Rockies Blog Review: Previews, Perusals and Perturbances

by Rox Girl on Feb 14, 2009 2:11 PM MST in Rockies Blog Review

First up for this week's RBR is the excellent work Tom and Drew have been doing at Up in the Rockies previewing the team by position:

Starting Pitching

Relief Pitching

Infielders

Also this week, Purple Rox Squad compiled some of the pre-season projections and came to the conclusion that it all adds up to an 81-81 team for the Rockies. Obviously as Rockies fans, we're hoping that the more favorable projections (CHONE or THT, for instance) come to pass and that the more pessimistic projections (PECOTA) don't. One other thing we should be hoping for is that like our team in 2007 or the Dodgers last season, that the second half squad is improved on the first half squad. Rosters are liquid, and while it looks like things might flow our way again in 2009, it will be important to watch situations that could affect that outcome such as injuries or development (or lack thereof) of prospects.

Travis at the Rockies Examiner wrapped up his NL West previews and came to the conclusion that the Rockies are in decent shape heading into the season. He also continued a series of best of's around Coors Field with a "Best Places to Park" post.

Two opposing views on Todd Helton and steroids emerged at Bleacher Report this week in light of the Alex Rodriguez scandal. Sandlotkid8 says that Helton and other players' innocence should be rewarded, while Tyler Thompson presents the circumstantial evidence that Helton's innocence isn't so clear cut. I'm at odds with both writers on philosophical grounds. I think honesty rewards only foster hypocrisy. Here's the paradox: people will either be honest and good or they'll be frauds and cheats, but the more incentive there is to be the former, the more likely that people will become the latter. As for Thompson's piece, I believe a society that presumes guilt and carries mistrust will have a hard time moving forward from the past. Unless and until there are smoking guns on players, I'd rather not pass judgment or even speculate on their PED status unless I'm called onto a jury for that purpose. It's just not important to me. I think if they're caught, they will typically get the consequences coming to them in typical Day of the Locust fashion as the media frenzy around A-rod this week has indicated. There's hardly any reason for me to pile on.

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Agreed on steroids

The hypocrisy involved in the steroids witch-hunt annoys me to no end.

McCarthyism was a mistake when the fate of nations was on the line – when the stakes amount to the stats on the back of baseball cards the behavior is even less justifiable.

by MADness on Feb 14, 2009 5:39 PM MST reply actions

At the risk of contributing to another "PinchHitterLancePainter lenght thread" :)

I’m to the point that I would like to see MLB and the Players Associations agree to just declare that as of a certain date, everything concerning steroids in the past is just that. Let bygones be bygones. And then have total random drug tests and after that certain date, anyone who ever fails a drug test is done. We’ve got to get past this thing somehow. Treat it like the amnesty program for those who left the country rather than be drafted.

As to the HOF issue, the BBWA members will have to deal with that issue. I don’t have a vote so my vote doesn’t count.

by pedalpusher on Feb 14, 2009 6:04 PM MST reply actions

+1

It’s a nasty blot on MLB for sure, but for heaven’s sake, what’s done is done. The amnesty analogy is an excellent one for me. A perpetual witch hunt can only damage the game more. I realize that some crooks will get a “get out of jail free” card, but so be it. There’s a time to move on, and I believe it’s here.

I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better. -Georg C. Lichtenberg:

by rockhead on Feb 14, 2009 8:06 PM MST up reply actions

Yep

Shame on SI and the rest of the media outlets for not letting it go. MLB has no one to blame but themselves for everything that went on during that period, since prior to 2004 or so, MLB’s steroid policy was a complete joke. Can anyone really blame players for using steroids during that period?

On the other hand, I’d really like to see someone look into how football players are not only bigger but also faster than football players were 40 years ago. But nobody really cares if football players are on steroids, apparently.

by Tom (RFTN) on Feb 14, 2009 8:34 PM MST up reply actions

Shame on SI and the rest of the media outlets for not letting it go.

$$ will rule in any era

"Winning doesn't really matter as long as you win." - Vinny Jones

by Andrew T. Fisher on Feb 14, 2009 11:25 PM MST up reply actions

MLB has no one to blame but themselves for everything that went on during that period, since prior to 2004 or so, MLB’s steroid policy was a complete joke. Can anyone really blame players for using steroids during that period?

If the penalty for murder were suddenly reduced to 0 years in jail, could you still “really blame” murderers for murdering?

By the way, the AZSnakepit does not take responsibility for, nor condone, any alcohol-related accidents or injuries incurred, directly or indirectly, as a result of reading this website.

by DbacksSkins on Feb 16, 2009 9:42 AM MST up reply actions

That's where I'm at, too.

That’s partly why I think the other 103 names should just come out. I don’t necessarily care at this point who’s on that list, but otherwise we’re going to get leaks name by name until the end of time. Just get them all out there now and be done with it. Better to all come out in a big chunk.

But I do think the drug testing program needs some changes, or we’re going to keep ending up in a similar spots. I rarely agree with Steve Phillips about anything, but I heard him on ESPNRadio the other day, and he said that if he were Bud Selig, he would go to the highest mountain and start shouting “Blood testing! Blood testing! Blood testing!” until the MLBPA agrees, or if they don’t, at least the issue is completely at their feet. I could not agree more.

by holly96 on Feb 15, 2009 2:19 AM MST up reply actions

The factor not considered here though....

…is the US Attorney’s office. Sure, the MLB and MLBPA could just say “bygones are bygones”, but the people who supplied the steroids broke several federal laws, and just because the baseball folks want to just put it in the past doesn’t mean the US government is going to be interested in simply not prosecuting drug criminals. As such, it can never be as simple as just letting bygones be bygones, so to speak.

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

by Mondogarage on Feb 15, 2009 12:54 PM MST up reply actions

Sadly,

you are totally correct. Laws were broken, and because of that, I fear we’ll never hear the end of it.

[Heavy sigh.]

I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better. -Georg C. Lichtenberg:

by rockhead on Feb 15, 2009 4:57 PM MST up reply actions

I agree with rockhead

[Heavy sigh.]

"It's funny, Todd would be the guy jumpin' around and Tulo would be the guy tryin' to calm everybody down." -Jeff Francis

I'm on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rocktober2007
Blogspot: http://rockstar-tulo.blogspot.com
MLBlogs: http://rocktober-2007.mlblogs.com

Maintainer of the Colorado Rockies Fans LJ Community: http://corockiesfans.livejournal.com

by Rocktober 2007 on Feb 15, 2009 10:03 PM MST up reply actions

I'm curious --

[…]doesn’t mean the US government is going to be interested in simply not prosecuting drug criminals.

What’s the federal statute of limitations for drug crimes?

By the way, the AZSnakepit does not take responsibility for, nor condone, any alcohol-related accidents or injuries incurred, directly or indirectly, as a result of reading this website.

by DbacksSkins on Feb 16, 2009 9:44 AM MST up reply actions