Sunday Morning Rockpile:
by Rox Girl on May 18, 2008 9:34 AM MDT
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PrintWhen going to the stadium, know the rules. That way maybe you too can be a fan hero like Eric Rumer.
Player hero honors last night go to Greg Reynolds, Jeff Baker and Ryan Spilborghs, mostly , although Willy T probably deserves a little credit as well. Apparently all Reynolds needs is to just stay away from that hitter haven PETCO and pitch all his games at Coors Field. Just kidding, the kid was muy sharp last night and suddenly I don't feel half as bad about our rotation right now.
Let's make a list:
- Starter #1 - Don't scoff, Aaron Cook has legitimately been pitching at an ace level this season.
- Starter #2 - Whither hath Jeff Francis gone?
- Starter #3 - I'll admit this is really jumping the gun, but Reynolds eats innings, he's got an ERA just over 3.00, seems like a third starter to me.
- Starter #4 - U-ball's close, his last four starts are probably fifth starter worthy, but not fourth.
- Starter #5 - De la Rosa seems close, too, but this was stricken because Jimenez qualifies.
- Right fielder - Brad Hawpe: MIA
- Second base - we seem to have this at a barely acceptable level between Q and Baker.
- Shortstop - Barmes is doing just fine for right now.
- Catcher - No need to harp, but I think we all know the correct answer to this one.
- First base - Helton's OBP is nice, but it's out of place on a team that's desperate for the big left handed power with Hawpe slumping.
- Center Fielder - I don't think this gets the proper resolution until Fowler's here. It's going to be a while.
- Bullpen #3 - we've got Fuentes and Buchholz, but nobody else that really inspires a whole lot of confidence in high leverage situations right now.
- Bullpen #4 I think Herges qualifies here, but not as a second set-up man like he was used last night.
- Bullpen #5
- Bullpen #6 - Jumping the gun again, but I think Newman's fine as a LOOGY.
- Bullpen #7 - We've got mop-up men aplenty
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Corpas
Corpas’ struggles have been completely surprising to me. Not only because of his stuff and the way that he pitches (in the strike zone – relying on natural movement rather than deception, pin-point control or anything else that might come and go on a game by game basis) but because of his mental make-up and personality.
I can see how Bucky might theoretically lose confidence or struggle (though he too has a simplified approach – plus fastball, plus curve, just throw it over the plate) and we have seen Fuentes go through stretches but to see Manny struggle like this I never would have bet on that.
I don’t know when he will get it figured out again but barring a Rick Ankiel like mental case or tearing up his arm there is just no way that he doesn’t become and stay a lights-out late inning guy, IMO.
Overwork
I’m currently inclined to believe that Corpas’ workload late last season, coupled with his ealry use this year led to the velocity drop and lack of crisp-ness in his pitches. It looks like this is slowly getting corrected, and even when he walked them loaded a few days ago, his stuff was looking better.
The silver lining in it all is it may better justify taking Weathers in the first last year as he’ll likely take over the high profile position as closer now that Corpas has been deposed. My guess is that once Fuentes is dealt in July to make way for Weathers, the Rockies will let Casey settle in as the closer through August and September as they figure out how to build for 2009.
Put money on it?
I can’t see Hurdle letting Weathers close. In fact, I can’t believe that he would even let him near the 8th inning role until he has a few months of big league experience under his belt.
Hurdle would probably try Grilli or Herges in the closer’s role before he would ever let Weathers get near it this season.
More bullpen
I have been operating under the assumption for the last year or two that the Rockies have the players in system to build and maintain a dominant bullpen. We saw the start of it last year and if Corpas had not struggled I think that we could have seen it even more so this season.
Am I the only one who is confident that all we have to do over the next several seasons is bring guys up when they are ready in order to keep the bullpen stocked?
I see Fuentes, Corpas and Buchholz as front-line relievers currently at the big league level with Weathers ready to move up to the big league club if/when needed (probably if Fuentes goes to a contender at the deadline).
That still leaves Pedro Strop in the farm system along with the power arms who are currently starters but will eventually have to become relievers (perhaps Deduno and Lindsay?) and a ton of middle reliever types who have varying projections – but more than enough to overcome attrition and the typical cycling of those types of relievers at the big league level.
So, am I delusional here or do the rest of you share these views (in general) as I have been assuming (perhaps incorrectly) all along?
I agree with you
and would add Hynick to the list of possible relievers. Really, Hynick could fill the role of reliver we desperately need, which was what Herges filled last year- the high leverage swingman.
Hynick the reliever could have Justin Duchscherer type value. He’s still a viable back-rotation guy, but that could be a tough to crack rotation soon.
I agree with this list of "issues"
I’m hoping Steven Register, or Casey Weathers, can help out the pen in the important situations in the near future (or maybe there are some other young arms in the system). Maybe Corpas needs to go down and retool, ala Ramon Ramirez. We do need some more arms we can count on not to get blown up in close games. Don’t forget Vizciano was a very good reliever for the Yankees. He pitched a lot of innings for them. I’m hoping he rebounds when he comes back too when ever that might be. If he comes into the 7th inning role, and Herges goes to 6th, with Bucky working the 8th. I think we will have a solid bull pen.
Biggest issues I see right now…1b: Helton, RF: Hawpe, and #2 Jeff Francis. Just as you mentioned. Hawpe, Helton holes also hurt Holliday and Atkins….taking out 2 big bats out of the middle of a line up, will make the team struggle to score runs. I thought O’dowd had an interesting comment today in the Post, when he said Stewart would just stay in the minors and play everyday…but Odud added that Stewart could play “any corner position” on a big league level. This told me…...O’dowd knows he needs replacements or possible replacements for Holliday, Atkins, Helton & Hawpe, and Stewart would be one of the replacements….eventually.
I’m liking our Rotation at the moment as well. Or at least the potential of our rotation. I’m not a fan of soft throwing lefties….so I’m not that big on Jeff Francis (though I think with a good pitching coach & manager, and a favorable stadium he could have a very nice career) But right now Francis wouldn’t even make the D-Backs rotation, and would be a long man out of their pen.
WHAT THE (expletive deleted) IS GOING ON WITH THIS TEAM? YOU ARE THE NATIONAL (expletive deleted) LEAGUE (expletive deleted) CHAMPIONS, START PLAYING LIKE IT!!! WE NOW ARE IN LAST PLACE WITH THE WORST (expletive deleted) RECORD IN THE LEAGUE! THAT IS UNAC-(expletive deleted)-CEPTABLE!! YOU GUYS HAD BETTER SIT DOWN AND TAKE A LONG LOOK AT YOUSELVES AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE (expletive deleted) IS GOING ON BECAUSE THIS TEAM IS TO (expletive deleted) GOOD TO BE PLAYING THIS (expletive deleted)! NOW, I’LL BE IN MY OFFICE IF ANYBODY FIGURES ANYTHING OUT. (SLAMS OFFICE DOOR) courtesy of free7694
O'Dowd and knocking down the door
I’m actually curious what his definition is in the notes you refer to:
“We are just letting him play right now, and we’ll continue to challenge him to knock the door down,” O’Dowd said. “When he does, we’ll figure it out.”
Since Kevin Goldstein ripped him, he’s gone .395/.490/1.000 and that last figure is indeed his slugging percentage over the last dozen games, not his OPS.
Dan, there’s not much door left to be knocked.
If you can infer a little further
I think he’s also suggesting that by knocking down the door, he’d be getting the call-up for good. Clearly he can help this team right now in some fashion, possibly playing right or first every day, but that won’t happen.
That said, I’d agree with the opinion that Stewart’s next call-up should be done with the intention that it is his last promotion. There isn’t an everyday role for him right now, and until then, he needs everyday at bats as a 23 year old.
That said, he’s flat kiiling it right now. His road OPS is almost 100 points higher than his final line in AAA last season, and it’s starting to look like he just had a rough series in Nashville rather than a complete failure to hit on the road. A line of .264/.350/.593 is plenty good for a player displaying plus plus power, and you have to weigh his splits as you would in the bigs; he’s still going to get a home lift in Coors Field.
He’s quickly made those scouts predicting plus power look smart, and 40 homer seasons are now back in the picture. When you consider the power alley in Coors is to left center, getting Stewart’s pull power to the park will certainly aid the offense…but only when they’ve made a place for him to play every day.
Needless to say, Goldstein’s comments are beginning to show a clear bias, and he will soon be eating crow for leaving him off his top 100 prospects this year.
Consistency
If he hits at this level for a significant portion of the season then he will force the issue which is probably what they are hoping he would or will do.
The scouts have always liked Ian – if he puts up great counting stats at the AAA level over a full season then it should shut up the people who focus solely on performance rather than projection.
Say what you might...
But the game last night reminded me VERY strongly of many games I went to last year. We still have plenty of needs, but this team HAS the talent to win games. I’m pretty convinced of that.
www.notthisday.com ....coming September 26th and 27th at the Pinnacle Event Center, Denver.
Yes, they have the talent...
But it is not playing up to its previously demonstrated potential and we still don’t know when/if that will happen. In some cases, the talent may be on the downside. And the theory of sitting around waiting for them to turn it back on (aka Hurdle’s) has been roundly derided around here.
We're all going to die!
by Silverblood on May 18, 2008 12:00 PM MDT up reply actions
Yes...
I did say we still have needs, and most of them really should not be ignored. I am saying, though, that if the guys we have figure out how to do something useful with their lives, we’d be okay. I’m not advocating sitting around and waiting, just pointing out something I see.
www.notthisday.com ....coming September 26th and 27th at the Pinnacle Event Center, Denver.
Yeah, but
crossing our fingers and hoping they figure out what button to push has been a problem. Of COURSE we’d be fine if they played as they’re capable of. Unfortunately, nobody (and certainly not Hurdle) knows how to make them do it.
We're all going to die!
by Silverblood on May 18, 2008 12:53 PM MDT up reply actions
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