Friday Morning Rockpile:

by Rox Girl on Sep 5, 2008 7:50 AM MDT in Rockpile

The ups and downs in the education of Ubaldo are outlined in Jack Etkin's piece at the RMN. While 2008 has been a mixed bag for Jimenez, there are certainly plenty of signs that really good things are yet to come for the Rockies with him around.

There was no implication of poor mechanics with U-ball in the Rocky piece, just poor execution and poor pitch selection, but the Post notes column seems to indicate that there is also a mechanical issue. Without having seen his last start I'm not sure if this is the case, so if somebody wants to clarify what they saw, that would be great. What Hurdle talks about, "overreaching", is a pretty vague baseball term that could be symptomatic of several pitching mistakes, not all of them mechanical. Keep in mind that Jimenez's mechanics aren't the greatest to begin with, what I'd want to know is what he's doing differently now from a month ago.

I've been keeping an eye on the situation with the Rockies Spring Training home over the spring and summer, and Dick Monfort's indication that the team is "keeping all of its options open" with the specific mention of Marana has me thinking that the resort town East of Tucson might actually be the favorite at this point. Various entities in Tucson have been haggling as to whether it's worth it for them to upgrade Hi Corbett Field and who's going to foot the bill if they do.

Dan O'Dowd notices something about the team that we could probably have told him in April if he was willing to ask: Rockies hard to watch.

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Huh

I liked that last article, and then read the comments and am pretty sure I was reading it with a completely different frame of mind than everyone else. Could it be just lip service and a sign of settling for mediocrity? I suppose, but that’s not what I got from O’Dowd’s comments at all. Sure, some of the things he said have been obvious all year, but at least these things aren’t being ignored. And he acknowledged the Towers/Wells/Redman mistake. That to me seemed like a hint (even though it wasn’t said) that acquiring a better-quality starter would be a priority in the off season.

But all the comments on the article were cynical and angry and bitter. Maybe I’m just too optimistic to be a sports fan.

by holly96 on Sep 5, 2008 11:28 AM MDT 0 recs

Comments at the end of newspaper articles

always seem to turn that way, as they have the lowest level of accountability. I’m surprised it didn’t turn political (or maybe it did, I haven’t read them).

As for O’Dowd, I consider it a positive that he said what he said. It wasn’t typical “HurdleSpeak” where it glosses over the problems, O’Dowd’s taking steps to show that accountability is neccessary, and that despite being in “contention,”, the front office isn’t considering this year a success.

Also, if you read further between the lines, “getting back to basics” could also be a substituted phrase for rebuilding. The Rockies don’t need an image overhaul, but a tweaking of sorts, and that likely will come at the expense of a few expensive stars less willing to be future Rockies.

by David OhNo on Sep 5, 2008 11:53 AM MDT up 0 recs

To me

the most notable issue raised by the article (and addressed in a few of the comments) was clearly: “Why do we need to go back to basics?” He (importantly) fails to identify how this problem arose and who is at fault.

It just seems to me that its a clever way from deflecting blame from himself, sort of saying: “Hey, I put together mostly the right guys, but they are at fault for not getting it done out there.” Which I don’t necessarily disagree with (notwithstanding the rotation), but it does suggest to me that there will not be any signficant FA upgrades, but rather (as noted by OhNo above) that rebuilding/internal “retooling” is the most likely plan. Surprising nobody, I’m sure.

by Teekalong on Sep 5, 2008 12:05 PM MDT up 0 recs

FA upgrades

I didn’t see anything that precluded FA upgrades. Like I said above, in what I read between the lines, I saw a hint that seeking at least a quality starter would be a goal. And I’m not sure where else, other than maybe 2B, any significant FA upgrades are even necessary. There’s also sure to be some trades and other tinkering, but I didn’t read any of that article as a sign that only internal retooling or rebuilding would be going on.

by holly96 on Sep 5, 2008 2:08 PM MDT up 0 recs

O'Down

I didn’t see him deflecting blame at all. In fact, he mentioned that his misses on FA pitchers forced Reynolds to be rushed before he was ready. Maybe it’s just optimism on my part, but I kind of got the impression that we may be willing to up the investment a little bit for a quality starter in the future as well.

by mattrob on Sep 5, 2008 4:14 PM MDT up 0 recs

Also

I’m glad he admitted that promoting Reynolds was a mistake.

by Teekalong on Sep 5, 2008 12:09 PM MDT up 0 recs

I didn't get that at all

I thought O’Dowd was talking about the coaching staff getting back to basics.
The only thing we’ve seen all year long is Hurdle and Co waiting for the players to figure out whats wrong.

by rockieprogress on Sep 5, 2008 1:43 PM MDT up 0 recs

Not too optimistic to be a sports fan

Just too optimistic to be a sports fan on the internet. ;)

Anyway, I actually thought the article was a pretty clear indictment of the players and coaching staff, as well as an acceptance of blame for certain moves that didn’t pay off. I liked what I read. ‘Accountability’ is the right word – and for a fan base that’s cried out for such a thing this season, well, they got a little red meat.

Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Sep 5, 2008 1:02 PM MDT up 0 recs

That's exactly how I saw it

And I liked what I read, too.

And yes, “sports fan on the internet” would be a more specific description.

by holly96 on Sep 5, 2008 2:04 PM MDT up 0 recs

Have to agree with you

“Our execution has been abysmal.” was the quote that really struck me. And it’s dead on. He was also talking about how the Rox played the last two months of 07, and how that was lost early and never regained. That was as clear an “indictment of the players and coaching staff” as I’ve ever heard from the man.

I can only hope that there are some repercussion from that over the winter.

Put me out of my misery. Please!

by rockhead on Sep 5, 2008 2:32 PM MDT up 0 recs

Pretty

scary that after 7 years of basically the same coaching staff that he would be talking about getting back to stuff that should have been second nature by now. It’s possible that after such a long period of time familiarity has bred contempt.

by DieHardRox on Sep 5, 2008 3:46 PM MDT up 0 recs

I also view this as a positive

and I am glad to hear some real “stuff” not just the usual. I liked the fact that he took accountability and also laid blame in other places as well. I am hoping that what I read will lead to an organizational change that I have been wanting to see for awhile and that is a switch to a more patient approach at the plate, along w/ a focus on contact. I don’t see pitching as nearly as big of an issue, because I think some of our problems were talent and some of them were execution, but not overall philosophy. I expect that to get better next year, maybe thats my false positive outlook coming through.

The one thing I didn’t like was it seems as though some players are starting to blame other players, like hitters blaming the pitching. I think the guys should look at themselves, because there is definitely enough blame to go around for everybody. I can hardly think of a player that has been overwhelming this year, other than maybe Bucholtz, and you might throw Iannetta in there too.

That being said, I still love the Rox, and hope they can do something incredible this year, and if not I think we will see a much improved product next year.

by smokinRox on Sep 5, 2008 2:35 PM MDT up 0 recs

Wow

As I said in April and everybody laughed at me that this team was in trouble. You could tell it with the pitchers nibbling and the hitters trying to hit everything out. Strong management would have benched the culprits but that is not the way this organization operates. Your GM was a never was, your manager was an underachiever and your pitching coach was a middle reliever with below average crap (heck I blistered his butt for a dinger in a Texas League game in Jackson, MS nearly 30 years ago, I had only 22 minor league homers mind you).

Point is that it is questionable whether they really know how to play the game. Winners move runner and hit behind them, they start runners, they do the little things. The Rockies are about sitting back for the big pop that has been few and far between. I look at Taveras and wonder how he continues to play with a big swing, below marginal contact and no gappers all year long. Not to mention an OB% that is horrendous.

The comments below the post article are dead on.

by PinchHitLancePainter on Sep 5, 2008 1:26 PM MDT 0 recs

Even though you were right

You don’t understand why you were right. Tony LaRussa and Earl Weaver were horseshit ballplayers too. And I don’t believe either of the McPhail’s ever played an inning in the bigs. The inexperience/inability of O’Dowd, Hurdle, and Apodaca means precisely squat.

Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Sep 5, 2008 4:48 PM MDT up 0 recs

Add to that

You can add Tommy Lasorda and about 75% of all managers to that list of crap players who had successful managing careers. Actually, I’d say Hurdle is actually towards the top of the baseball player performance among managers, and thus I think you’d have an eaiser argument that he was too good of a player to know what it takes to motivate a team. Ted Williams for example was an abysmal manager because he couldn’t understand why his players couldn’t get close to hitting .400. Bottom line in my opinion: There’s no reason to look at a manager’s playing career when evaluating his managing skills.

by IowaRockie on Sep 5, 2008 10:50 PM MDT up 0 recs

Managerial Dream Team

I live in the Bay area now and have to listen to a lot of Giants talk. During the last two years I have developed a growing admiration for the job Bruce Bochy has done in his time with the Giants, dealing with the final circus year of the Bonds era and now finding a way to balance winning a respectable number of games while getting young position players some playing time. I expected the Giants to lose over a hundred games this year and attribute most of this to Bochy.

I bring this up here as a contrast to how Hurdle has handle our team, a subject that many, including myself, have waxed poetic upon.

What I am wondering is what would my Managerial Dream Team be, one that you might have a realistic hope of putting together to start next year.

General Manager-Dan O’Dowd – my only beef with Dan has been his slavish loyalty to Hurdle/Apodaca.

Manager – Bobby Valentine – Currently managing the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan. Would take a major financial commitment to break him from his current contract, but he has the experience we need to go to the next level.

Bench Coach – Dave Collins – knows the club, great motivator, focused on fundamentals

Pitching Coach- Bob McClure – may be willing to come back to pitchers he knows

Hitting Coach-Carney Lansford – all I remember is hearing about how the guys last year would get straightened out at the Springs last year, we need him back

Most of my picks are from coaches that we have lost in the past, as they are the ones I am more familiar with, and would be most familiar with the team.

Any thoughts?

by Drewan on Sep 5, 2008 3:18 PM MDT 0 recs

On a completely unrelated topic

I just learned that a slew of political figures, INCLUDING Barack Obama and John McCain, will be at Columbia University next week for the Sept 11, 2001 thing on service. They will be making individual speeches and it’s not a rally, but STILL…Columbia students (That includes me) enter a lottery and will get all the remaining seats in the hall, and they’ll probably set up video screens around campus for everyone else to watch. I’m so excited!!!

by Squeaky on Sep 5, 2008 3:46 PM MDT 0 recs