Monday Morning Rockpile:
by Russ Oates on Jul 21, 2008 8:13 AM MDT
in Rockpile
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PrintWhat do you say about the Rockies after their sweep of the Pirates? You could say this:
Suddenly, the Rockies are playing their best baseball of the season — at least at home, where they are 9-1 in their last 10.
At home, the Rockies are 29-21; on the road, the Rockies are 14-36. Now, that's shouldn't really be a surprise to anyone here. We have to go all the way back to the middle of June when the Rockies took two of three from the White Sox to win a series on the road. They also took two of three from the Dodgers in early June and two of three from the Padres and Astros in back-to-back series in April.
But that doesn't mean a whole lot for this upcoming series at home against the Dodgers. Maybe Troy Tulowitzki's return to the lineup tonight will. Though I think that was the same thought many had the last time Troy returned to the lineup. Troy had a hit in six of his last seven games before going on the DL, two of those being two-run homers. Yet, he only had one multi-hit game since his return on June 20, and that was in the next day's game. Will Tulo be the everyday shortstop upon his return? Maybe not.
But with Clint Barmes and Jeff Baker swinging hot bats and the team playing well, Hurdle is in no rush to say Tulowitzki is the everyday shortstop.
Hurdle is never in a rush to say or do something, but hot bats don't last forever, obviously.
Cook's next trip to the mound will be Friday, starting the opener against Cincinnati. That's a good way to start the series, but the question with the Rockies, as it always has been, is, how do they finish the series?
Here are some lovely photos of some lovely girls with some er, uh, uhm, hrrrm, ehh, Rockies players who can play lovely baseball. From time to time, that is.
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So the Trade Deadline is less that 2 weeks away
are the Rockies buyers or sellers? Or neither? How important is this 3 game series with the Dodgers in determining that? Or does it have no impact at all, as the players on the trading block will still be on the block win or lose?
I’d like to hear some ideas, as I go back and forth with every series it seems.
Thought Clint Hurdle should be fired before it was cool.
I'm with you
on the back-and-forth feeling. I watched most of this weekend’s Pirates series, and I couldn’t help (yet again) thinking that the team can be pretty good. But then I look at the record, and remember that the team is not very good. Then I look at the pitching matchups for the Dodgers series, and we have only one favorable matchup…and confidence disappears again.
As far as the trade deadline goes, I still think this team needs to look to next year. Fuentes should be traded as his value appears to be very high. Any of the ancillary pieces that can be moved (Yorvit, Barmes, Pods, Herges, etc) should be moved for reasonable deals.
As for any “big” deal (Holliday, Atkins), I think the song remains the same for this year: move them if its a great deal for us. But of course I simply don’t think our brass has the stones to move these guys, so I’m not too worried about it.
This is my feelings too
I think Fuentes is gone. FA and all, and he’s in demand. We have several ancillary (great word by the way!) pieces as you say, that I think could be moved, that will have little or no effect.
I just don’t see moving Atkins or Holliday. I mean we have Holliday for a year and a few months, and Atkins for 2 years a few months so the front office has time. And like, you I don’t think they have the stones to make the block buster deal on either of them. But I don’t think it has anything to do with us being in it or out of it, though what ever happens, that will be the reason given.
Thought Clint Hurdle should be fired before it was cool.
I dunno...
“I simply don’t think our brass has the stones to move these guys”
I actually think that O’Dowd is growing a pair. Over at MLBtraderumors.com over the weekend, there was a story about how O’Dowd offered Holliday to the Angels in return for all of Adenhart, Kendrick, and Santana/Saunders. He’s obviously not the brightest bulb in the box to think that the Angels would accept such a trade, but it’s nice to see him at least aiming high.
That is fair
and that’s what I want to see. The issue is, when every team balks at giving us a ludicrous package like that, what will he then do?
The story has already been written
The Rockies have proven time and time again this season that they have no interest in playing while on the road, if you watched the Met series then you know what I mean, therefore they are sellers not buyers. Fuentes is already gone so once that trade comes about the bullpen becomes an inconsistant mess which doesn’t bode well for any kind of consistant winning.
I'm not sure on the pen
I differ, on how much and impact Fuentes will have in the pen. the Viz is finally coming around to his old form (the good one, before Torre road that horse into the ground). I like Morillo (I love anyone that can throw it 105 mph) and Weathers is close to being ready, so I like the pen…..not so crazy about Corpas back as the closer. Throw in Bucky being nails this season, and I don’t think our pen will be too bad. Losing an arm like Fuentes hurts, but closers and bull pen guys come and go, and I think we have some coming so I don’t think one guy will be missed that much.
Thought Clint Hurdle should be fired before it was cool.
Was at yesterday's game....
thank god my seats were in the shade!
My son was in the Jr. Starting Lineup (he got to greet Ianetta and had the extra bonus of hanging with the umpires for a few minutes at home plate. His take “I thought umpires were old and mean, but these guys were young and really funny.” He got a rubbed up game ball as an extra bonus from the home palte ump) And, oh yea, since my son is a regular along the first base line seeking autographs before the game, he got an extra thrill when Iannetta shook his hand and said “Nice seeing you again, Matt.” Don’t know if CI really recognized him or not, by Matt was geeked at the possibility he did.
- As for the game, I had one of those great moments of looking like a genius (they’re rare) after Duke led off an inning with a base hit and stood out there on the basepaths for the entire frame. I announced “He’s finished. Without cooling off in this heat, he’ll be tossing batting practice next inning”. And he did. I is smart sometimes.
- Stewart looked really comfortable at the plate. Big difference from his previous stays at this level.
- Morillo was popping Ianetta glove so loud we could hear it clearly in teh upper deck. But guys were getting good swings against him, which they really shouldn’t against a guy who throws that hard. Perhaps a changeup will help?
- The people who stayed for the entire game in the sun on the base side are either crazy or heroic. Or both. Good gun, it was hot in the sun.
Again with this rumor
this rumor was dead as it began last Friday. The prospects just don’t match up with Holliday in the mix. However, my understanding, is this trade talk is now about Fuentes for some of the same minor league prospects
But this first trade with Holiday in the mix is just what I’m hoping the Rockies avoid. This is a quantity to us for quality back. The Rockies don’t need quantity. We need quality. We need just a few pieces back (like and impact bat or 2 in the Corner OF, and quality SPs, and maybe a high quality 2b) We are good at 1b (Helton/Atkins), SS (Tulo), 3b (Stewart/Atkins), CF (Fowler), and C (Iannetta) for next few years. We could always use organizational depth, but that’s not what I want from any deal with Holiday in it.
Put Cole Hamels in the mix…..then we can talk.
Thought Clint Hurdle should be fired before it was cool.
vs LAD
Big three game set for the Rockies against the first place Dodgers. It’s really a do or die series for the Rockies as they have not one, but two teams to leap frog in the division. A sweep would pull them to within three games of atleast the Dodgers and possibly grounding significant ground on the DBacks who are hosting the best team in the National league. Niether team will be throwing out a great starting pitcher, as the Dodgers will miss Cook and the Rockies will miss both Lowe and Billingsley. Kuroda and Jimenez will be the two best pitchers of the series. The best matchup for the Rockies will be the middle game which features AAAA pitcher Jason Johnson squaring off against Ubaldo Jimenez. Here is a breakdown of what my simulator came out with as far as pre-game win probabilities and over/under run estimates.
vr, Xeifrank
Mon: Stults vs Wells, Col 55.40%, 9.88 total runs
Tue: Johnson vs Jimenez, Col 60.46%, 9.72 runs
Wed: Kuroda vs Rusch, Col 52.53%, 9.93 runs
Kershaw now going on tuesday
Dodgers will now call up Kershaw to pitch tuesday’s game. Please adjust those numbers to the following.
Tue: Kershaw vs Jimenez, Col 58.46%, 9.59 runs
vr, Xeifrank
Surprised the Dodgers are throwing him at Coors
considering that they have kept in double AA so as not to be damaged by the offensive-minded PCL
Second half run?
The Rox aren't really built on trades and free agents...
so there’s not a lot to get rid of if the brass thinks it hasn’t woked out. Our only meaning ful upcoming FA is Fuentes and you just play the market and take the draft picks if no one gives you a sweetheart deal. No sense in a Holliday or Atkins deal unless somebody gets stupid and offers O’Dowd the moon. Yorvit wants out but seems short on takers. You might see a Willy T., Podsednik, or Sullivan deal (most likely Pods.) Hard to call us buyers when we are so far underwater – but we are only six out of 1st. We have prospects to deal but who would help us if we could them? A starter? Seems unlikely.
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