Thursday Rockpile: Rockies whining, Fowler debuts

by Rox Girl on Sep 11, 2008 3:24 PM MDT in Rockpile Comment 5 comments

The players were disappointed by O'Dowd's comments, viewing them as a concession speech at a time when they were still contenders.

Contenders? Just because a team is within a few games of the division leader in the least impressive division in baseball doesn't make them contenders. Contenders don't lollygag for the first three months of the season before deciding to get serious about what they're paid to do. Whether they believe it or not, Rockies players wrote their own concession speech months before O'Dowd said anything. Look no further than the records against the top two teams in each NL division:

Philadelphia 0-5
New York 3-6
Chicago 1-5
Milwaukee 4-3
Los Angeles 7-8
Arizona 2-10

In 54 games, the Rockies are exactly 20 games below .500 against the NL's best. Do they really want us to believe that they have shown any measure of contending quality this season? I'm sorry this is just foolishness.The players need to quit whining and realize that their chance of proving themselves more than pretenders in 2008 has long since past.

Now, I'm not saying O'Dowd's faultless, his pitching personnel decisions since last October continue to prove themselves wrong up to and including last night. His rebuild for 2009 has to be more effective. In that sense, I'm glad that we've fallen too far back to pretend we've got a shot for the playoffs in that we're getting some more extensive looks at possible players for next season, starting with the leadoff slot last night:

Fowler
Baker
Holliday
Hawpe
Atkins
Stewart
Iannetta
Tulowitzki

So Fowler's starting debut didn't prove to be all that impressive, an infield single was all he could muster in five at bats with a display of his plus arm, but just getting him as many at bats as possible against MLB pitching might be the best course of action for the Rockies to determine where his true current talent level lies. I for one am hoping he gets as many PA's as possible over our last games.

The lineup construction continues to show flaws outside the leadoff slot, however as Hurdle had Jeff Baker, of the .311 OBP batting second. This burial of quality bats like Ian Stewart and Chris Iannetta serves as an instant rally killer before the game even begins. For anecdotal proof, just go to the seventh inning of last night to see what having high OBP hitters near the top of the order can accomplish. Stewart leads off with a homer, Iannetta walks and a four run rally starts. The top of the first? Two strikeouts before Matt Holliday hits his single. Rally dead. Hopefully next season we don't have to have the out drag that Baker, or Willy Taveras or Clint Barmes represent playing a starting role most days so this point will be moot, but right now limiting the exposure of the team's best hitters isn't helping matters.

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IS ANYONE AWARE OF THE SPECIFIC......

topics/goals/ and outcomes of the organizational meetings. Decisions about coaching personell, present player moves and future player acquisitions etc?

by 91 wins in 08 on Sep 11, 2008 3:56 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

And Amen, Sister!

The sound of whining is the worst sound in the world. Get over it guys. DOD rightfully called you out for not doing your job. That includes you, Hurdle. As the old saying goes, “If you can’t run with the big dogs…” and this team obviously could not. Actually, this team has had trouble running with the small dogs this season. I, like many others, still have trouble believing that this season has turned out the way it has. Sigh.

Still, I’m a die-hard, and I’ll continue to watch and look for signs of hope in ‘09. But the off season mantra had better be “Pitching, pitching, and more pitching.” We can’t afford another year of Dan’s retread failures.

Put me out of my misery. Please!

by rockhead on Sep 11, 2008 8:41 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Amen Sister II

Just when I think you’ve been drinking too much of the FO jungle juice, Rox Girl, you blow me away with your most articulate, unbiased, tell-it-like-it-is post in many moons. Thanks for the unvarnished truth. Thanks for speaking plainly and persuasively. These words (and more) needed to be said.
My two cents:
First, it doesn’t matter how Fowler does this month. He is our future CF. Play him.
Second, while I’m also frustrated with burying Stewart down in the lineup, I’d put Tulo in the 2 hole. Yes, Tulo. I’ll bet if anyone researched the subject, they’d see that a good deal of our Sep magic last year was predicated on Tulo in the 2 slot. Once Hurdle put him down in the lineup for the Series, we went poof in the night. Put him back where he was most effective. Again, it’s all about next year now.
Third, even if you disagree with me about Tulo, I can’t think of one plausible explanation for having Baker as #2. Not one.
Fourth, and I can’t emphasize this enough, no more retreads. NO MORE. The list is so long it is embarrassing. No more Livan, Kip, Luis, oh heck, just make it no more ERAs over 5. That would be a good start. What does the FO see in these guys? We must have the oldest pitching staff in the majors. Memo to DOD: when pitchers age, they usually get hit. And after that, they rarely get better.
Thanks again, Rox Girl, for speaking the unvarnished truth. Whining and betting on deadwood is a recipe for disaster. This team is living proof of that. As to the rest of the Row, where’s the outrage?
For the record, I think we should re-sign Matt. Don’t know about Atkins.

by habb on Sep 11, 2008 11:21 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Where's the outrage?

What else can we say that we haven’t already said? I think we all have been venting about the lack of execution and correct managerial decisions all year, what is there left to say? I think we all know O’Dowd made bad decisions w/ pitching and I think he knows it, hopefully the decisions are different this off season. I think we know the lineup has not produced the way they are capable of, BA w/ RISP is horrible and embarrassing and has to change. Hurdle seems to put more credence into having a lineup that can hurt you all the way through, as opposed to putting higher OBP at the top of the order. I think this is contributing to our slow starts and the lack of RBI production from Holliday.

That being said, I think some of this stuff is correctable and will change next year. I think Hurdle will wake up and realize that the lineup needs to change, and it might get better just simply by plugging in better players in CF and 2B. I think he will look to move Helton to the 2nd spot, which will help a lot, and if not I would like to see Iannetta in the 2 spot, or even Tulo. I think pitching will be better and I predict Reynolds will get the #5 spot and pitch pretty well for a #5. I also believe the bullpen will be better, as I am sure Herges and Rusch will be gone. I als think the Viz will be better next year coming off a season w/ less mileage on the arm.

by smokinRox on Sep 12, 2008 8:24 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fowler tangent

Apparently, Yahoo doesn’t list a fantasy player until he makes a start. I’m been waiting to claim Fowler in my keeper league (we keep everyone) forever. Well, since he was called up, anyway.

I have the top waiver priority, so I’m guaranteed to get him :)

by kosmo99 on Sep 12, 2008 12:39 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs