Tuesday Morning Rockpile:

by Russ on Jul 8, 2008 8:18 AM MDT in Rockpile

Well, the Rockies got that first win on the road out of the way rather early. Now they run into the Brewers' recent acquistion, pitcher Carsten Charles Sabathia. All right, let's just call him C.C. Anyway, this will be Sabathia's first start against the Rockies since 2005 when he was knocked around for six runs in 3 1/3 innings. But those were the 2005 Rockies, who blew a 6-2 lead and lost 6-7 in 11 innings. Eddy Garabito, Preston Wilson, Dustan Mohr, Ryan Shealy, Luis Gonzalez, Desi Relaford, Danny Ardoin, David Cortes, Blaine Neal (I don't remember that guy at all)--the Rockies sure have come a long way. Sabathia was also beat up in a 2003 start against the Rockies.

Still, Mark Redman's going up against Sabathia. That doesn't inspire a whole lot of confidence. Nor does, as we discussed in the game thread yesterday, the other pitching match-ups. Glendon Rusch says he's the starter for Wednesday's game. He'll face Ben Sheets (10-2, 2.77 ERA). Thursday's game features Jorge De La Rosa against Dave Bush. That's not too daunting of a task as compared to the previous two starters for the Brewers.

A day doesn't go by when we don't have a Hurdle quote that includes "No excuses." Actually, I'm convinced that that is just an excuse.

Mark Kiszla, that's not exactly the image I need in my mind.

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match-ups

If we can somehow win one more and get a split in this series, then take 2 fof 3 at Shea against Mets with Cook and Jimenez going, I’ll be very happy.

by DeepPurple on Jul 8, 2008 9:11 AM MDT 0 recs

6.5 out??!!??

We are in it to win it. Does this put the cooler on a Holliday trade?

by holliday5 on Jul 8, 2008 9:13 AM MDT 0 recs

6.5

I mentioned at the end of a game thread the other day that the Rockies were 6.5 games out on SEPT 15 last year. But then, the 21 of 22 streak started the next day as the rest was history.

by DeepPurple on Jul 8, 2008 11:02 AM MDT up 0 recs

Holliday trade was never

really on the table,I don’t think. As luck would have it, the Rockies are still in it. If they can make a legit run this year and next, Holliday may make a deal with the Rockies. Why would he want to go if our team keeps making playoffs. A lot of players never get that chance, he’s made a home here, the guys have a good chemistry on the team. Give Holliday credit, look past Boras, and realize this guy is not all about the money.

by Island fox on Jul 8, 2008 10:48 AM MDT 0 recs

If he didn't want to get the most money possible

he wouldn’t have hired Boras as his agent. I really don’t think we are going to be able to afford him without crippling the payroll for years to come.

Thank god for baseball season.

by jcd823 on Jul 8, 2008 10:53 AM MDT up 0 recs

Something tells me, then,

that we should increase the payroll. The Rockies are still in the lowest 5 or 10 as far as percentage of money spent on player pay. But instead of reallocating money, we keep shuffling off players as soon as they get too expensive, and then going out and looking for a bunch of bargains. Someday, the Monforts (and the city of Denver) are going to have to get over the Hampton/Neagle debacle, and start opening up the pocketbooks a bit more. Teams don’t always get screwed when they do that.

by oo_nrb on Jul 8, 2008 5:37 PM MDT up 0 recs

Holy crap

I can’t believe I agree with Kiszla for once. If Tulo were anyone else, he would be playing in the Springs right now. Who knows, maybe it needs to happen. It sure seems like it helped Iannetta regain his swing when he was sent down last year.

Thank god for baseball season.

by jcd823 on Jul 8, 2008 10:49 AM MDT 0 recs

Tulo does not belong in AAA

from what I’ve seen of his swing and contact. He doesn’t look lost at the plate, other than the 1st month. He has been hitting the ball much harder of late and has received some bad luck. I don’t see a lot of K’s, and I see patience from him in laying off tough pitches. His D is better than anyone else on the team, so I don’t see a great benefit in sending him down when he’s healthy again. I am predicting a hot 2nd half of the season for Tulo, assuming he’s healthy.

by smokinRox on Jul 8, 2008 11:02 AM MDT up 0 recs

Sending him to AAA.....

would be a waste. Tulo needs to be healthy, and he needs to play up here. We, in all likelihood, are not going to sniff the playoffs this year, so why not give Tulo more time to settle in on the big club, and the results will follow. You are correct that his hard contact, lower K-rate, and adequate patience bode well for a recovery. The lousy BABIP luck made Tulo’s season look worse than it really is.

by GoRoxGo on Jul 8, 2008 11:14 AM MDT up 0 recs

especially since there are so many fans

who went out and bought Tulo jerseys and t-shirts right after they made the playoffs. Seriously look at his numbers – he belongs in AAA. The only reason he is not there is financial. Asses in seats.

by holliday5 on Jul 8, 2008 11:33 AM MDT up 0 recs

Sophomore slumps

are pretty common and very real. They have to do w/ other teams developing ways to get you out and the good hitters will adjust back, bad players will never adjust or have trouble adjusting and be out of the bigs before too long. Ryan Braun went through a similar thing early in the year and then got hot. Tulo has not had the opportunity because of injuries, but since his return his swing seems to be back. If you send a player down after a month of not performing he will never get it right, depending on where he is in his development.

Has anyone here been watching the games in the last 2 weeks? If you were the manager of another team or an opposing pitcher you are telling me a lineup w/ Q or Barmes worries you more than Tulo, I find that hard to believe. As I said earlier, you also have the added benefit of better defense. It has nothing to do w/ bigger crowds IMO.

by smokinRox on Jul 8, 2008 12:05 PM MDT up 0 recs

i would have to look at the rockies winning % with Tulo in the line up

versus having a mix of Barmes, Baker and Q in the middle infield.

My gut tells me – without actually researching it – that the Rockies are a better team (% wise) with Tulo off the field. Just a gut feeling though.

by holliday5 on Jul 8, 2008 12:26 PM MDT up 0 recs

Sample size

Wanna check the winning percentage over the last season and a half with Tulo in the lineup compared to Tulo out of the lineup? That’ll give you a little more of a representative sample and maybe even make you sound like you know what you’re talking about.

Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Jul 8, 2008 1:12 PM MDT up 0 recs

Tulo

I don’t care that we’re only 6.5 out, this team is not good and will not make the playoffs barring some bizarre scenario where we acquire 3 good starting pitchers really soon. Tulo has proven he can hit at this level, and just needs to get back into the groove with an eye towards fixing his problems so that he’ll come out of the gate strong next year.

by Teekalong on Jul 8, 2008 1:36 PM MDT up 0 recs

Thank you.

by Hizilla on Jul 8, 2008 2:01 PM MDT up 0 recs

what ev

a flash in the pan is still a flash in the pan until proven otherwise. I’m not hating on Tulo I just think that a little bit of work in AAA might not be such a bad thing.

by holliday5 on Jul 8, 2008 2:07 PM MDT up 0 recs

Here ya go

W L % (including playoffs)
67 57 0.540

Big woop. Here are the more important numbers:
AVG OBP SLG
.166 .246 .298

Other shortstops sent to the minors this season with similar stats:

Azdrubal Cabrera
AVG OBP SLG
.184 .282 .247

Paul Janish
AVG OBP SLG
.188 .278 .203

Freddie Bynum (was just recalled)
AVG OBP SLG
187 .230 .234

Either way you toss it he still sucks this year and should be at AAA.

by holliday5 on Jul 8, 2008 2:30 PM MDT up 0 recs

Can't be right....

He played in more than 150 game last year during the regular season—if you include playoffs and this year, the total has to be even higher.

by DenverBears on Jul 8, 2008 3:50 PM MDT up 0 recs

i started from one year ago yesterday

by holliday5 on Jul 9, 2008 11:49 AM MDT up 0 recs

I didn't COMPLETELY agree with Kiszla

I think under “weirdest injuries” Barmes carrying deer meat, has to be on any list.

The rest, I’m with.

I miss baseball. Can we fire Clint Hurdle and Dan O'Dowd now?

by Redhawk on Jul 8, 2008 12:07 PM MDT up 0 recs

do you

really think he got hurt carrying the deer meat?

by Teekalong on Jul 8, 2008 1:33 PM MDT up 0 recs

I happen to know

that he did not, but he’s not being slammed for his behavior. Tulo is hearing it, and honestly he was just showing his competitiveness, so I’m mad he’s out and I hope he learned a lesson, but its better than not caring.

by smokinRox on Jul 8, 2008 2:24 PM MDT up 0 recs

lemme guess

he wrecked one of Toddfather’s ATV’s?

The 2008 Rockies: All loses, all season

by moomacher on Jul 8, 2008 2:35 PM MDT up 0 recs

I always thought

that nobody really bought the deer meat story, but since Barmes was/is not a big name/salary guy, nobody really cared about the truth.

by Teekalong on Jul 8, 2008 2:55 PM MDT up 0 recs

I SAW TULO IN COLLEGE/ HIS 1ST GAME AS A PRO IN MODESTO.......

and most of his big league games on the MLB package…..if every player in MLB took the same approach/commitment to the games as he does….baseball would be a much better game. He’s everything that was good about “old School” and all of you who want to attack his struggle are nothing more than front running band waggoners who will jump right back on the wagon as quickly as you jumped off, when he returns to form. Baseball is a game of failure…real fans don’t whine and bitch everytime “their” team or player struggles. I love the Row but a large % of you fit this definition.

by 91 wins in 08 on Jul 8, 2008 6:05 PM MDT up 0 recs

Weirdest Injuries

What about Brandon Marshall and his dust-up with a McDonald’s bag?

"It's all over Fat Man"

- Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game

by DesertBroncoFan on Jul 8, 2008 5:03 PM MDT up 0 recs

If ever you could get to Sabathia

tonight might be the night, new surroundings, lots of hype- stay patient Rockies and turn the noise to positive energy for you

by Island fox on Jul 8, 2008 10:50 AM MDT 0 recs

Did you see Kip Wells

walking thru the congratulations line last night wearing No 16. Is a roster move imminent??

by PinchHitLancePainter on Jul 8, 2008 10:53 AM MDT 0 recs

I know this is a couple days late

But how is Jason Varitek an All-Star??? Is it too late for Hurdle to put Yorvit on the team so each manager can have his crappy catcher there with him?

Every day is a Holliday!

by free7694 on Jul 8, 2008 2:49 PM MDT 0 recs

Nice.

Sadly, though, I think the players actually voted him in. Funny, I think an ESPN column was dissing the decision, but as an alternative suggested…Pudge? The AL is pretty bereft of decent catching this year.

by Teekalong on Jul 8, 2008 2:56 PM MDT up 0 recs