that I hoped Hirsh wasn’t injury-prone. That was in no way a criticism of him.
An injury isn’t a character flaw. As redhawk pointed out, some players just seem to have more than their share…Garciaparra being a prime example.
Anyway, my primary point in that post was that he was largely unproven coming into spring training.
Can't believe I'm gonna defend the Rockies front office
BUT
We got worst case, accross the board. That’s never something that can be predicted or planned for. Francis is a soft throwing lefty, that is slow to get his location…which is all he has. Jimenez and Morales have BOTH regressed. I mean I thought one or the other might not step up, but I figured ONE would. Hirsh’s injury didn’t help, but he was a question mark to begin with. So we knew we had 3 question marks out of 5…..we should have gone after a starting pitcher.
Actually Redman has been a pleasant surprise. Not that he’s that great, but like going to see Die Hard 4: Die Harder, the fact that it didn’t suck made it a nice surprise.
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Agreed
Expecting both Franklin and Ubaldo to have great seasons was unrealistic but with one of them doing well and a solid season from Hirsh it seemed as if we might hang in there long enough for Reynolds to be ready to contribute or for the laggard among the two latin kids to get his game together.
There is a difference between a calculated risk (thinking that one of the two would produce well at the bottom of the rotation) and living in a fantasy world (thinking that both would excel, Cook would reach his potential and Hirsh would as well) but even in the first scenario the Rockies were in need a quality, established starter during the offseason.
They can’t panic but perhaps the struggles will help to end the paralysis that seemed to claim management after last season ended. There is no need to fear ruining the honeymoon period or messing up the karma of the club when the club has clearly lost that karma on its own.
It is a lot easier to deal Atkins and/or Feuntes from a struggling club than it would have been to deal them during the offseason.
Panic Time
Not sure what the best move is. Jimenez I think needs to stay at the major league level, as he just blows away AAA talent. Morales I think needs to go down to get his head together, and to find the missing 5 MPH off his fastball. But we don’t have anyone that can replace him today. (Kip Wells DOES NOT count…)
So I’d love to see a trade….maybe for some one else that is a struggling disappointment that we can turn around like: Estes, Oliver, R. Lopez.
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Who is available in the pitching market
I don’t think the Astros will trade Oswalt to us after the Jennings trade. Maybe Snell in pittsburgh?
Not sure
but there has to be some. How about Bartolo Colon? or Jason Schmidt? or Barry Zito? in fact the Giants need so much help Matt Cain may be had. Snell is a possibility, and they have wanted Hawpe for a while.
How about Kevin Millwood? or Pelffrey from the Mets? or Ryan Dempster for Willie T? or Jose Contrares (who is really old)
If I was the Rockies GM, I’d be looking at the teams that need lots of bodies, starting with the Giants, Rangers, A’s, and Pirates, and Nationals (who if they had any pitching would have them in DC)
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
*holds nose*
I don’t want anything to do with Colon, Schmidt, or Zito. Old and sucky is not what I was hoping for. Plus Zito has the worst contract in baseball.
Well yes, old and sucky
but I was thinking Veteranyness…which Hurdle loves. Old vets that might have just enough in the tank like a year or 2 until Reynolds/Morales/Jimenez/Hynrick can be effective at the major league level. I don’t think we will get Kyle Kendrick or Homer Bailey and I’m not sure another hot young prospect is what we need either.
And if they have a crappy contract like Zito or Schmidt, I’d expect the other team to pay a bunch of it.
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Ringolsby breaks down the sucky contracts
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8063664
The dodgers feature heavily
good article
and good to see the Rockies not on that list.
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
A few thoughts
First, Hawpe had only one homer until May 16th last year, then he hit two off Webb and went to the races. He is an extremely streaky hitter for good or bad, but we all know there’s no question of the talent. Once he hits an “on” stretch, as does need to happen with most of the club, he will be fine.
Second, Hirsh’s absence is really costing us right now. He’s finicky, still young, and not a sure thing, but it would give us some relief from having to trot Uball and Frankie out there all the time, as they are clearly not mature enough (stuff-wise or head-wise, I am not sure) to be full-time starters on the big-league club. Hirsh would at least give us some leeway. Also, the front office DID do a disgraceful job of adding “fill-ins” (we all know their names) but as pointed out above, we couldn’t expect that Francis would look like 2005 Francis and Corpas would resemble June 07 Fuentes, while Morales and Jimenez took big steps backward and Hirsh got injured again. Looks like this may be a tidal wave of corrective karma from last year coming to bite us in the ass… maybe we can get it out of the way now.
The team has a mediocre-to-bad record and isn’t playing well. When the offense clicks, the pitching doesn’t, or vice-versa, yet as aggravating as it is to point this out, this was also the case last year. Of course, this year there are new contracts and big expectations to complicate the picture, and the team is struggling to get back into the same just-relax-and-play-ball mindset that led to their phenomenal successes at the end of last year. I think that’s going to be a significant challenge to get over, but I also believe that talent will eventually out and this team has loads of it. It’s April. Those long, hot summer months haven’t gotten here yet…. We will be fine. Whether that is enough to win the division with the damn Dbacks looking like the ‘01 Mariners may be another story.
Tulo needs to hit seventh, and Hurdle needs to quit putting him second. It isn’t working right now, and just increases the mental ante Troy’s putting on himself, which I do believe are at least partially to blame for his current slump. He’s shown a few signs of promise, but nothing that’s being built on long-term. Last year he was an unproven rookie, now he has to prove himself all over again, but we know he can do it. Doesn’t stop his ABs from being painful to watch in the meantime…
Still not entirely sold on Stewart. This (thus far) is clearly his best campaign since Asheville, but the “It’s April” argument may work against him as much as it works for his big-league compatriots. He wasn’t much to look at last year (K numbers much too high) and if it was possible, I’d want to bring him up for some big-league airtime before we ship Atkins out sight unseen. Agree that the 3B question needs to be resolved this season - sign Atkins and package Stewart as part of a deal for a SP, or deal Atkins (and seriously, O’Dowd, get something good for him - no A-ball might-bes or I will hunt you down and snipe you. The big club needs help right now, not the farm—take advantage of that when making deals.
Of course, I want them to be good because my summer will have a significant damper put on it if I go to a lot of Rockies games and they suck… Since I will be leaving the country at the end of September and will not be back until June of ‘09, there is a lot I will be missing, and I want more good memories of my boys before I go. Weirdly enough, no matter how much I sometimes hate them and want to give them the heave-ho because they are blowing monkey chunks over my life (to quote our fearless leader) I still love them more than ever. It doesn’t make any sense.
Just make it stop.
Iguchi just hit his first HR of the year
a walkoff, to beat the Dbacks 8-7 in 13 innings. Wait, I thought it was only us who lost by that score in that innings…
Just make it stop.
The things that being a Rockies fan will make you do...
When gameday showed Homerun, I did a mexican hat dance and started singing/yelling!
"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done."
~Vince Lombardi
by AtkinsandTulofan on Apr 26, 2008 6:09 PM MDT reply actions
Nix DFA - Capellan called up
The Rockies designated Jayson Nix for assignment and purchased the contract of Jose Capellan from Colorado Springs. Can’t imagine the Rockies going with a 13-man pitching staff for very long, so maybe Newman or Capellan will be swapped out for Quintanilla sometime next week.
in 3 starts
Capellan has been the Sky Sox best starter so far this year….could a starter be going out? Is this Morales’s stay on the team outing tonight?
(and have to assume Q will be up if Barmes is the starter at 2nd)
What am going to do with all these "Jeff Baker for 2nd" bumper stickers?
Despite his much-discussed FAIL at hitting
I actually feel pretty terrible for young Jayson right now. Been in the minors for seven years, thought he was finally getting his shot, really excited to play on the defending NL champs alongside a Gold Glover on either side (at least deservedly) and now being unable to secure his job and being booted off in April. Yeah, it must hurt. Best wishes elsewhere, Jayson.
Just make it stop.
I feel reasonably bad for him
like I do for anyone who seems to be a good person and comes up short…but the kid got his shot and failed. He will land somewhere and maybe he’ll get another shot. But at the end of the day, this isn’t a feel-good business for most of the folks involved.
I do like the decisiveness. I hope that it resonates within the club that performance absolutely matters this year. Obviously we can’t threaten guys like Hawpe and Tulo with a similar demotion, but maybe they’ll see that the country club fun and games of the offseason are over, and its winning time.
Absolutely
I see this as a clear statement that failure to produce will not be taken lightly.
Good luck Nixie. Sincerely hope things work out for you somewhere else. (As long as you don’t come back to be a Rockie Killer with say, the Dbacks.) ;)
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~ Earl Wilson
I don't disagree with the decision
and agree that the business of baseball is generally one of hard knocks. But I still do feel bad for Nix and hope he latches on… somewhere else than the NL West, we don’t need another Salazar on our hands.
Just make it stop.
Helton will now bat second...
according to Post’s website.
Rox will apparently go with 13 pitchers (and only four bench players) for the time being.
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