Tuesday Morning Rockpile:

by Russ on Jun 17, 2008 8:14 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 23 comments

Our opponents over the weekend, the Mets, will have a different look in the dugout as Jerry Manuel became the interim manager over the night for the fired Willie Randolph. Pitching coach Rick Peterson was also fired. As the article indicates, Peterson claimed he would fix Victor Zambrano after he arrived in New York in a trade for Scott Kazmir. Zambrano, as we all know, is with the Sky Sox this season.

His Sunday performance earned Jorge De La Rosa at least one more start. Jorge De La Rosa or Glendon Rusch? Not that hard of a decision after De La Rosa's last start. But then when you reach the end of the article, "In six career starts against the Indians, De La Rosa is 1-3 with a 7.67 ERA." He also walked 22 Indians in those games.

Clint Hurdle explains what went wrong:

"One of the things I learned from personal experience is that the enemy of good is great. You start doing good and you think if you turn it up a notch you will be great, and it turns into a struggle."

So . . . does he know how to skip the struggle and actually become great?

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Josh Kalk

uses PITCHf/x data to figure out what a pitcher should throw at Coors.

"Nuts!" - Gen. Anthony McAuliffe

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ on Jun 17, 2008 9:12 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

thats a very good article

that almost any hard core Rockie fan could have told em. My one small caveat is with the slider. Yes it doesn’t break as much and has to be done more precisely with less room for error, but if a pitcher throws a hard slider, it’s a great pitch for Coors. The Curve looses too much Curve, and being slower is more hittable, and is only a once an inning, catch-em-off-guard type pitch.

So for Coors Field:
Sinkers are good
Fastball/change ups are good
Sliders are slightly OK
Don’t hang a Curve

Colorado Rockies: Continuing a long tradition of playing meaningless games in June!

by Redhawk on Jun 17, 2008 10:00 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sean Smith...

When does Sean Smith start getting considered for a spot in the rotation? He seems to be pitching pretty well for the Sky Sox.

by DenverBears on Jun 17, 2008 9:29 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

how about

some dap for Cedrick Bowers?

Aut Vincam Aut Periam

by PioneerSkies on Jun 18, 2008 12:45 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

When was the last time we saw

Hurdle actually show that he was more knowledgeable about managing a baseball game than coming up with colorful commentary about why they lost.

This is getting old!!!!!!!!!!

Fire the guy and his freak'n pitching coach and let's move on!

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Jun 17, 2008 9:58 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

OK -

Anyone know how the hell I got that last line put in grey and a different font???

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Jun 17, 2008 9:59 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

It looks cool for the line

If the Mets can fire Randolph, and the Mets can fire Bavasi, the Rockies can fire Hurdle, and Appodaca, and who ever is the Hitting coach

Colorado Rockies: Continuing a long tradition of playing meaningless games in June!

by Redhawk on Jun 17, 2008 10:01 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did you

copy and paste it from somewhere else? The source code is showing < pre > tags around it.

"Nuts!" - Gen. Anthony McAuliffe

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ on Jun 17, 2008 10:14 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

What is a tag??

Didn’t copy just added a ton of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then posted

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Jun 17, 2008 1:56 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

oops brain fart

that should have been “Mariners can fire Bavasi”

Colorado Rockies: Continuing a long tradition of playing meaningless games in June!

by Redhawk on Jun 17, 2008 10:02 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Firing

Hurdle and Apodaca and O’Dowd are joined at the hip. As long as one is here they will all be here. O’Dowd told ESPN he didn’t see anything that Hurdle was doing wrong and this was not an organization that placed blame on anyone. Obviously there is no accountability . Could you imagine Hurdle having the guts to pull Helton or Holliday from a game like Charley Manuel did with Rollins recently for not hustling. I’ve never seen a manager with such a lousy record over a 7 year period have such job security. Now Hurdle will have to find a replacement for Randolph for the AS game.

by DieHardRox on Jun 17, 2008 10:56 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

A "Country-Club" Attitude.....

is an attitude with a sense of entitlement. That’s what the Rockies franchise has become. It’s spelled out right in your post with O’Dowd’s comments to ESPN. This attitude has existed long before they started winning last September, but I’m afraid that the W.S. run has made all of them feel even more entitled and comfortable in their positions.

Can one dream month offset the broken promise that IS the 2008 season? Remember, we were told throughout the rebuilding years to wait and be patient, and that the payoff would be a contending team in the NL West starting in 2008 and lasting a long time. Well, we got the 2007 dream month, but that’s hardly keeping with the promise of competitive baseball for an extended period, starting in 2008.

We’ll always have “Rocktober” to think back on fondly in future years, but I had hoped for a much more sustained period of quality baseball at 20th and Blake. And we aren’t getting it. Is that “Monforts Must Sell” website back up and running yet?

by GoRoxGo on Jun 17, 2008 11:57 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right on...

O’Dowd’s quote that “We’re not the type of organization to place blame on anyone” said it all, unfortunately. That also explains, perhaps, why no one has been fired from the major-league staff since Buddy Bell in 2002. Meanwhile, coaches players rave about, like Bob McClure and Carney Lansford, seek greener pastures elsewhere.

I believe Hurdle lured his friend Apodaca out of semi-retirement in Florida, so ‘Dac’ is not likely to be relieved of his duties. Even good managers get tuned out by players eventually, and Hurdle’s tenure is well beyond the normal shelf life.

He’s great at coining aphorisms and will have little trouble finding riches as a tv analyst for some team or network. He’s smart, witty and likable. But he’s not a particularly good manager.

by alex colfax on Jun 17, 2008 12:27 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

If O'Dowd is convinced.....

that no one will ever get blamed for team failures, why would HE ever have a sense of urgency in fixing holes on the roster during a season like this one? Dan, in my view,prostituted himself long ago to preserve his job with the Rockies. He went from “Dealin’ Dan” to “Good Soldier” O’Dowd, befriending ownership and avoiding alienation of anyone there, going so far as to incorporate his religious faith into a “bonding experience” with ownership. It’s all quite disgusting, when you think about it.

by GoRoxGo on Jun 17, 2008 3:03 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Disgusting to the point...

That I don’t care as much as I want to. As was said some where on this thread, last year’s miracle month unfortunately has blinded the leadership of this organization. Seems that management is content with where things are. Too bad. Some new perspective could go a long ways with the talent that we think we have.

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Jun 17, 2008 3:16 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Likeable

is probably not what Buddy Bell would call Hurdle. Apodaca and Hurdle are old drinking buddies from back in the Mets organization. Apodaca got fired from the Mets and Brewers and had the reputation of not working well with young pitchers. About 4 years ago I joked about Hurdle being manager for life. I’m not laughing now.

by DieHardRox on Jun 17, 2008 1:26 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

The Rockies called up Doug Bernier

and optioned Bellorin to Colorado Springs.

Denver Post Article

“When they told me I was going up, I had to pinch myself. I couldn’t really believe it was happening,” Bernier said today of his first call-up. “I wanted to get on the plane right away, before they changed their mind.”

by malakian on Jun 17, 2008 1:38 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Shouldn't there

also be a corresponding move on the 40-man roster since Bernier needs to be on it?

"Nuts!" - Gen. Anthony McAuliffe

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ on Jun 17, 2008 1:47 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Corresponding move

Looks like Bowie was transferred to the 60-day DL to make room for Bernier.

by malakian on Jun 17, 2008 5:05 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

The other quote was great too

His stay is expected to be short as Tulowitzki is expected to rejoin the club soon, possibly as early as Friday.
“I don’t care if it’s just one day, it’s an absolute dream come true,” Bernier said.

Nice to see a kid get a day in the sun. Or 3 days in the sun. He didn’t deserve to be called up hitting .225. I’d thought we see Nix or Shawn Barker, or even Ko.

Colorado Rockies: Continuing a long tradition of playing meaningless games in June!

by Redhawk on Jun 17, 2008 4:09 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I liked the reaction, too...

but Bernier is no kid. He turns 28 next week.

This is his seventh year in the Rockies system, so the callup undoubtedly is a huge milestone, even if it lasts only a few days.

by alex colfax on Jun 17, 2008 5:15 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

HE DID DESERVE TO BE CALLED UP.......

he plays solid defense at all 3 inf positions and has been the hottest hitter in CSP for the last month raising his average from .138 0 hrs to .225 5 hrs…...he must have hit at least .350 in that time to raise his average. Barker is an OFer/ Koshansky a 1B/ and Nix only plays 2B.

by 91 wins in 08 on Jun 17, 2008 4:21 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

He did really well when Q and Herrera went up

And he was suddenly in a position to play everyday, he has been slumping a bit the past couple of weeks, however. I’m excited that after all his effort he’s finally getting the call.

by Rox Girl on Jun 17, 2008 6:03 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs