I’d fix Jeff Francis and trade Brad Hawpe.

How far away is Fowler? He’s in AA and doesn’t seem to be doing poorly (though, I haven’t checked the numbers of the Tulsa World lately), so he has to be relatively close.

Rox Girl, how is that you were so high on Francis last year and now you are ready to throw him under the bus? I mean obviously something is wrong with him, as his velocity is down, his pitches are flat, and he is getting killed. I think that his trade value is pretty low right now relative to his benefit to the team if we can get him straightened out.

Also its scary that even with this long list, we only get back to .500…....

Hawpe has a big contract, making him difficult to trade.

just got his 17th rbi of the season…more than Helton and tied with Hawpe, in less at-bats than either. Kind of sums up the Rockies’ offense this season, doesn’t it?

Here is how I see the best moves the Rox could make starting now:

1.) trade Taveras (please) while he still has solid value. Sully, Pods and Spillbourghs can handle CF. A couple minor league prospects, or a cold beer and a bag of peanuts would do.

2.) Trade Fuentes – a lot of contenders will need a lefty late inning reliever that is more than a LOOGY. High minor league prospects in return for Fuentes, if not one that is major league ready.

3.) Trade Hawpe – this one is tough. I like Brad, but he needed to have a monster year this year to show me that last year was not a career year and that we can expect more than .270/25/80 out of him per year over the life of his contract. He is at the age where he either makes the necessary adjustments to become consistent, or his long swing starts to slow down. Should get solid return here, assuming Brad starts to heat up with the weather, as expected.

4.)Sit back and wait for the Yankees to come calling for Holliday in the offseason. ( I know – that will hurt) Steinbrenner is looking at an off-season where he will likely have missed the playoffs, will have a new, billion dollar stadium and a boatload of cash freed up from expiring contracts – a Scott Boras dream scenario. Assuming the conversion of Joba Chamberlain to a starter works out well, the Yanks might feel able to let go of Hughes, who has good stuff, but struggles with the NY spotlight. Combine Hughes with Melky Cabrera and a couple of minor leaguers ,and I think the Rox would have to listen hard. Use the savings to lock up Atkins through 2013 or 2014. (Atkins swing is so sweet and repeatable, I think he will post solid numbers for a long time).

I am assuming, trades 1-3 listed above would likely lean toward getting pitching depth in return for the players we are trading. That gives the Rox depth for trades in future years if they are close enough to make a run.

The above scenarios would allow Smith and Stewart to play the corner outfield spots, with Melky Cabrera taking over in 2009 until Fowler beats him out. That gives a lineup that includes Tulo, Helton, Atkins, Stewart, Ianetta and Smith. Tulo, Ianetta Stewart and Smith should mature about the same time that the pitching staff projects to really come into its own (Jimenez, Morales, Reynolds etc), while still getting solid numbers from Helton and Atkins. I think that is a line up that can win games.

I would love to freeze Holiday, Atkins, Hawpe et al at their levels of last September and watch them play for the Rockies for the next 10 years, but it just is not reality. Even with all of the money in the world, the Yankees cannot hang onto the glory of years past just by throwing FA money at their problems. The Rockies have a chance to be solid and continue to reload (much like the A’s have over the past decade) but they cannot become too enamored with any one player, no matter how popular.

As for Francis – something is wrong with his delivery. His arm angle and therefore his pitch angle are not the same, consistently, as last year. I think it is correctable and when he has his mechanics fixed, his velocity will come back.

Although I wear a Helton shirt to the games, I think an assessment of the Rockies’ problems must include a serious evaluation of Helton. Although his glove remains the best in the game, a #4 hitter with 15 RBI and minimal power is almost embarrassing. I realize Todd gets hot during July and August, but there seems to be a complete lack of power from him; he has too many singles, and not enough gap doubles.

First base should be a position where a team has either a power hitter or a high average, line drive hitter. Right now, the team suffers from having neither.