Friday Rockpile: Mechanics change has Tulo on the road back to success, O'Dowd playing it cool, more

by Bryan Kilpatrick on Jul 24, 2009 8:56 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 25 comments

Troy E. Renck chimes in with a piece on Troy Tulowitzki, and how a slight change in mechanics has brought familiar success to the young shortstop. A toe tap that has helped Tulowitzki time the pitch better has increased his power. Since Jim Tracy took over as manager of the ball club, Tulo has hit 12 home runs - better than any other shortstop in baseball.

Dave Krieger's article about Dan O'Dowd "playing it right" discusses the GM's unwillingness to part with top prospects but at the same time, not being afraid to make moves to improve the big league club. The Rafael Betancourt deal is a good example of that; though O'Dowd feels that Connor Graham will someday be a good back-end reliever, he knew that he had to give something to get something, and getting Betancourt could go a long way toward shoring up the bullpen issues the Rox have had as of late. The article also mentions that the club has been impressed with the performance of Matthew Reynolds, who is currently pitching at Double-A Tulsa. He has made five solid appearances there since being promoted from Modesto, where he was dominant for the first half of the season.

Comments

The new ST complex looks amazing.

There’s the main stadium (which looks a ton nicer than HiCorbett), then there are two smaller stadiums for minor league games, two practice fields for each team, and a bunch of miniature infields to run drills.

The plans also indicate the are building more stuff and decorations around the area. I think it’ll end up being really pretty.

by WolfMarauder on Jul 24, 2009 9:10 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

ZiPS rest of season projections

Might as well include the ZiPS rest of season projections for all the OF’s (BA/OBP/SLG/wOBA) as context for Smith’s projection:

Smith .293 / .364 / .471 / .366
Spilly .284 / .358 / .455 / .356
Murton .283 / .343 / .433 / .340
CarGon .244 / .287 / .385 / .297
Fowler .270 / .351 / .393 / .340
Hawpe .292 / .380 / .522 / .388

(Perhaps the fangraphs author pulled Smith’s projection before the Wed game.)

Regular ZiPS (and other projections) include minor league data, but I’m not sure if the fangraphs version of the RoS projections does. I assume fangraphs is including it, but I can see how they’d skip it, as that would add a layer of complexity to include current season stats for both the minors and majors for players who’ve split time.

ZiPS also doesn’t really know about tools (though it does factor in youth and similar players to some degree), so consider CarGon’s projection accordingly. The argument with him has always been that if he figures out how to use his tools, he’ll be a good player, and that it seemed as if he made a leap at the Springs. The translation of his Colorado Springs #’s is pretty close to the lines for Smith and Spilly (albeit with a slightly higher slugging pct.)

Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!

by FooMan on Jul 24, 2009 9:18 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Cardinals look like they're trading for Holliday as soon as today.

by WolfMarauder on Jul 24, 2009 9:31 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Churchill seems to be echoing the groupthink on Matzek,

It doesn’t look like he has a particular in on the state of the negotiations. I’ve got to say that the quiet is still a very good sign. We knew from the moment he was drafted it would take until Aug. 17th if we were to sign him. We’ve seen other unsigned players and their agents, notably Strasburg with Boras, negotiate in the press about how far apart they are, there’s nothing like that here. I’m getting more optimistic about this, not less.

by Rox Girl on Jul 24, 2009 9:34 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

There was the article from KG the other day

about the total clusterf*ck in the first round and how the commish is sitting on over slot deals. I mean Leake and Minor have yet to sign, and they were supposed to be easy signs. So nothing on Matzek is par for the course and I agree with your bullishness.

by moomacher on Jul 24, 2009 9:36 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

cautious +1

I really think the Nats win win even if they don’t get strasburg. He’s an idiot, he’s gonna regress in JuCo, and lose a lot of money.

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: FREE SETH SMITH
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jul 24, 2009 11:17 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lefty Hand Relievers

Is it just me or do we seem to be short a reliable lefty or two in the pen? Frankie seems to be doing well in relief, but I would prefer to have an additional option down there in a high leverage situation.

Both Sherrill (BAL) and Rhodes (CIN) are available – should we have interest in adding another southpaw??

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Jul 24, 2009 11:35 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

DOD had this say in the Krieger column today

“We’d still like to add a left- hander if we can find one, an early one or a late one,” he said. “This is a market that doesn’t have a lot of guys like that.”

So I’d say the answer is yes.

Free Seth Smith, damnit!

by rockhead on Jul 24, 2009 11:43 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sherrill's "available"

The Orioles are asking for too much for him, unless they become motivated sellers, we should probably cross him off the list.

by Rox Girl on Jul 24, 2009 11:51 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

BTW... just to be specific,

From the Baltimore Sun:

Dealing the left-hander is the surest way for the Orioles to acquire the young corner infielder they covet

In terms of the Rockies, this isn’t referring to Garrett Atkins, I can assure you.

by Rox Girl on Jul 24, 2009 11:58 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who would fit that description

in our system? I assume not Murton, as they probably want someone younger? I am not saying I want to trade Murton for Sherrill, just curious who they would want to match up for?

by realmenwearpurple on Jul 24, 2009 12:27 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would definitely be okay with a Murton for Sherrill deal,

but he does not classify as a young corner infielder. The Rockies don’t really have one that they would like other than Stewart, but there’s no way that anyone in their right mind could think that would happen.

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do." -Bob Dylan

by Bryan Kilpatrick on Jul 24, 2009 12:38 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Assuming they're truly looking for a corner IF...

… we don’t have a lot to offer. That area of our minor leagues is probably the most dry by far. Our 1B and 3B positions at AAA are made up of a combination of Dan Ortmeier, Christian Colonel, and Mike McCoy, all of whom are also different positions.

by WolfMarauder on Jul 24, 2009 12:39 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

The closest we have to corner IF talent are Holcomb and Kindel at AA.

by WolfMarauder on Jul 24, 2009 12:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

ummm yea

there’s no way they’d give up Sherrill for AAAA players like Murton. They would probably want Stewart and nothing less, there’s not really any other young corner infielder we could offer that would get the job done.

by Narcoleptico on Jul 24, 2009 12:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Murton is better than a AAAA player

but your point stands.

Stewart for Sherrill is absurd.

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: FREE SETH SMITH
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jul 24, 2009 1:38 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea, it is absurd

but as rox girl pointed out, they have no real reason to get rid of him so they might as well ask for the moon.

by Narcoleptico on Jul 24, 2009 1:49 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

If someone doesn't trade for Murton this offseason or in ST

I will really wonder what’s up. (Assuming the Rockies don’t make other deals and keep him around.) He seems like he could help someone as a 4th OF. Is he seen as a bad fielder or a LF only? He seemed reasonably athletic out there.

Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!

by FooMan on Jul 24, 2009 2:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would wager

that the Rockies are sitting on him while they try and juggle our current OF.

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: FREE SETH SMITH
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jul 24, 2009 2:44 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who they want?

Here’s a primer of what Orioles fans are thinking. Jhoulys Chacin.., Ian Stewart.., I don’t know if I really blame them for wanting that, we had the same kind of pie-in-the-sky hopes last season for a Fuentes deal. There’s no real need for the Orioles to move Sherrill as far as I can tell, they’d only do it if some team was willing to overpay in terms of talent for a stretch run.

by Rox Girl on Jul 24, 2009 12:47 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

duhhhh huh huh huuh buhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Oh please, here’s Christian Friedrich and Hector Gomez. May we acquire Melvin Mora?

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: FREE SETH SMITH
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jul 24, 2009 1:39 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK

So what about Rhodes???

Is anyone else concerned about using FrankieMo in high leverage situations?

TGFPR!!

by jlot10 on Jul 24, 2009 1:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes

very very much.

If we just want a LOOGY, get Grabow, or maybe Ron Mahay. And I swear on everything holy if Mahay were to be used against a single RHB I will kill Jim Tracy.

Also Joe Beimel. He could be a decent pickup if he came for very little talent.

Chris Iannetta status: DOOM
Seth Smith status: FREE SETH SMITH
Matt Murton status: Prisoner Exchanged for CarGon
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY

by Andrew Martin on Jul 24, 2009 1:44 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs