Saturday Rockpile: Dan O'Dowd is bearing golden arms for playoff hunt

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 8:48 AM MDT in Rockpile

In his morning column, Dave Krieger accurately picks out the key to the Rockies' wild card aspirations: the pitching staff. If only the starting pitching gives them a chance to win each night, which is not always an easy task, as Krieger notes: "they had reason to be encouraged that Jason Hammel, their fourth or fifth starter, depending on the state of Jorge De La Rosa at any given moment, kept it close."

If the pitching staff is the key, it's a good thing it has been pretty special this season. Bob Apodaca muses:

"I said from Day One this potentially could be the best starting rotation I've ever had in my seven years here," Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca said.

"I'm sticking by my comments. Potentially, and they're making me out to be a prophet, this is the best complete rotation that the Rockies have ever had."

I'm not sure where the overly worried vibe came from here last night, but last night was a game we were supposed to lose. We can say all we want about Iannetta, Stewart and/or Atkins finding their stroke and contributing, but for the Rockies to win the wild card, it starts and ends with the rotation giving the bats a chance to win every game, including matchups pitting the back end of our rotation against an All-Star. So consider last night as having a modicum of success. We'll face the Giants 12 more times. There are plenty of chances to push them down the standings, so the sky is not falling.

Speaking of Sky, over at his Beyond the Boxscore blog, Dan Turkenkopf has unveiled his freshest BtB Poor Man's Projected Season Standings. He projects the Rockies to finish as the wild card with a franchise record 91 wins. When I saw 91, I had to chuckle given Rox Girl's ascertation in last night's game thread.

Our new setup man

Betancourt Shipped Out for Graham | FanGraphs Baseball
Marc Hulet at Fangraphs evaluates the Rafael Betancourt/Connor Graham swap, and despite writing the entire article from the Indians' point of view, he agrees with most pundits that the trade was smart and fair on both sides.

Missing More than is Called | FanGraphs Baseball
Matthew Carruth made an interesting point last night. Only four relievers in MLB have induced more swings-and-misses than called strikes. Betancourt is one of them.

The Venezuelan is saying all the right things, as noted in Patrick Saunders' column this morning:

"I just want to come here and help the Rockies win games... I am really excited to be here."

In the Elias player rankings released this morning, Betancourt slides in comfortably to Type B status, just below the midpoint. The righty had a strong debut last night, throwing 6 pitches, 5 for strikes, and retiring all three batters he faced.

Jim Armstrong gives kudos to O'Dowd for the trade, I think.

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Comments

in the notes section of the Denver Post today

the Rockies now have 6 Venezuelan players on the team. Rincon, Chacin, Betancourt, Torrealba, Carlos Gonzales, and Franklin Morales. This seems like a lot of Venezuelans on one team. (also 4 of the 7 guys in the pen!)

(not a complaint..just pointing out what looks like an oddity)

Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!

by Redhawk on Jul 25, 2009 9:19 AM MDT reply actions

Well, we were the whitest team in the majors not too long ago

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 9:28 AM MDT up reply actions

wow

Race had absolutely nothing to do with my comment, or why I pointed it out. There aren’t that many Venezuelan players in the majors…and the Rockies have SIX of them. Just thought that was an interesting oddity…nothing more…and certainly nothing racial.

Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!

by Redhawk on Jul 25, 2009 9:33 AM MDT up reply actions

Don't get so worried...I wasnt't accusing you of being racist or racial

Noting players’ ethnicities or race is nothing more than noting players’ home states or colleges. Facts of their past and who they are. There were no stereotypes or judgments attached to statements by either of us. I agree it is an oddity.

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 9:52 AM MDT up reply actions

So when were we the whitest team?

by lizardlad01 on Jul 25, 2009 10:10 AM MDT up reply actions

Including PA's offensively only

just two months ago.

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 10:15 AM MDT up reply actions

That's a huge drop off

between 1st and 30…50% WOW

by lizardlad01 on Jul 25, 2009 10:32 AM MDT up reply actions

That's a lot for one team - but there are a lot of Venezuelans in the majors

On opening day, there apparently were 52 (2nd to the 88 Dominicans for most foreign-born). The Tigers have/had a lot, too. They had 4 players on the Venezuelan WBC team.

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

by FooMan on Jul 25, 2009 10:24 AM MDT up reply actions

ROTY 2010 Brandom Hynick

I’m just throwing that out there. I expect the lighting bolts to come soon from yonder commenters. Maybe Hynick will get called up for a start or two if we have a big lead in the wild card standings or if our pitching rotation just comes down with injuries. I hope the former over the later. In any case Hynick is looking good, yes?

by lizardlad01 on Jul 25, 2009 10:10 AM MDT reply actions

No doubt it was a fantastic start, one worth getting excited over,

I guess my only lightning bolt would be to keep in mind that he’s also had starts like this one this month. What’s really curious to me about Hynick are his home and away GB rates. 51% at Security Service Field, 42% on the road. It seems like he’s making more of a conscious effort to keep the ball down at home, with a trade off in increased walks, and then using more of the strike zone on the road. Pretty shrewd, I’m hoping that he’ll be able to figure out similar ways to work against MLB hitters.

by Rox Girl on Jul 25, 2009 10:21 AM MDT up reply actions

Maybe we will see him start in....

September and God forbid seeing him start in October.

by lizardlad01 on Jul 25, 2009 10:33 AM MDT up reply actions

Is Hynick that good?

Those are pretty low K rates for a minor league pitcher. He could be another Aaron Cook (and I say that w/no idea what Hynick throws), but I bet there’s a lot more pitchers w/5K per 9 rates who never stuck in the majors than there are Aaron Cooks.

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

by FooMan on Jul 25, 2009 10:49 AM MDT up reply actions

lizardlad's a little eager...

K rates aren’t the end all, though. Hynick is seeming like a decent bet to be an alright back of the rotation pitcher at this point, and still would be our second greatest asset on that Colorado Springs pitching staff to Rogers.

by Rox Girl on Jul 25, 2009 10:53 AM MDT up reply actions

Out of Curiousty...

How many of you people have ever played baseball/softball?

by lizardlad01 on Jul 25, 2009 11:09 AM MDT up reply actions

Iittle league counts, right?

They kind of don’t allow people of my anatomy to play after that, and my HS didn’t have a softball team when I was there.

by Rox Girl on Jul 25, 2009 11:15 AM MDT up reply actions

I played for 15 years

and Have been analyzing mechanics for the last 6 (I’m still learning things)

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 11:15 AM MDT up reply actions

I played through high school

We won State all four years I was there, though I admit I had little to nothing to do with it.

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:25 AM MDT up reply actions

Which high school was that?

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 11:43 AM MDT up reply actions

Eaton High

Colorado, AAA level. Dick Monfort’s kids went there, as did (surprise!), two of the Rockies lowest draft picks this year..

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:45 AM MDT up reply actions

That makes sense

I am a lot more familiar with the 4A and a little of the 5A teams.

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 11:47 AM MDT up reply actions

We consistently played and defeated 4A teams

but rarely took on 5A, though we did sometimes.

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:49 AM MDT up reply actions

My high school (Pomona) won state one year not too long ago.

Or so my brother informed me, since he was there at the time.

by holly96 on Jul 25, 2009 12:10 PM MDT up reply actions

You went to Eaton?

You guys would always kill us. I went to little ol’ Weld Central High. At least we would usually get our revenge in basketball, for whatever that is worth.

by Muzia on Jul 25, 2009 1:04 PM MDT up reply actions

Through high school

ever since I was old enough to pick up a glove and ball. Even played for a 18-28 league this past summer, which highlighted that I definitely was smart to pursue my education and not a playing career ;-D

by ShadowPenguin on Jul 25, 2009 11:46 AM MDT up reply actions

I will be

playing in a men’s league similar to this as soon as I graduate college and I am sure of where I’m going to be living

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 11:48 AM MDT up reply actions

Me too

Except I have graduated and am not sure where I’ll be living.

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:49 AM MDT up reply actions

you guys are lucky

it’s really difficult to find baseball leagues in NYC, there’s just tons softball leagues.

The Rockies need some oldschool purple/white striped high socks. The team’s problem is it’s lack of swagger. I feel strongly that these socks will provide the swagger necessary to tap the potential that are the Rockies.

by Resolution on Jul 25, 2009 12:01 PM MDT up reply actions

If I can't find a place to play

I have every intention of living in a city with a baseball team (MLB or MiLB) and getting season tickets. I just want to be around the game more than I already am.

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 12:08 PM MDT up reply actions

I used to be my middle school's catcher

but I didn’t make the high school team, and currently searching for some county league to join or something.

by bballrox4717 on Jul 25, 2009 12:08 PM MDT up reply actions

I still play baseball

I’m going to be a senior in high school ;)

by CentralCaliRox on Jul 25, 2009 2:03 PM MDT up reply actions

Keep playing

when your done if you can.

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 2:12 PM MDT up reply actions

K rates

No, they’re not the end all, but 5.1 and 5.0 seem pretty low for AA/AAA. I’d assume that K rates tend to go down when one goes to the ML level, and if they drop to 4-4.5, that makes it difficult to have consistent success (success meaning, someone who can stay in a rotation).

I definitely do not mean to say it’s not possible, just that it’s a bit of an eyebrow raiser.

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

by FooMan on Jul 25, 2009 11:30 AM MDT up reply actions

To answer your question about his stuff

You really can’t call him an Aaron Cook in waiting. Hynick’s fastball is pretty fringy, as he gets little movement when he tries to bump 91-92 MPH, so he stays around 88 MPh with some arm side run, but my no means Cook’s sink. His best pitch is probably a split finger that he keeps down in the zone. Curve and change are garden variety.

I thought he caught too much of the strike zone in Tulsa, and didn’t give hitters much to chase at.

by David OhNo on Jul 25, 2009 2:02 PM MDT up reply actions

Interesting, thanks

I was sure someone had provided a report like this previously and probably should have searched for it. But I got lazy.

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

by FooMan on Jul 25, 2009 2:27 PM MDT up reply actions

I think the pie in the sky upside

is Justin Duchscherer here, but you could probably say that about a guy in everyone’s system. His greatest utility may be in trade, but given we seemto only be hunting for a left handed reliever, and he’s not likely to fetch someone like Sherrill without being the secondary piece, he very well could be bait in the off-season to plug whatever hole arises.

by David OhNo on Jul 25, 2009 2:30 PM MDT up reply actions

Is the Caption on the Picture

supposed to say Scott Hammel? I thought his name was Jason.

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 11:16 AM MDT reply actions

Maybe Scott should be the Brandon to our Brad

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:26 AM MDT up reply actions

I was reading the

Beyond the Boxscore projected standings article and one line says

San Francisco’s meteoric climb was halted over the past few weeks, leaving them nine back of the Rockies

Guess he meant one, but I’ll drink to that being foreshadowing

by Resolution on Jul 25, 2009 11:35 AM MDT reply actions

My bad

The nine games back refers to the projected end of season standings. That would be pretty killer…

by Resolution on Jul 25, 2009 11:36 AM MDT up reply actions

Ha...there you go

That would be great.

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:37 AM MDT up reply actions

I'm pretty sure what he means

is that their meteoric climb was halted, leaving them nine back at the end of the season via their projected standings. BtB has had us projected as much better than them all year, so their own way to stay competitive in their projections was to actually have a better record at the time of writing

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:37 AM MDT up reply actions

Just finished the interview with On the Black

I’ll post it here tomorrow night or Monday. Sorry in advance for being an inexperienced bumbling idiot

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

by Andrew T. Fisher on Jul 25, 2009 11:38 AM MDT reply actions

Oh

do I know how that feels. Not really in an interview setting but in most other facets of life.

by Resolution on Jul 25, 2009 11:42 AM MDT up reply actions

What is On the Black?

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on Jul 25, 2009 11:51 AM MDT up reply actions