Tuesday Morning Rockpile:

by Russ Oates on Sep 9, 2008 8:02 AM MDT in Rockpile

It's certainly been a while since the Rockies faced the Braves. With the exception of the make-up game played on June 16, the Rockies last played the Braves back in April. That was the third series of the season. Who came up with this schedule? And after this series, it's an end-of-the-season swing through the NL West.

I don't think anyone predicted that the Braves would be as bad as they have been. Though not playing this series on the road (where they were 1-3 against the Rockies) should be helpful. They're 38-34 at home and 24-48 on the road.

Anyway, I suppose both the Rockies and the Braves are happy that Mike Hampton will no longer be a problem for them once the season ends. Dan O'Dowd is quoted in the article as saying:

"The biggest thing that came out of it was that we faced the reality of who we are and what direction we had to go in," Rockies general manger Dan O'Dowd said. "We were trying to be something we weren't. Since that point, the organization has really had one common vision: Win through scouting and player development."

I wonder if O'Dowd said that with a straight face. Scouting and player development have worked over the years, but the winning? Not so much.

Jack Etkin lets us know which prospects will play Hawaii Winter Baseball this off season:

Low Single-A Asheville pitcher Connor Graham, catcher Lars Davis, third baseman Darin Holcomb and center fielder Mike Mitchell and high Single-A Modesto pitchers Andy Graham and David Patton will play for the Honolulu Sharks in Hawaii Winter Baseball. Double-A Tulsa manager Stu Cole will manage the Sharks, whose regular season games begin Sept. 27 and end Nov. 15.

Nice way to spend part of the off season, I'd say.

Patrick Saunders recaps Ian Stewart's season so far.

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Post-season

Being the optimist…I register for post-season tickets for the Rockies….please pass the kool-aid.

At any rate like Dan O’Dowd, I like our bargaining position this winter. I think we have the best position other than the whole AL East.

We got money, talent & players to trade or to sign.

by lizardlad01 on Sep 9, 2008 10:19 AM MDT reply actions

Seriously???

I understand being an optimist, and I tend to be one myself, but we are what we are. I’ve yet to see this team show that they are willing to go after a free agent, and I really doubt that would be prudent. We are more of a small market team that needs to exercise caution when it comes to free agency. God forbid we pay slightly above market value for a pitcher that doesn’t live up to expectations. That could hamstring our organization for a few years.

I guess the idea is that if we get lucky and hit, great. But God help us if we miss, because as a small market club, we won’t be able to absorb that hit very easily. I think, like O’Dowd, our biggest source of improvement is going to half to come from within. Now depending on the day and how much purple kool-aid I’ve drank, that’s either comforting or extremely depressing.

You know you want to check out Matt's Korea blog: http://koreamatt.wordpress.com

by MattTheRock on Sep 9, 2008 11:41 AM MDT up reply actions

this franchise wont spree for a free agent.

i dont care how much money they have. keep drinking the kool aid though. just crappy people that suck who have we signed in the last 4 years worth mentioning, besides fogg? and that was heavlily debated at the time he signed

by Hawkinshero on Sep 9, 2008 4:28 PM MDT up reply actions

A straight face? He didn’t say they had a long record of winning, he said they have a vision to win by developing from within. Far be it from me to speak for O’ Dowd, but that’s pretty obviously true, isn’t it?

by FI2 on Sep 9, 2008 12:21 PM MDT reply actions

Star Free Agent Pitchers

I disagree with O’Dowd that big star free agent pitchers can’t perform up here. I say if we want to sign a good free agent pitcher we sign him for 2 years nothing more . I’m sure Webb, Haren, and a billion others could succeed up here. We just had 2 very bad experience with Hampton and Neagle.

Would anybody want to resign Hampton? Now that’s some mighty strong kool aid but he would be cheap.

by lizardlad01 on Sep 9, 2008 4:48 PM MDT reply actions

Actually....

Yeah, I’d be willing to sign Hampton if the deal was right. ie: cheap and short. It’s one of those cinderella stories that would be just preposterous enough to work.

by IowaRockie on Sep 9, 2008 6:10 PM MDT up reply actions

On big star free agent pitchers...

They’re not going to sign two year deals. They’re just not. If you’re a big star (talking at least Lowe/Penny/Haren/etc.), you won’t sign a two year deal because multiple teams will offer you three and four year deals. Put yourself in their shoes, why would you possibly sign a two year deal when you know several clubs are offering you twice that long. We’re not talking Josh Fogg-type miscalcuations, because we’re not talking about Josh Fogg-type pitchers.

You can get the reclamation project on a 1-year (see Prior), but you can’t even get them for two, because they’re only signing with you to re-establish their value as a premier pitcher.

Generally speaking, the pitchers you’re going to be able to get on two year deals aren’t pitchers you’re going to want leading your rotation, and are at best a serviceable #4 of #5 starter.

If the humidor had been in place in 2001-2002, Hampton would very likely not have failed. That’s the one thing that could make re-signing him a halfway reasonable proposition. But it’s not going to happen. He’ll stick with the Braves before he comes back here, and there’s actually a chance they sign him.

Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave

by Mondogarage on Sep 10, 2008 7:51 AM MDT up reply actions