Wednesday Morning Rockpile:

by Rox Girl on Jul 16, 2008 10:45 AM MDT in Rockpile

Aaron Cook and Matt Holliday did a fine job of representing the Rockies at the All-Star Game last night, although I wonder if we get any sympathy points from fans around the majors for Clint Hurdle's display of his passion for the bunt. That said, I do think most fans will be thankful that the pitcher he taxed the most in the long, long, affair was one of his own.

Holliday's blast, of course, underscores the sub-drama of a potential trade this summer, the bat showing that he's more than just a Coors Field phenom on a stage that amounts to an open house for potential bidders for his services. With Hideki Matsui going down with season ending surgery, the Yankees themselves would probably be wise to take note of what Holliday did last night at the house that Ruth built and Steinbrenner's taking down, albeit, the most loathed team in the majors may first be looking into the availability of the most loathed player.

Troy Tulowitzki is ready to start his rehab stint, and could be back with the Rockies by Monday.

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Drew Litton's latest cartoon

Is also worth checking out.

by Rox Girl on Jul 16, 2008 10:51 AM MDT 0 recs

Hmm

Those comments are quite a hoot.

by Jori on Jul 16, 2008 4:10 PM MDT up 0 recs

Remember at the start of the season

when then NL West was supposed to be the toughest division? HAHA. It makes me sick to think that the D-Backs lead the division at 1 game under .500 and we are nowhere close. That Drew Litton cartoon was spot on. Once training camp starts, the Rockies are going to be an afterthought in the Colorado sports world again.

Thank god for baseball season.

by jcd823 on Jul 16, 2008 12:06 PM MDT 0 recs

Cook

impressed a lot of the baseball world last night. Terrific showing for him and good for Holliday. Hurdle displayed his penchant for overmanaging again by inserting Wagner to get his left on left matchup at any cost. It backfired of course. And the trademark bunting most in 40 years in the AS game.

by DieHardRox on Jul 16, 2008 12:42 PM MDT 0 recs

Keith Olbermann....

on his show tonight actually called out Hurdle for his error in not knowing that Wagner has a reputatoin for doing poorly when coming into games with baserunners on in the middle of an inning rather than at the start of the inning. He said Hurdle’s decision led to the game-tying hit and eventual loss for the NL.

It sure doesn’t take long for the national media to notice Hurdle’s mistakes when the spotlight is put on him.

by GoRoxGo on Jul 16, 2008 9:35 PM MDT up 0 recs

Rasmus

A little blurb from Jon Heyman’s notes from the game:

“Overheard at the pre-All-Star Game bash out on Randall’s Island. The contending Cardinals might even consider parting with top outfield prospect Colby Rasmus, a major surprise. If so, it may put them in line to land Pittsburgh’s Xavier Nady, or even Jason Bay.”

Colby Rasmus is the type of prospect that would make trading Holliday a MUCH easier sell for the management of the Rockies. A true impact player that is essentially major league ready (and young and controllable for a long time). If Rasmus is available in a deal then the Rockies must seriously consider it, IMO.

by MADness on Jul 16, 2008 3:33 PM MDT 0 recs

IT'S GOT TO BE RASMUS "PLUS"++++

a major pitching prospect….Holiday is REAL and expensive….Rasmus is MAYBE or POTENTIAL and cheap for a while….the Rox need to double down on the return i.e. 2 prospects gives them twice the chance of a successful deal….perfect world they could afford to keep him as a quality player and person.

by 91 wins in 08 on Jul 16, 2008 3:55 PM MDT 0 recs

Agreed

My point was simply that Rasmus is the type of high profile, high impact prospect that could make this deal palatable in the near term.

None of the other big name prospects that have been rumored are as highly regarded or as prepared to contribute immediately.

Rasmus is, IMO, a much safer bet than Fernando Martinez (even if he doesn’t have Martinez’s famous ‘unlimited’ potential).

by MADness on Jul 16, 2008 5:13 PM MDT up 0 recs

I'm with you

Rasmus is the 2nd best prospect (David Price from Tampa being the best, and unfortunately I don’t see that happening) name I’ve heard in regards to Holliday. To me, to deal Holliday you want one of the ten best prospects in the game as the center-piece. Preferrably a “can’t miss” over an “unlimited potential”. You also want two more good prospects and a young (slightly above average) major leaguer. Otherwise, let’s enjoy Holliday’s bat in the line-up next year and see where we are in July.

by IowaRockie on Jul 16, 2008 7:55 PM MDT up 0 recs

Rasmus and Garcia

would be a fine deal for Holliday, I think. That might not be doable though.

I wonder if Holliday would dislike the fact that he wouldn’t be able to wear his #5 in St. Louis.

by Tom (RFTN) on Jul 16, 2008 8:16 PM MDT up 0 recs

Cardinals

Not sure that the Cardinals will have much interest in Holliday for the same reasons that we seem unlikely to be able to keep him long term. That said, he is better than Bay and Nady.

by MADness on Jul 16, 2008 10:35 PM MDT up 0 recs

Some Holliday scenarios

pretty much pure speculation, but interesting reading:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jon_heyman/07/15/heyman.holliday/index.html

Says the Rox offered Holliday and tavares for Beltran and top prospect Fernando Martinez, but the Mets don’t want to lose Beltran.

by BroJB on Jul 16, 2008 4:39 PM MDT 0 recs

Read this today

I’m a little skeptical. I think Beltran is a solid player, somewhat expensive for a small market club like the Rox, and F-Mart the high profile player they are looking for, but I think the goal would be to reload. Acquiring Beltran would not be reloading with affordable impact prospects. I also think that they would try and get some pitching prospects rather than 2 outfielders. Just my thoughts – maybe i’m way off.

by Hizilla on Jul 16, 2008 6:00 PM MDT up 0 recs

It does make sense

when you consider that the remainder of Beltran’s contract tends to mirror the supposed offers for Holliday. Essentially, the Rockies would be getting Beltran for three years at around 18.5 mil per. That’s a fairly short term investment for a high caliber player that would attempt to replace Holliday’s production, but in center and coming equipped with cost certainty. This would allow O’Dowd to deal Holliday while keeping the team competitive with a good regular while spending the money from the “Holliday budget.”

I don’t see the motivation on New York’s side to lose one of its top position players and its top hitting prospect. I really think that you can’t deal Holliday for a regular until after the season, as stretch run teams may not be keen on moving pieces that are already assisting in the playoff push.

by David OhNo on Jul 16, 2008 10:41 PM MDT up 0 recs

THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS WATCH WHAT BILLY BEANE DOES THEN.....

mimic those trades as closely as possible…....you may not win a World Series but if you put the A’s last 10 years next to the Rox last 10 years you will see what I mean. Then take the last 10 salary budgets for the 2 organizations and match them year by year. See any difference????

by 91 wins in 08 on Jul 16, 2008 7:27 PM MDT 0 recs