No RISP-onse, Failure to push home baserunners once again wrecks Rockies
by Rox Girl on Apr 28, 2009 10:33 PM MDT
in Rockies Game Wraps
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PrintPainful as it is, consider the eight and ninth innings of tonight's 4-3 loss to the Padres.
Eighth Inning:
In the top of the eighth, with the Rockies ahead three to two. David Eckstein leads off with a double off of Alan Embree on the fourth straight fastball. Embree retires the next two batters Brian Giles and Adrian to get into a situation of runner on third, two outs, with Chase Headley at the plate. Two more fastballs later, Headley ropes a single, the score is tied and Embree is pulled for Huston Street who ends the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Ian Stewart walks and then advances to third with one out on an Omar Quintanilla single. After Yorvit Torrealba is hit by a pitch, Troy Tulowitzki comes up with the bases loaded and one out. On the second fastball he sees from Duaner Sanchez, he hits a weak grounder to short for a double play.
The optional conclusions that could be drawn from this?
- Chase Headley is a better hitter than Troy Tulowitzki.
- Duaner Sanchez is a better pitcher than Alan Embree
- The Rockies weren't as lucky as the Padres with BABIP.
Ninth inning:
In the top half, Nick Hundley triples off Manny Corpas with none out. One out later, Luis Rodriguez singles. Padres lead 4 to 3.
In the bottom half, Dexter Fowler K's, Ryan Spilborghs pops out. Todd Helton doubles off of Heath Bell with two out and Garret Atkins than grounds into a force out for the third out of the inning and final out of the ballgame.
Optional conclusions?
- Nick Hundley is a better lead off hitter than Dexter Fowler.
- Heath Bell is a beter closer than Manny Corpas.
- Luis Rodriguez is a better hitter and RBI man than Garrett Atkins
- The Padres are luckier than the Rockies with BABIP.
These choices actually don't have to be mutually exclusive, more than one conclusion could be right. The Rockies have now dropped to 0-5 in one run contests, 7-12 overall.
Tough luck for Jorge De La Rosa, who once again came up with an excellent start save the damage of one mistake pitch in the third inning.
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I took a little time to cool off.
Watched 24 off my DVR. Tried to relax and forget about this one and not overreact.
But I still have to say this: I am f%#ing done with Manny Corpas. Done. Jesus H. Christ, the skinny SOB can't help but give up a run every time we put his narrow ass on the mound. He has no clue how to miss a bat, he just throws everything right down the f*#ing middle and hopes he misses the barrel of the bat. I don’t know what happened to the guy who was a stone cold badass in 2007, but this guy ain’t that guy.
He sure can get those final outs after he’s already crapped the bed, though. If we could convince him he’s already given up a run on two hits before he takes the mound he’d be Mariano F$#@ing Rivera.
Street in the ninth. Grilli in the eighth. Corpas in the seventh, but NEVER in a one-run or tie ballgame.
Should have seen this coming since Manny is horse#@$& on MLB 09 The Show too and I blew a game in extra innings with him this afternoon. You suck, Manny Corpas.
Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.
The Shawn Chacon Experience - Life as a Rockies fan, one day at a time: Because we're all still recovering from those nine blown saves.
This post got screwed up and that's probably Corpas's fault too.
Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.
The Shawn Chacon Experience - Life as a Rockies fan, one day at a time: Because we're all still recovering from those nine blown saves.
by Franchise26 on Apr 28, 2009 10:46 PM MDT up reply actions
the only guy more disappointing than tulo
is Corpas. Damn I loved watching him pitch in ’07, he was too good to be true. And he was.
The bullpen is garbage. These guys really need to get it together. For what was supposed to be a strength, really a fantastic weakness.
I am pretty sure Tulo now qualifies
as an official “Flash in the pan”. He actually looks over matched at the plate and I am not sure Barmes isn’t just as good at shortstop even with an erratic arm.
by cocainelips99 on Apr 29, 2009 8:07 AM MDT up reply actions
Yep, that's a fair assumption to make a month in to a season.
Read the last post in this thread. I’m not bailing on Tulo yet. There’s a track record there.
Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.
The Shawn Chacon Experience - Life as a Rockies fan, one day at a time: Because we're all still recovering from those nine blown saves.
it seems
those 6 year deals we gave both of them have been curses…
4 down....12 to go for a repeat Go Wings!!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 29, 2009 9:04 AM MDT up reply actions
Corpas' contract was a 4 year deal
And he gets paid over the life of the contract about what Marquis earns this year alone
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 29, 2009 9:12 AM MDT up reply actions
yea i know they were cheap deals
but just making a point that it seems like every player we give a multiple year deal to starts to do awful and underachieve….Jimenez this year as well
4 down....12 to go for a repeat Go Wings!!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 29, 2009 9:15 AM MDT up reply actions
Maybe Matt Holliday would have too ;-)
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 29, 2009 9:17 AM MDT up reply actions
probably lol
4 down....12 to go for a repeat Go Wings!!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Apr 29, 2009 9:18 AM MDT up reply actions
I Think....
Matt Holliday is going just fine in the FAIL category this season without the Multi Year Contract. .243 with 5 extra base hits including no home runs and a under .300 OBP.
Now 0-7 in games decided by 2 runs or less
Surely that has to turn around….right?
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 28, 2009 11:30 PM MDT reply actions
Sure
It’ll happen if we overhaul the bullpen to the point where they can hold a one-run lead from time to time.
They
also need to get a competent manager. As much as I think 1run games are decided by luck, they can hinge on the decisions made by the manager. The way Hurdle used Manny on Monday and Tuesday is inexcusable.
"Better move your rental cars, I am about to take BP."
-Glendon Rusch
Wait, what?
If you’re arguing that Corpas shouldn’t have pitched Monday, I can get with that. But… um, if a guy is your closer, once the 9th inning ends there’s no chance of a save situation. In the sense of general baseball strategy, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with how Corpas was used last night, except for the fact that he couldn’t get a Bic lighter out right now.
Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.
The Shawn Chacon Experience - Life as a Rockies fan, one day at a time: Because we're all still recovering from those nine blown saves.
*...there's no chance of a save situation WHEN YOU ARE THE HOME TEAM...
Oops.
Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.
The Shawn Chacon Experience - Life as a Rockies fan, one day at a time: Because we're all still recovering from those nine blown saves.
I don't disagree
with bringing the guy in in the 9th in a tie game. I disagreed with him coming in last night after having thrown on both Sunday and Monday (and no exactly dominating).
"Better move your rental cars, I am about to take BP."
-Glendon Rusch
It's just wrong that Duaner Sanchez has as many wins
as Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge de la Rosa combined. After a whole month.
Which leads me to my next point – which starter in the current rotation has the best ERA? No, it’s not Jason Marquis…it’s de la Rosa at 3.57…and he has no wins. Poor guy
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 28, 2009 11:41 PM MDT reply actions
Some Random thoughts from being at the game
and in really good seats too.
1) Seth Smith’s bat speed is amazingly fast. Wow. He’s the best hitter on the Rockies
2) Who ever said Garret Atkins was in decline (I’m pretty sure RMN has been beating that drum) is more dead on then they could possibly know, Atkins bat speed was so slow it was scary bad. He may be out of baseball in 2 years, it was that slow. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a decline that fast. Rockies should trade him right now…..and hope they get $10 and case of Bud from the Cardinals.
3) I love Tornadoughs
4) Torrealba has no business being on a major league roster. Worst caught game I’ve ever seen. I could have stolen bases on him. AND he can’t hit
5) Coors Light girls get younger every year
6) Dexter Fowler is the 2nd best hitter on this team.
7) The Rockies 5 best hitters are all OF’ers, and one of them is in Col. Springs….this is not a good thing as there are only 3 OF positions.
8) I have issue with the the hype they give Tulowitzki when he comes up to bat. He has no idea where his feet are when he bats. His mechanics are all messed up. To the point that I don’t think can’t work them out in the bigs. Worse, I don’t think he thinks they are messed up.
9) Ian Stewart thinks pitch recognition is for nancy girl singles hitters…..guess fastball, swing like it’s a fastball…pray he makes contact.
10) Our bull pen is down right terrible. Corpas fastball highest was 91mph, lowest was 88. Had some good movement. but 89 is REAL hittable. Street is pressing, and he has weird whip to his arm when he throws…I beat he has arm/elbow problems in his career. Embree just sucks. Belisle has a very nice fastball with some zip to it….and no 2ndary pitch what so ever..
11) Young drunk girls are fun….old drunk men are obnoxious. That doesn’t seem fair.
12) JDLR has a wicked fastball and that’s good. BUT he changes arm speed on off speed pitches and it’s very noticeable. He also hates pitching from the stretch. The last 2 are bad.
13) $1 pints at Sing Sing on Tuesdays is a good thing
14) It’s going to be a really long year for the Rockies
15) Denver downtown at night is magical….greatest city I’ve been too, and I really feel sorry for anyone that doesn’t live here….but I hope they don’t all move here….7 billion people would be a little crowded
Atkins
I agree. I think a lot of us got fooled by Garrett because he had one really good season in 2006, and a pretty good one in 2007. But he’s also unmistakably declined since 2006.
2006: 79 BB/76 K, .227 ISO power
2007: 67 BB/96 K, .185 ISO power
2008: 40 BB/100 K, .166 ISO power
The power dropoff has been pretty dramatic. It’s also reflected in the dropoff in walks; pitchers aren’t really that afraid to pitch to Atkins any more. Compounding the problem is that Hurdle continues to bat him in the cleanup spot.
Besides Helton and Barmes
our entire infield could use the therapeutic aromas of riding some pine……can Murton play 3rd?
Seriously our infield is a mess, so is our bullpen
According to FanGraphs
Stewart has less value offensively to the team than Marquis AND Jimenez separately
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 29, 2009 9:29 AM MDT up reply actions
Great Post
I couldn’t agree with you more, I started noticing the bat speed going down for Atkins last season.
I don’t think however that Tulo’s problem is a mechanical issue, you have to remember that with that closed stance he looks different then a lot of the guys because it’s a different approach, I don’t think that another player uses a closed stance on the team. He’s in a slump and he’s a notorious slow starter, I seem to remember and correct me if I’m wrong a .191 batting average in May with Tulo even in ’07. This is the third year and that makes it officially a trend.
I think you can expect Tulo to start slow every year and heat it up as the season progresses, at least I hope so this season. I don’t know the approach they are using with Tulo but the patient stuff is not working with him. This season it seems you can pretty much count on Tulo taking that first pitch, generally he’s down 0-1 right from the get go, then it seems they are throwing something offspeed for a strike which as a hitter you try to make the pitcher get that over, it’s generallly not a good thing to offer at. So now we are at 0-2 before he’s even taken the bat off of his shoulder. On the reverse if the pitcher does not start Tulo out with a first pitch strike they seem to nibble to try and get him to chase, so it ends up being a strike out or a walk a good percentage of the time.
I think last season Tulo had a book that he was a first pitch fastball hitter, the pitchers exploited this the first half of the season, he took the patient approach the second half of last season. Now the book has changed, he’s taking the first pitch so the pitchers are exploiting that. I honestly think the quickest way to turn this around for him is not Work Days. It’s showing absolute confidence in him and cutting him loose. Yesterday we saw a guy trying too hard to “try easy”. Take the mechanical stuff out, clear the head and just let the natural ability take over. That would be the approach I would take but I’m not Don Baylor and he knows way more then I do.
07 was Tulo’s rookie year and he was really young. I tried out different batting stances for a long time. 08 he was ice cold got hurt, came back and was better. 09 again ice cold…
But I maintain, it’s his left placement that is the issue. ok…the easily fixable part of the issue, and the biggest part of the equation.
Quick Question
By left placement do you mean the finish or the start? The start seems slightly more open to me then in previous years, the finish looks about the same to me but I have to admit I haven’t made a point to look at that, next game I’ll be watching for that. I don’t see him pulling off the ball or lunging into it jamming himself. Which is the usual sympoms for left foot placement problems. His head is steady through the zone. I did notice the elbow is a little higher at the start then last season. He’s getting into the hitting position(We could have a debate on whether he’s getting there quick enough, which is also what you might have meant), the trigger is working fine. He’s pulling a lot of the Chris Iannetta special this season which is the foul the ball straight back, meaning he’s just missing by a quarter of an inch or so. I just think most of the problem is trying too hard and pitch selection which are two things that kind of go hand in hand but I’ll make sure to look at the left foot finish on TV tonight, thanks for the tip.
In his 2 at bats, there were 2 different left foot placements in his stance. The first one, (the single) had is left foot only sightly to 1st base ahead of his right foot. I noticed he took a long time getting into the box, like he was trying to repeat coaching. His 2nd AB, the music was playing and the fans were yelling, and he just stepped into the box. His left foot was way in front. He lunged at the pitch and took it off the handle. His hips, shoulders everything was closed and twisted up because of his feet placement. He didn’t step or move his feet much in either AB, leaving himself closed.
He is pressing, and having pitch selection issues too…., but I’d say they are only adding to his terrible at bats.
Terminally slow starters annoy me
That is all
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 29, 2009 9:16 AM MDT up reply actions
At least he gets it going eventually
I can live with slow starts as long as the rest of the team is playing good. This does not happen to be the case at the moment. I’m curious though if our slow starts are directly related to our home vs. road games in april most seasons. I bet this has been covered before but it seems to be logical to me.
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