Thursday Rockpile:

by Rox Girl on Jun 26, 2008 10:59 AM MDT in Rockpile

NL West Standings

	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Arizona	40	39	.506	0	Lost 2
Los Angeles	36	41	.467	3	Won 1
San Francisco	34	44	.435	5.5	Won 2
San Diego	32	47	.405	8	Lost 4
Colorado	32	47	.405	8	Lost 4

(updated 6.26.2008 at 12:56 PM EDT)

I've got a little too much on my plate today working for an actual paycheck, so this is just sort of an open thread and a reminder of the truly inspiring play we've seen in the NL West this season. I'll be back with a Pebble Report and maybe other stuff this evening.

0 recs | Comment 19 comments

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Shawn Chacon seems to know how to negotiate with his bosses. He should be available soon. I’m not sure he’s veteran-y enough for the Rockies scrap heap collection, but Shawn knows how to win friends and influence people.

So could the Kansas City Royals dominance of the National League be the result of them being built like a NL club? Personally I have no idea what that means. Does that mean they are crappier than the AL? Does that mean the Rockies are built like a trucking company softball team?

Umpire Brian O’Nora was out of the hospital, but didn’t work last nights game. Too bad, he could have called a better strike zone from his hotel room than what we got last night.

Shortstop Omar Quintanilla made his first start Wednesday in the six games since Troy Tulowitzki, right, came off the disabled list.
Tulowitzki was 3-for-20 since his return Friday. Quintanilla got a hit in his final six games before Tulowitzki’s return.
“We need to find a way to slow Troy down and get Omar in,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “At times, we get in a hurry, and when we are in a hurry, we don’t do as well.”

Slow Troy Down….is that a crack about Troy doing his best Angel Berroa imitation in Kansas City?

The upside of this down slide…..we are back in contention for the #1 draft pick! Currently tied as the 3rd worst team in all of baseball with San Diego, we are 3 games ahead of Seattle and Washington. The way this Rockie team is hitting on the road, and with runners in scoring position we should be able to lose that. Seattle actually got a new manager, that might spark them to few wins down the long summer stretch of meaningless games. However, we need DLR to revert back to sucky form…and Francis to maintain his Mark Redman impersonation for us to lock up worst in all of baseball by the end of the year. We need to avoid those winning streaks at home, like we had last week.

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

by Redhawk on Jun 26, 2008 11:53 AM MDT 1 recs

Chacin

pitched well again last night. I ask this after every start, but when is he going to get promoted? In fact, I’m not sure I can remember anyone that has been promoted system wide this year.

The 2008 Rockies: All loses, all season

by moomacher on Jun 26, 2008 12:05 PM MDT 0 recs

I read a comment from the write up

on Asheville that O’Dowd was at the game last night and that it may be Chacin’s last start in Asheville. Its about time is all I can say. I guess all our guys have to be 28 before their 1st year in the Bigs. I’ve always wondered why we move players so slowly.

by smokinRox on Jun 26, 2008 12:27 PM MDT up 0 recs

Guess we

won’t see Micah Bowie back anytime soon, as he was activated off the DL and just cleared waivers in order to be sent to the Springs.

"Keep your head down, and inch toward daylight." - Blade of Tyshalle

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ on Jun 26, 2008 12:58 PM MDT 0 recs

Futures game...

Ryan Mattheus, Casey Weathers, Dexter Fowler

by ModNut on Jun 26, 2008 1:34 PM MDT 0 recs

Hurdle has figured it out!

“There really wasn’t one thing we did well…Sometimes on your side, you look for the answer. You play better. That’s the answer.”

I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what I wrote in this space yesterday, deeming it the “obvious, overly simplistic” analysis of our problems. I’m glad that I know as much about how to fix this team as the manager.

Aside: I know this issue has been discussed before, but is it time to consider Buckhholz as a starter again? I was thinking about this while reading about Joba. Not that they are at all the same guy, but basically the value of a good starter is so much more than that of a great 8th inning reliever (arguably closer as well). Last year, I did not think TB was very good as a starter, but I’ve obviously been impressed with his stuff and his approach this year. I know he’s stated that he likes being a reliever, but perhaps its worth another shot. I don’t know, just trying to think of actual solutions here, other than the “play better” approach.

by Teekalong on Jun 26, 2008 1:44 PM MDT 0 recs

Bucky

could be a good starter. Wow good? who knows…and would he rather be a reliever? He’s said so. But as I think the Rockies are setting Buckholtz up to be the next closer when they trade Fuentes, I’d say his best value as of this year….will be as a reliever.

Actually….our starting rotation is actually starting to gel even though we have ZERO depth. Cook (great), Jimenez (finally emerging!) DLR (look at those K’s..maybe becoming an MLB pitcher) Reynolds (um….looks like an inconsistent rookie with no strike out pitch, but an ok #5 pitcher, gets command of his sinker and he could be solid).....all except Francis. And face it Francis isn’t going to be moved out of the rotation anytime soon, even though this performance on most teams would get him demoted to the ‘Pen, or hell….to A ball like Dontrelle Willis. He will get his 20 losses this year, before the Rockies give up, an trade him to another team, that will want to try to rescue him due to his great contract and age. But until he gets control, his stuff isn’t good enough. To me he IS Mark Redman. (actually Redman has better stuff longer)

If one of our pitchers got hurt…yeah Buchholtz might be needed as a starter

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

by Redhawk on Jun 26, 2008 2:33 PM MDT up 0 recs

Some thoughts

Isn’t Weathers (or, a good-again Corpas) the real closer of the future? I don’t mind the idea of TB as closer, but I just think that another #3 level starter is better than a closer, especially for a team that is rarely winning at the end of games.

As for the rotation, Cook and Jiminez are the only guys that I think are legitimately worth banking on right now. The rest are #5s at best (barring significant improvement), including Francine. I hate the current status of “Cook isn’t pitching, so we’ll probably lose.” Maybe TB can help there, I don’t know. Like I said initially, maybe TB will never be a good starter, but I think its worth another look right now.

by Teekalong on Jun 26, 2008 4:58 PM MDT up 0 recs

Ok, I'll let Buchholtz Start on ONE condition

that Buckholtz can then come in to close out the game

The Rockies DO need a #3 starter. You are right in that Reynolds, DLR and Francis aren’t one now. I think Reynolds could become one (he has to get his sinker going, as he has no strike out pitch). DLR actually could be too…if he was consistent over say a month of starts, which is why he has #3 stuff…but is just another #5 starter.

Francis…is a soft throwing lefty. He’s along way from being what a soft throwing lefty has to be/have to succeed in the majors. I don’t know if he’ll ever get it. I’m also not sure a soft throwing lefty no matter how good would succeed over time pitching at Coors Field. It’s still no Petco or Oakland Colosseum (or what ever it’s called now)

I just hate to lose our best reliever…for a guy that plays once in 5 days. IF Weathers and Corpas can step up then maybe Bucky could be moved from the pen. But if he could be a #3 starter…you might be right that he be given a shot….or at least asked about it.

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

by Redhawk on Jun 26, 2008 6:44 PM MDT up 0 recs

Anyone see Ringolsby's column on foxsports.com?

He’s pretty confident that we’ll turn this thing around…

A lot more confident than me I guess. Looks like Hurdle and O’Dowd have brainwashed the media too.

Rock rock 'til you drop!

by theoldgrizzlybear on Jun 26, 2008 3:36 PM MDT 0 recs

Got a link?

Even this Rockies diehard is losing confidence ithat this thing can be turned around. I see where Detroit beat the Cards today with late inning heriocs to pull within two games of .500. Their mo is going to be sky high going into Rockies series. The other day I was talking about the Rockies tough pre-ASG road trip to MIL and NYM; Heck with that, we go 0-6 on this trip, we”re dead and buried.

by DeepPurple on Jun 26, 2008 4:15 PM MDT up 0 recs

Linkage

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8281630/Back-to-back-comebacks-possible-for-Rockies

I cough ‘homer’ a bunch of times while reading it yesterday.

by roxhead on Jun 26, 2008 4:19 PM MDT up 0 recs

A totally lame column...

that doesn’t present anything new. Simply a rehash of the duller-than-dull stuff he writes for the Rocky. Anyone who’d call this ‘analysis’ doesn’t know the meaning of the word. How about telling us something we don’t know, instead of this semi-optimistic b.s.?

by alex colfax on Jun 26, 2008 6:12 PM MDT up 0 recs

So does...

turning things around in 2012 count as being successful??

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Jun 26, 2008 4:09 PM MDT 0 recs

I say

go for the number one draft pick. Although with this franchise that doesn’t mean the best player only the most signable.

by DieHardRox on Jun 26, 2008 5:04 PM MDT 0 recs

ARE THEY TRYING TO KILL THE NUTS?.....

I drove by the field this afternoon….we can’t see a mile, in the Central valley of California, because of the fire smoke; yet the team was doing some kind of conditioning. I went t o the field to find out if they would cancel tonight’s game. We have been warned to cancel most activities and to avoid going outside. I’m glad the game is on tonight but CONDITIONING? Here’s what we are being told….update.html” target=”_blank”>http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/215233,more-than-1000-wildfires-burn-in-northern-california-update.html

by 91 wins in 08 on Jun 26, 2008 6:46 PM MDT 0 recs