Tuesday Rockpile: Rockies lose Opener - fate points to World Series appearance
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 7:00 AM MDT
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PrintFuel for your purple-tinted shades
Aaron Cook was very ineffective while being saddled with the loss on Opening Day, even though the offense roughed up Brandon Webb in a surprising slugfest. Wait, doesn't that sound familiar? As a few Rowbots and Tracy Ringolsby have pointed out, the last time that happened, the Rockies found themselves in the World Series six months later.
Hey...optimism is still allowed.
Ringolsby believes he sees the return of that unselfish team mentality that Rocktober squad had eminating out of every pore. He points at the even-keeled anti-Cutler reactions to the Barmes/Stewart swap in the starting lineup as an example.
Maybe it's the team mentality. Maybe the fact that every Rockie hitter Monday is home-grown. Maybe Dan O'Dowd has just assembled some serious talent. Or maybe it was Brandon Webb's sore shoulder. Whatever made the Rockies bats click Monday, please wash, rinse, repeat. The same for Cook, except the last step.
Roster housekeeping
Troy Renck reports that Jason Hammel and Matt Belisle will join the club Friday for the Home Opener.
"We thought (Hammel) made progress last year out of the bullpen. We like his versatility," Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said. "We think he's at a good age (26) to turn the corner."-Renck
To make room, Franklin Morales will be sent to AAA after his Wednesday start, and Juan Morillo will likely be traded. Likely destinations are Florida, San Diego (ugh), or Texas.
Jack Etkin reports on the finalization of minor league rosters. A pitching enthusiast can't go wrong in Tulsa: their rotation will include Jhoulys Chacin, Chaz Roe, Samuel Deduno, Esmil Rogers and Keith Weiser. Brandon Hynick has been assigned to Colorado Springs.
Weak out West
Marc Hulet from FanGraphs compiled a list of MLB's ten worst farm systems, as assigned by Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America and FanGraphs themselves. The Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks made the "Bottom 10" list for all three. Still, Erik at Beyond the Boxscore rates the Rockies below Arizona.
Familiar Faces
Since Brian Fuentes and Matt Holliday both moved to the AL West, it was only a matter of time until the former teammates squared off. But who would have expected Big Daddy to be Tito's second batter? Holliday popped out to right in the top of the ninth as Fuentes completed a perfect save. Matt had a fairly unassuming debut but did record 1/3 of Oakland's hits and had a nice sliding catch. I also didn't see him smile once wearing green, so maybe he misses Colorado and will re-sign in the offseason. Hey...optimism is still allowed.
Quotables
From Herm Edwards Aaron Cook:
"The idea was to try and win the game.’’-Ringolsby
Okay, that's unfair.
"It was a really bad performance," said Cook, who traced his problems to losing the balance point in his delivery. "We are all in this together, and nobody points fingers. But I definitely blame myself."-Renck
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Hammel
Maybe Jason Hammel can convince his brother Cole to come to the Rockies :)
Stupid MLB.com. Do they have problems with the audio feeds on opening day every year? Seriously, rent some extra server capacity on opening day.
He points at the even-keeled anti-Cutler reactions to the Barmes/Stewart swap in the starting lineup as an example.
Um…. I think Ringolsby is stretching a bit. I’m not sure how replacing a 2B with a career OPS+ of 75 (Barmes) with one with a career OPS+ of 97 is at all comparable to a team attempting to clandestinely trade their starting QB after the best year of his career, and a Pro Bowl year.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
he was talking about
the reaction AFTER…even though you are right…it’s not the same cause.
"Suck it monkeys, the Rockies will win this year", Rox Girl 1-11-2009
I know he was.
But it’s a very strained comparison — while I think Cutler was a big baby for his reaction, he had a lot more reason to be upset than Barmes did. Cutler’s a good QB. Barmes…. kinda sucks.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
Barmes is a fine
Utility player. The kinda guy that doesn’t excite, but isn’t a black hole of fail, when he has to start to give guys a rest, or feel in for a boo-boo
As a starter…yeah, not so much.
"Suck it monkeys, the Rockies will win this year", Rox Girl 1-11-2009
Are you making excuses for Cutler? :)
Ringolsby didn’t mention Cutler – I did. Not saying the situations are at all equivalent, just that regardless of circumstances, one player put himself first, and others put the team first. Though that’s not the crux of the piece.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 9:16 AM MDT up reply actions
Ahhhh.... I figured it was a comparison he made, and was kinda surprised.
In that case, you’re a fool. ;-)
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
Hurdle > McDaniels (aka Patriot boy)
Even with some of his bonehead mistakes, I respect Hurdle a lot more than Patriot Boy at this point.
It's opening day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Morrillo for Belisle?
I didn’t see that one coming.
What happens when Morales is going to pitch next? As I see the pitching staff…it’s full…of guys that have no options. Does Morales stay in the Springs and Hammels starts? I like me our little Latin Nuke Laloosh…for the entertainmenting guaranteed melt down that will come.
"Suck it monkeys, the Rockies will win this year", Rox Girl 1-11-2009
Especially considering Hammel will be the long RHer in the pen already
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 9:25 AM MDT up reply actions
What was weird
Is that Cook was making most of his pitches…the ones they drilled were like down and away.
As DbacksSkins told me, “Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the hitter”
Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/rockiesmagicnum - But be warned I only actually "tweet" every....well, not often.
Sometimes you do tip your hat to the hitter
but I don’t think yesterday was the case for the most part. The ball Lopez hit out was up too much, the pitch was away, but it was not down enough from what I saw. I just saw a lot of sinkers w/ not a lot of sink, so they were up too much. I also think the pitch Grilli through Tracy was exactly where a lefty likes the ball, down and in. If you are going down and in it has to be almost in the dirt.
It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.
Tracy referred to the pitch from Grilli
as being “in a lefty’s happy zone”.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
I just listened to the game
but I wonder how the strike zone affected both starters – it sounded like (from the KOA guys) that they were not getting some of the calls they would have liked. I assume that a pitcher has to make adjustments based on the ump, and that could have led to both of them getting shelled.
Or maybe they were both just off their games – I dunno.
"Better move your rental cars, I am about to take BP."
-Glendon Rusch
I think both
The shifty zone isn’t enough to explain away 17 runs and eight home runs, even if it was a factor
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 9:26 AM MDT up reply actions
Agreed.
But it definitely seemed like both starters were extremely frustrated by the amorphous, postage stamp-sized K zone. The Arizona radio guys were saying the same thing.
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Colorado radio guys too.
Definitely seemed like a glaringly obvious problem to everyone. Though yes, that doesn’t completely explain all the runs.
Plus
Cook said he lost his balance point in his delivery and Webb said he was dealing with a sore shoulder.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 9:27 AM MDT up reply actions
I would rather have a poor balance point..
Than a sore shoulder. Those lead to long-term problems.
It's opening day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"All this means is we won't be 162-0 this year"--Tommy Lasorda
Listen, this signature line is a big part of who I am.
by frightened inmate #2 on Apr 7, 2009 9:18 AM MDT up reply actions
Hungry for a win..
When we win, I’m so happy I eat a lot. When we lose, I’m so depressed, I eat a lot. When we’re rained out, I’m so disappointed I eat a lot.
~ Tommy Lasorda
It's opening day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
off days
The scheduled days off are even worse. At least it’s not like football, where there aren’t ANY games most days of the week. I need my daily fix.
this may be a repost
…they have no room in their self-imposed budget. In fact, owner Dick Monfort told me during spring training that he doesn’t plan on adding anyone during the season, either.
Well, win it with what you’ve already got, boys
Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/rockiesmagicnum - But be warned I only actually "tweet" every....well, not often.
Damn
Guess we’re not getting Pedro, Ben Sheets, Ray Durham, or Oil Can Boyd then.
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.
Cy Young's dilapidated corpse
is still a free agent, however.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
I know that particular snippet was about Pedro
but I hear rollie fingers is making a comeback
Seriously though, this also bars us from getting Roy Halladay – and not specifically him, because it’s not as if we were actually gonna land him, but say the ’Stros go belly-up and Roy Oswalt becomes available. Or Gil Meche. Or just insert a pitcher who could seriously help this club who might just need an expenditure and some bravery to acquire.
Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/rockiesmagicnum - But be warned I only actually "tweet" every....well, not often.
by Andrew Martin on Apr 7, 2009 10:37 AM MDT up reply actions
I don't know that that's entirely true
I think that comment’s mostly in reference to the crop of capable free agents that are still without a home at this point. I think should a trade opportunity arise – well, say what you will about the intelligence of our esteemed ownership, but I don’t think this statement necessarily disqualifies a deadline deal for the sake of helping the ballclub.
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 never called them stupid
I just said I’m concerned about them taking on additional salary if the opportunity arises.
Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/rockiesmagicnum - But be warned I only actually "tweet" every....well, not often.
by Andrew Martin on Apr 7, 2009 10:55 AM MDT up reply actions
Well, as you pointed out last night,
your payroll’s still higher than ours.
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Well, if we're in the thick of it come late July
you would hope that attendance had increased enough to make some dollars available to make a deal. If we’re in it then, attendance is up noticeably and no deal is made, the peasants will be storming the castle gates.
Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?
Author: Jim Bouton
I'm optimistic
Last year we won our opener but looked like holy hell doing so – couldn’t cash in offensively and if not for that error by Glaus we’d have been beaten. Yesterday I liked how balanced our lineup looked. And Cook’s not going to pitch like that very often, I’m certain.
Let’s get them today.
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'm in this camp...
In addition to Glaus’ error, mother nature also greatly aided the win with the rained outFrancis shelling foretelling the trouble that would beset him for the first half and eventually shelve him for this year. This season, it’s the D-backs starter saying “don’t worry about my shoulder” after getting toasted and our bats looking like they have a chip on their shoulder, something they have to prove this season. I saw desire there, yesterday, and that was very encouraging.
I was certainly impressed
with the offense and I remain confident in Cook, so not nearly as depressing as it could have been. I enjoyed CDI and Smith sending balls about 30 rows back, that’s always gratifying. Now just keep them from doing the same, and we’ll be in business.
This season, it’s the D-backs starter saying "don’t worry about my shoulder" after getting toasted and our bats looking like they have a chip on their shoulder, something they have to prove this season.
I think it’s a bit of a stretch to compare Jeff Francis with Brandon Webb….
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
I think flying all the model airplanes with Qualls in the offseason has fried his rotator cuff.
"Better move your rental cars, I am about to take BP."
-Glendon Rusch
It would not be the strangest off-the-field injury
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions
iirc, Larry Walker got hurt fishing
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 12:06 PM MDT up reply actions
On top of my list
is the time Sammy Sosa sneezed, and threw his back out, and went on the DL
"Suck it monkeys, the Rockies will win this year", Rox Girl 1-11-2009
My favorite strange injury
is the guy who was dreaming about spiders and crashed through a glass coffee table, or something like that. Can’t remember who that was.
That'd be Rockies first base coach
Glenallen Hill, I believe.
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.
They're called "cokebugs",
and you get them from doing cocaine. ;-)
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
We'll see...
Complaining of shoulder “tightness” this late in Spring, particularly one as long and drawn out as this Spring was is a huge flashing warning light.
Quite possibly.
Webb has thrown 200+ innings every season since 2004, and 220+ every year since 2005.
The difference is, what happened to Francis’ shoulder was pretty much the absolute worst case scenario. Odds are, it’s highly unlikely that Webb suffers an injury that severe.
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Keep in mind, I have a rooting interest in Webb this year, outside his Rockies games, that is...
He was supposed to be my #1 pitcher on my fantasy team.
Erik Bedard’s another example from last season, so is John Smoltz. When a pitcher complains of shoulder tightness from the middle of March on, be very, very wary.
Agree
The thing that impressed me the most yesterday was the patience our guys showed at the plate. Roxintober pointed this out the game thread, and I was thinking it at the time. That virtue is one we sorely lacked in ‘08. Given the strength of this lineup, if the Rox can maintain that patience over the season, I think we’re in for a great year.
The great thing about baseball is that there's a crisis every day. ~Gabe Paul
Nine hours until game time
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 10:34 AM MDT reply actions
Baseball Writers on the Row?
Question for the Rowbot regulars: Do you know if any of the Denver writers have viewed or commented on the Purple Row? Are there any interviews in the archives or any statements that have specifically addressed the Row? Every so often baseball writers will make some ancillary remark regarding blogs and bloggers (usually making a vague generic referance about grumblings from baseball enthusiasts) – I’m just wondering if Renck, Kreiger, or The Cowboy have ever visited.
I know Renck visits
I don’t know if he posts, but PF and I (and probably someone else) took over a Renck/Saunders chat and used it as our own personal Q&A, and Renck said that he was very familiar with PR and read our stuff.
Russ or RG would know more about this
Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/rockiesmagicnum - But be warned I only actually "tweet" every....well, not often.
by Andrew Martin on Apr 7, 2009 10:40 AM MDT up reply actions
I've spoken to Krieger and Renck in cyberspace
Both were very complimentary.
Krieger: You all do a great job on Purple Row. Now you’ve just got to get me an email feed so I don’t forget to check it
Renck: “For what it’s worth, I recognize your post from Purple Row (speaking to RMN). It’s a terrific site. I learn a lot about my faults on that site”
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 10:43 AM MDT up reply actions
A Troy Renck column..
Is how I found out about PurpleRow. Thanks Troy!!
It's opening day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really?
A Renck referral…that’s the opposite of Murray Chass.
I was referred here to David’s breakdown of the Holliday trade.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 11:13 AM MDT up reply actions
It was two years ago..
And it took me three months to figure out how the jump threads worked. I kept wondering why Russ’ posts would just end midparagraph. Then I realized if I logged in then I could post stuff too. The Row has been going downhill ever since. Fortunately for the Row some talent has shown up this year to offset my writing.
It's opening day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ringolsby wrote me an e-mail Sunday which I have yet to reply to
I didn’t realize we missed linking his preview pieces at Inside the Rockies on Saturday and he was a bit upset by that, but he definitely reads us, both Post beat reporters do occasionally, Harding sometimes does, I think Krieger does at times too given the nature of his columns, and a couple of Rockies broadcasters are regular readers as well. The front office reads us too, I don’t if any players or coaches do.
Wow
I hadn’t realized that either. He had some good previews, as always. Who in the front office reads?
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 10:49 AM MDT up reply actions
He posted on the site, too.
"If we never try, we shall never succeed." - Abraham Lincoln
Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!
I keep promises, but
I don’t know about Rox Girl.
"If we never try, we shall never succeed." - Abraham Lincoln
Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!
Jay Alves is very aware of us
Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/rockiesmagicnum - But be warned I only actually "tweet" every....well, not often.
by Andrew Martin on Apr 7, 2009 10:56 AM MDT up reply actions
Keith Law has at least read my PR Academy column...
because he e-mailed me about it when I referenced his work. I’m not sure about other PR articles.
Eschew Obfuscation!
Really like Keith Law's Stuff...
….that guy is a freak when it comes to stats and baseball knowledge.
by TulsaDriller on Apr 7, 2009 10:56 AM MDT up reply actions
minor league rosters
The link for info on minor league rosters wasn’t accurate, I don’t think. Any word on those clubs?
I fixed the link, it was originally to another story
And PF accidentally attributed it to Ringolsby instead of Etkin, try it again.
I had noticed that
My apologies and thanks. Final exam frying my brain I guess
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 10:45 AM MDT up reply actions
Here's another ESPN Insider article...
which talks about how Jimenez gives righties trouble—especially the righties of Arizona.
Eschew Obfuscation!
He's a one-hit wonder...
That won’t happen again.
::crosses fingers, and spins in a circle three times::
It's opening day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it's a good thing the Dbacks don't have any switch hitters, either.
wait, crap.
Listen, this signature line is a big part of who I am.
by frightened inmate #2 on Apr 7, 2009 11:48 AM MDT up reply actions
S'okay.
I don’t think we can rely on Tony Clark and Felipe Lopez to provide 4 HRs combined each game for the rest of the season.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
What about 4 HR the rest of the year?
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 12:05 PM MDT up reply actions
Each, or combined?
Honestly, that level of production wouldn’t shock me.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
Who knows
Maybe you’re getting Felipe Lopez circa 2008 St. Louis Cardinals rather than Felipe Lopez circa 2008 Washington Nationals…
"Better move your rental cars, I am about to take BP."
-Glendon Rusch
NL West note--
The Giants opener could very well get rained out today. It was raining steadily when I come in about an hour ago, and there are possible thunder storms (very unusual around here) predicted for around game time.
At the very least it will be cold and wet with possible delays.
Cookie Monster
Cook’s outing should have been a little better than it was. I thought he had a guy picked-off of first, though the umpire disgreed. That “should have been out” baserunner eventually scored. Later on, he had another guy picked-off second and Tulo couldn’t hold on to the throw. That baserunner would also eventually come around to score. Not blaming the ump. Certainly not blaming Tulo. Just saying if we catch a small break here or there we might be sitting at 1-0 right now.
by RockiescastScott on Apr 7, 2009 12:13 PM MDT reply actions
That's baseball.
When I watched the replay of the game, it looked like CoJack was out to me, too — but if the ump was saying that Helton missed the tag, there wasn’t really a definitive angle to show that either way.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
Agreed
I thought he was out, but can’t say I’m 100% sure. Otherwise that would have been a much angrier post. Besides hurting the Rox, Cook’s numbers didn’t help my fantasy team much either (but Iannetta and Tulo did!)
by RockiescastScott on Apr 7, 2009 12:28 PM MDT up reply actions
Stewart's RBI
and Spilborghs’ run helped my team, as did Byrnes’ lucky RBI.
Insert witty and/or humorous signature here.
Game 2
Can it hurry up and get here already?
Some hope?
by rockiesfan4ever on Apr 7, 2009 12:32 PM MDT reply actions
I wish.
Cause it’s not like I have anything else to do (Dress rehersal at 5:30 for play, math homework to do, finals to study for, lab report to write, Spanish homework, a room to clean, a blog I’ve been negelecting for way too long, eating, sleeping)
Geez, I forgot how much stuff I put off when it’s baseball season!
Yea
I had nothing to do today so it’s annoying
Some hope?
by rockiesfan4ever on Apr 7, 2009 4:04 PM MDT up reply actions
You too have too similar of handles
I get confused
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 7, 2009 7:32 PM MDT up reply actions
Why can't it be a day game?
I’m going to miss at least the first 5-6 innings for my band’s rehearsal tonight…if I hear KOA mention Jimenez still pitching, I’ll have a good feeling about it…
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
WHo's on 2nd?
It’ll be curious to see if Stewart or Barmie gets the nod since the stats favor neither: Barmes is 1 for 12 with 4 Ks against Haren and Stewart a similar 1 for 9 with 3 Ks.
That is what I want to know
I have Stewie on one of my fantasy team benches. I’m considering giving him the start.
I would prefer to see
CDI bat ahead of Tulo – but it probably doesn’t really matter.
"Better move your rental cars, I am about to take BP."
-Glendon Rusch
If Barmes is at 2nd, I think this is the better lineup for 6-7-8.
It allows somebody that hits well behind Tulo.
Dex knows.....
by The Lodo Magic Man on Apr 7, 2009 6:40 PM MDT up reply actions
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