Saturday Rockpile: More roster moves to come; Offseason departures affecting Atkins

by theoldgrizzlybear on May 16, 2009 9:05 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 39 comments

Clint's going to have even more on his plate (or not, if you know what I mean) if the Rockies don't have success on this road trip.

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As many of us already suspected, Glendon Rusch is likely only the first in a series of roster moves to be made by the Rockies' brass, according to Troy E. Renck. In addition to mentioning Joel Peralta as a candidate to be called up to the big club (who would he replace?), he says that Carlos Gonzalez or Daniel Ortmeier could prove to be capable bench bats, and although the Rox are filled with outfielders, it wouldn't be out of the question for one of those two guys to take Omar Quintanilla's spot on the team. It should, hopefully, be a hectic next couple of weeks if the club isn't able to improve on their 14-20 record; their performance in two winnable road series will be a key factor in whether or not more shakeups go down.

Patrick Saunders speculates that there could be more to Garrett Atkins' struggles than what's on the surface. Saunders suggests that Atkins misses Matt Holliday; not just his bat, but as "a friend, mentor, and confidant." He also thinks that Mike Gallego's departure has negatively affected Atkins due to the solid working relationship they had. Unfortunately for Atkins, the two can't be brought back at this point. This might sound harsh, but he needs to suck it up and stop sulking. If he's truly upset over their exits, than he should take it out on opposing pitchers, in the cage, while taking ground balls, etc. Obviously, this is probably easier said than done and I'm just an insensitive fan who doesn't "get it," anyway. The bit by Saunders is a good read - it also discusses the team's faith in Dexter Fowler and what 2,000 hits means to Todd Helton.

Speaking of Todd and 2,000 hits, he sits at 1,998 right now. I think he'll get two hits tonight to reach the milestone, so if you can't watch the game (or even if you can), be a part of the excitement on the Row this evening. Oh and by the way, I'm watching SportsCenter right now, and Ryan Spilborghs' brilliant homer-stealing catch was only #3 on Top Plays...I guess that's how karma works, because Spilly was robbed!

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by Russ Oates on May 16, 2009 9:29 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

i was just going to say that

i saw yesterday when i got home i was like whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

8 down....8 to go for a repeat Go Wings!!!

by TuLoRocks2008 on May 16, 2009 9:36 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Garrett Atkins' internal monolouge.

I swear, every time I see him ground out to third or flub a grounder, I’ll hear him saying this, for some reason in a voice that sounds like Morgan Freeman:

“Matt Holliday, who crawled through a river of **** and came out clean on the other side. Matt Holliday, headed for the Pacific. Those of us who knew him best talk about him often. I swear the stuff he pulled. Sometimes it makes me sad, though, Matt being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren’t meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright and when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice, but still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they’re gone. I guess I just miss my left fielder.”

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 May 16, 2009 9:35 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Great Movie!

by Redhawk on May 16, 2009 10:09 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love it.

"Don't tell me about the world. Not today. It's springtime and they're knocking baseball around fields where the grass is damp and green in the morning and the kids are trying to hit the curve ball." -Pete Hamill

by Bryce on May 16, 2009 10:34 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well played sir

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on May 16, 2009 11:43 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

You know...

I’ve been saying for a while (mostly joking) that this is all part of Atkins’ brilliant plan to get DFA’d so he can be reunited with Matt. Whoda thunk….

In the meantime, Garrett, as long as you’re here, we’d appreciate some hitting. Ya know. Don’t hurt yourself or anything.

I love Greg Reynolds and I may be slightly ashamed to admit it.

by Silverblood on May 16, 2009 9:58 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I think your Greg Reynold signature has changed...

Weren’t you fighting people over Greg before?

by Bryce on May 16, 2009 11:56 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've had this one since spring training.

I love Greg Reynolds and I may be slightly ashamed to admit it.

by Silverblood on May 16, 2009 11:57 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

f the club isn’t able to improve on their 14-20 record; their performance in two winnable road series will be a key factor in whether or not more shakeups go down.

This is a nice way of saying that there could be a salary blood bath coming on the horizon. I still think that can and will be avoided (cuase ya’ll know I’m a positive Polly). This team needs to give the fans hope and reason to buy tickets this summer. But it maybe come necessary to free up money for the draft. Back end of the bench and bullpen changes while interesting to us hard core fans, rarely dynamically change anything.

Oh, and I’d like to say Jorge De La Rosa, may be entering into Josh Johnson territory as most under-rated pitcher in the National League.

by Redhawk on May 16, 2009 10:09 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

If Jorge weren't 0-3

people would be noticing him right now. It amazes me how much people still rely on a pitcher’s won-loss record.

by Tom (RFTN) on May 16, 2009 2:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

How?

Does it save money to pay Rusch to sit at home and add another contract? Don’t most of these guys have split contracts, where they’re cheaper in the minors?

I’m not sure how they give fans hope and free up salary, since the contracts they’d be able to unload would typically belong to useful players. (This assumes that most fans don’t gain “hope” from financial moves that come at the expense of performance on the field.)

by FooMan on May 16, 2009 3:42 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Follow up clarification

1) I maybe wasn’t as clear as I’d wish I was (shocker huh?). The fans need hope, which means a run of wins, and holding on to some “names”. But if the Rockies Front Office don’t see wins, then they might have to have salary purge.
2) for your first question. Each contract is different. For those getting paid league minimum they usually have split contracts for the minors. Some of the Veterans that came in on minor league contracts as non-roster invitees do as well. I’d assume Mark Belisle does. But that’s not necessarily so. Yes, if Rusch maybe getting paid by the Rockies to not pitch. If Rusch CLEARS waivers, he becomes a Free Agent, and can sign any contract with any team. Usually another team would just pick up his contract, and would pay the league minimum salary, with the Rockies paying the rest. (in this case, that’s not much more)

But the REAL blood letting would be from trading those big names and big contracts, like Hawpe, Cook, Marquis and Atkins. Obviously this is easier said then done.

by Redhawk on May 16, 2009 5:06 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Would other walk of life could you use Atkins excuse?

Imagine your good buddy changed branches at your day job and you told your boss, gee, I really miss him, I don’t think I’m going to do near the amount of work without him. My productivity is going to go down by at least 75 percent boss. But please sir, still pay me my ridiculously generous salary. You would be canned in the blink of an eye. What a joke of an excuse. That suggests to me Atkins is somewhat mentally fragile.

by Business Socks on May 16, 2009 10:58 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Big +1

The great thing about baseball is that there's a crisis every day. ~Gabe Paul

by rockhead on May 16, 2009 11:06 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

In what other walk of life does someone make up crazy stuff like that about you?

Saunders isn’t quoting Atkins, he’s speculating. From his couch, suffering from a bug. It’s crazy talk.

by FooMan on May 16, 2009 3:10 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oops. Or, what pedalpusher said.

by FooMan on May 16, 2009 3:10 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey...

…maybe that’s also Holly’s excuse for what he’s doing in Oaktown. He misses Atty and gags.

And Brian Fuentes misses all of them!

Now it all makes sense.

by BroJB on May 16, 2009 11:35 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

This is Patrick Saunders' speculation

While it may well be true, it is speculation. The other side of it, as much as it pains me to say it, is Garrett may have just lost it.

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

by pedalpusher on May 16, 2009 11:36 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't know what Garrett's real problem is, but

Ryan was a lot closer to Holiday than Atkins. These guys stay in touch all the time. Texting is their lifeline to each other. Sanders needs another excuse for Atkins

by indianrox on May 16, 2009 1:35 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fickled

You’al are a pretty fickled bunch. Look back to last year when Garret was your darling, get a grip, he will come arround given the chance. The speculative writings of Patrick Saunders, is just that. Maybe he is acting out how he would react should he lose Renck. Get behind Garret, show some confidence, who knows maybe the Rockies read this stuff.

by roxtalk on May 16, 2009 12:12 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

A couple of things,

1. I think your memory’s hazy, Garrett wasn’t our darling at this point last season, in fact, I was pointing out how he wasn’t even respected by opposing pitchers and managers and wasn’t performing in the clutch.
2. Even if he had been our darling last season, the fact is that athletics are by their nature in a constant state of flux. A player who was good last season could be bad right now naturally. The key is to utilize the players properly for where the physical abilities are at. Right now, Atkins’ ability doesn’t seem to be at a contending starter caliber and he is sinking the team’s chances to contend quickly. I really don’t think he’s as bad as he’s playing, but he can’t be allowed to be the drag on the team he’s being right now if there’s a better option available, and Barmes starting at second, Stewart at third is probably that better option. You see Boston is willing to bench David Ortiz for a while, so he can work out his hitting issues, the Rockies need to do the same with Garrett.

by Rox Girl on May 16, 2009 1:11 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

The other thing...

If the Rockies do read this blog, and I suspect that a couple might, they have to come in with thick skins. We are fans and financial supporters of the team and we get frustrated with losing just like they do. The difference is that while they can look internally for how to fix things, we can’t. All fans can do is point fingers if stuff is going wrong or pick favorites if stuff is going right.

We’re not meant to be players’ support system, hopefully they have family and teammates and others for that. We’re consumers of the product and like any consumers, we want the product we’re buying to be satisfactory and we’ll complain loudly if it isn’t.

by Rox Girl on May 16, 2009 1:26 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

How many of us would survive if you all

had us looking at you while you worked everyday, exposing your every move. Sometimes we forget not to treat this like a video game.

by indianrox on May 16, 2009 1:41 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey....

Pay me $7 mil a year and you can come to my house and heckle me all day long. :)

by BroJB on May 16, 2009 1:47 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

How many of us have willfully chosen to enter fields of employment where scrutiny is a way of life?

There are other jobs where you and your skills are put under a microscope, the entertainment industry, obviously, but also musicians, some doctors, CEO’s, politicians, chefs, etc.., It’s part of the professional baseball player’s existence to constantly be judged by thousands of strangers, they should realize this going in if they are serious about making it a career.

by Rox Girl on May 16, 2009 1:48 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually my work and product is judged all the time

by Real Estate Agents, by buyers, but inspectors, by Engineers, Safety Consultants, project managers, by Appraisers, by code people, by lenders….seems to be a long list. Every job has to some extent someone else judging their performance.

And they seem to like to tell me when I screw up just fine and I don’t make $ 4 million a year.

Being a fan of sports is going mean being critical to some extent. To be arm chair coaches, or general managers, or just nags. We enjoy watching good athletic performances, and we don’t like seeing bad ones, so it kinda makes sense that we (fans of sports) would complain when we don’t get good ones to watch.

by Redhawk on May 16, 2009 1:59 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Uh... yeah

I’m about to be a lawyer. If I screw up in my future employment, I’m being sued for malpractice and/or sent to the Board of Professional Responsibility for discipline, possibly including disbarment (that is, being told you can never be a lawyer again.) Or I could just get fired. If you are disciplined by the Board, that’s in the public record, and anybody can look it up and see that you’ve been disciplined. It’s not the same thing as having your work scrutinized in a newspaper, sure, but I would say that most people face some level of scrutiny in their jobs.

by Tom (RFTN) on May 16, 2009 2:18 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I don't understand is Hurdle's

stubbornness to insist that Atkins hit cleanup. Move him or get him out of the lineup until his swing and timing look better

by indianrox on May 16, 2009 1:36 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

and this issue of having players forced into ill fitting roles is my big issue with Hurdle.

by Redhawk on May 16, 2009 2:02 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Our opening.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/05/mets-considering-trading-for-a-first-baseman.html#comments

Please Hurdle, jump on it. Atkins will be one step closer to being re-united with his bro, we get rid of his salary, we can start Stewie every day, we can call up someone, The Mets get someone to play 1B, and we can all stop the whining.

Trade Atkins and a million bucks for any pitching prospect with upside in their farm.

by mkorpal on May 16, 2009 1:58 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

If they would just TAKE

Aktins and pay his remainder of his salary of $4.6 million ($7 mill/6month minus 2 months) for 09 that would be a tremendous help to the Rockies. They could take some of that savings, and actually spend it on draft picks.

And this could actually be a match. The Mets don’t have much in their system to trade, for any player that has any value, like a Cantu or Huff. But they have cash to pay

by Redhawk on May 16, 2009 2:10 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs