Wednesday Morning Rockpile:

by Russ Oates on Aug 6, 2008 8:29 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 24 comments

How's that saying go? Momentum is only as good as tomorrow's starter. Well, tomorrow is today and the starter is Jeff Francis. We last saw Francis on June 28 against the Detroit Tigers for six innings. He allowed five runs on 11 hits (his third-highest total this season) and two walks. And we know it wasn't always pretty before that start:

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - Jeff Francis	3-7	17	17	0	0	0	0	100.0	115	65	63	17	40	67	5.67	1.55

Last season that whole momentum thing worked well with Francis, after having lost four consecutive games between April 16 and May 2. Francis only lost back-to-back games once more that season, and that wasn't until September 8 and 13.

Jorge De La Rosa came up big and Stewie continued to show he can hit lefties (and with power). But while Tulo notes that Stewie's pinch-hit homer provided the momentum the team needed to come back, the Rockies basically sat back after that and saw the Nats rout themselves in a "bizarre eighth inning." You take the win however you can, but let's see the bats appear a little stronger tonight to help what hopefully will be good momentum provided by Francis' return.

Instant replay was being tested at Citizens Bank Park last night, but couldn't be used to help determine if Shane Victorino's homer was, in fact, a homer.

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Errmm

Wednesday?

Second half run?

by moomacher on Aug 6, 2008 8:51 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope today is Wednesday....

by roxintober on Aug 6, 2008 9:11 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Some more notes

from the Cowboy at RMN

Manager Clint Hurdle said there are some mechanical flaws in Atkins’ swing right now, “and the question is whether that is fatigue. If it doesn’t get straightened out, that is something we have to consider.”

His swing is way off. He’s dropping/dipping his hands, and it’s throwing his timing off. He’s also not squaring the ball up. To me he looks tired. Also he looks tense playing first base. He’s not comfortable, over there. He looks like he did when he first came at 3rd. S

Stewart however, looks like the future superstar, with the world at his feet.

More Livan Hernandez notes today in the RMN
His waivers were revockable. Meaning the Twins, can pull him off waivers, and try to trade him to one of the teams making a waiver claim. The Mets want him, and that would unite Livon with his brother Orlando, though their sister Dawn won’t be there.

If the Twins pull him back off waiver…..the next pitcher in line….

Wait For IT

Wait for it some more

Josh Fogg. (anyone shocked by that news?)

Now I think our rotation needs help. But if we pick up a scrap heap pitcher…which scrap heap pitcher goes? Personally I’d put Herges on the DL, as he looks gassed. Or I’d drop Kip Wells who looks like he sucks. I then move George the Rose to long relief out of the pen. He’s a hard throwing lefty which is always nice to have, even if he can’t hit the strike zone with any kind of regularity. Personally I think a closer is overrated, but at the same time, quality long relief I think is very underrated. Right now our 2 long guys in Herges and Wells, just are getting the job done, plus the Rose gives us some flexibility, in the fact that he’s a lefty.

Thought Clint Hurdle should be fired before it was cool.

by Redhawk on Aug 6, 2008 9:32 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

...though their sister Dawn won’t be there.

Very nicely done.

by DomCasual on Aug 6, 2008 12:59 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was anyone else

driven crazy by the whole “behind the scenes” thing last night? I watched the game on DVR and found myself fastforwarding slowly just so I could have a sense of what was happening but didn’t have to listen to all that nonsense. Of course, I rewound Stewart’s bomb about 5 times. Thing of beauty.

FWIW, I also thing Of The Rose is ultimately going to be a bullpen candidate, but I have no love for the Livan/Fogg ideas. Maybe Fogg will come back and make everyone happy again in the dugout, but on the hill I’m not expecting more than bad performances from those cats.

by Teekalong on Aug 6, 2008 10:48 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I was bored too

some of it I thought was interesting, but the rest of it I just wanted to get over with. They spend a lot of time on the truck about once every month on a tuesday night, and I’m not really sure why.

I don’t like the Livan/Fogg plans. But there you have it….

by Squeaky on Aug 6, 2008 12:06 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hated FSN's Broadcast...

On the HD channel, they blocked out so much of the sides/top of the screen with graphics for their ‘behind the scenes’ that the actual game window was reduced to about 20” of my 50” TV. I know i’m not going to get alot of sympathy here – But I have my theatre room configured for a 50” – thus making a small window unwatchable.

I tried emailing the booth pictures and examples of how poor it looked – but im sure they dont care.

I don’t think i was in the minority here – no one cares to watch someone work a remote camera while actual baseball is being played. A minority owner of the Rockies should be concerned about presenting their product in the best possible way. Last night – they failed.

Perhaps a better idea would be to make an hour long special behind the scenes – and play that instead of the 500th re-run of a 2004 poker tournament.

by GreeleyRoxFan on Aug 6, 2008 12:56 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

tonight...

they’re gonna show us how they grill hot dogs and pour beer.

by Since1993 on Aug 6, 2008 2:57 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Livan a Rockie

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8416786/Rockies-bolster-rotation-with-Livan-addition?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=3498

Rox give up nothing and will pay remainder of his salary for year.

So sure, what the hell. Let’s see what he’s got left.

by BroJB on Aug 6, 2008 3:27 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Hernandez...

I’d rather have seen the 1.6 million go to signing Chris Dominguez.

by DenverBears on Aug 6, 2008 3:41 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly!

That was my first and lasting thought as well! Ask yourself: Would you trade Dominguez (or any tough sign draft pick who falls to Fuentes compensation picks next year for that matter) for Hernandez? That said, who knows…. Maybe there is a few more innings in that arm. Let’s hope so.

by IowaRockie on Aug 6, 2008 3:53 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

So we've now spent what,

$6.5 million on fifth starters this year?

Second half run?

by moomacher on Aug 6, 2008 4:49 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is a very GREAT point

we are throwing away money on scraps, but can’t afford a good pitcher? Does look a penny wise and a pound foolish.

Thought Clint Hurdle should be fired before it was cool.

by Redhawk on Aug 6, 2008 4:55 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Livan, livan likes his money
He makes a lot they say
Spend his days counting
In a garage by the motorway

by GreeleyRoxFan on Aug 6, 2008 6:07 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Snakes being no-hit thru 7...

Pittsburg now up 2-0 after top of 8th behind newly acquired P Jeff Karstens who has perfect no-hitter thru 7. Karstens was one of the players traded from Yankees to Pittsburgh in the Xavier Nady six-player deal.

by DeepPurple on Aug 6, 2008 3:33 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs