Wednesday Rockpile: Tyler Matzek Interview; Carlos Gonzalez takes well to leadoff spot.

by Rox Girl on Aug 19, 2009 9:05 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 28 comments

Baseball Beginnings and Sports Illustrated

John Klima at Baseball Beginnings has Tyler Matzek's first interview since signing with the Rockies. In it Matzek admits that he really was gunning for $7 million, but at the end of negotiations thought his best option was to start professional baseball in the hope of reaching the majors quickly. It's very rare to get a high school prospect with as advanced an arsenal and polish as he has, so a rapid move through the system seems quite possible.

John Manuel, who writes for Baseball America and Sports Illustrated, says that the Rockies were one of the big draft deadline winners because of the Matzek deal. Thank you Tyler for compromising, and thank you Rockies for sticking your necks out on this bonus.

Denver Post

Jason Marquis has been a mentor to other Rockies pitchers this season. Other notes on Jason Hammel's supporting his family in a period of crisis and on Joe Beimel's relief to be moving out of Washington.
In a second note post, the Post talks about the switch of Carlos Gonzalez to the leadoff slot in the lineup, Garrett Atkins' defensive work, and a mention that Juan Rincon and Joel Peralta are likely to get September promotions.
Rockies steam past Nationals, 4-3 - The Denver Post

Rockies official site:

More on the batting order switcharound for Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler
Aaron Cook will toss a pair of bullpen sessions between starts feeling the extra work will help him bounce back from Sunday's rough outing in Florida. It's a key series with the Giants, we need Cookie to be sharp.
Brad Hawpe also needs to be sharp, the Rockies hope he's past his slump.
Gonzalez's homer lifts Rockies over Nats | ColoradoRockies.com: News

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Well Matzek's goal is to be in the big leagues in 2-3 years

how realistic is that? that would be 2011 to 2012 correct?

by purplesocks on Aug 19, 2009 9:14 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep, that would be 2011 to 2012.

I think 2012 is pretty realistic, 2011 would be exceptional, but it’s not impossible, certainly. He’s likely going to start in Asheville next season, if he does well and gets a mid-season bump to Modesto, he could be looking at starting 2011 in AA. From there an MLB call-up could happen anytime if he’s worthy of it.

by Rox Girl on Aug 19, 2009 9:23 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

His Excitment for Moving up in the Rockies' System

Made it sound like maybe the promotion of Chacin affected his decision. I wonder if that did have any effect.

by Yokel on Aug 19, 2009 9:38 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Dex is good at getting on base

And CarGo is good at extra base hits and homers, isn’t this an illogical change?

by biondino on Aug 19, 2009 9:52 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

In the abstract, yes, but...

…sometimes managers like a little power leadoff to put pressure on the pitcher from the start. There’s also the matter of player comfort level. Not that they were necessarily uncomfortable w/Dex 1st, but maybe Dex handles the 2-hole better if a runner on is trying to steal. The FSN guys said he reacted with surprising (to them) enthusiasm when asked about batting 2nd behind EY2 so he sounds comfortable with it and didn’t seem to see it as a demotion.

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

by FooMan on Aug 19, 2009 9:58 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly, the way both of them are hitting, it's a silly change.

I think Tracy’s trying to make too many fixes to a machine that’s not really broken.

by Rox Girl on Aug 19, 2009 9:59 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking

it had to do with Fowlers knee. Maybe its a little more sore than is being reported.

by rockieprogress on Aug 19, 2009 10:37 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not silly at all

CarGo’s pop, gives the Rockies a chance to be a fast 1-0 lead before the 2nd guy even comes up. With Helton coming up after Fowler the best runner, it gives Fowler a greater chance of stealing a base then if CarGo was after Fowler.

Also, it splits up the lefties, and the only back to back lefies would be Hawpe and Stewart, and Barmes could go in between those two as well. (ideally so could Iannetta, but his slump is so bad, he’s no worry to the other team’s Loggy)
CarCo L
Fowler S
Helton L
Tulo R
Hawpe L
Stewart L
Barmes R
Iannetta R

by Redhawk on Aug 19, 2009 10:39 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

i thought that stealing bases with helton up was more difficult

i thought that was the main argument against using helton in the #2 hole

by purplesocks on Aug 19, 2009 12:49 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

No they don't use Helton in the 2 hole

cause he’s too slow, and would jam up the bases. That and he’s arguably the best hitter on the team…and those should be in the 3 hole

by Redhawk on Aug 19, 2009 8:12 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know if it really matters whether Dex or Cargo is in the leadoff spot,

but like a Poseidon’s Fist post mentioned earlier this week, Tracy’s decision to play Atkins more than Stewart right now feels earily similar to Hurdle’s tinkering and I’m personally not a fan.

Beyond the fact that the stats don’t back up Tracy’s assertion that Atkins is swinging better than Stewart, I’ll take Stewart’s D any day over Atkins, even if he’s made a couple of good plays recently.

by blooming rock on Aug 19, 2009 11:14 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

regarding your comment on "tinkering"

I just recalled that one of LA’s stir-em-up columnists (TJ Simers, who I think is mostly garbage but some love, basically the Woody Paige of LA with more angst) used to always call trascy the “Micro Manager” for his penchant to tinker.

But whatever, so long as CarGo is in the lineup somewhere, we win, right?

by Teekalong on Aug 19, 2009 11:29 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep, in this case, I don't think it matters that much.

But I’m wary that it could become an issue as there seem to be quite a few of these little things adding up, as blooming rock above points to the bigger bit of recent tinkering that might actually prove detrimental.

by Rox Girl on Aug 19, 2009 11:38 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I’m a bit puzzled by some of the moves, but like Hurdle during Rocktober, so long as Tracy keeps winning more than he loses, its hard for me to get too upset.

by Teekalong on Aug 19, 2009 12:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Marquis de Mentorship

Hmm, nothing on batting tips for Ubaldo and DLR.

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

by FooMan on Aug 19, 2009 9:53 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I love this in general though.

Bob Apodaca seems to be doing a great job, but I never thought of someone working on the “inside”. Certainly seems to have helped Jorge.

"Don't tell me about the world. Not today. It's springtime and they're knocking baseballs 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 Aug 19, 2009 12:14 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

On Cook's 2 bullpen sessions

It’s not a direct quote, but fwiw Ringolsby’s blurb on Cook’s bullpens had this additional tidbit, which is great if true:

Cook said the toe was no problem and does not bother him.

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

by FooMan on Aug 19, 2009 10:07 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

"Juan Rincon and Joel Peralta are likely to get September promotions."

nooooooooooooooooooooooo

by Narcoleptico on Aug 19, 2009 10:10 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

They are on the 40 man and relievers

September gets a lot of relievers coming in for one guy…or even..here comes the lefty…the other team calls a right handed PH…oh here comes the manager to get the reliever and go to the right handed reliever…and the dance can go on for several players, before the At Bat actually happens

Rincon and Peralta aren’t bad. (they aren’t good either). I’d expect Flores to re-join the team as well….and HE’S bad!

by Redhawk on Aug 19, 2009 10:42 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think a pitcher needs to pitch to a batter

If he officially enters the game, he has to pitch to the batter, or a substitute batter, before another pitcher can sub in. (Unless the pitcher is injured.)

Not that this makes those matchup innings that much easier to take.

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

by FooMan on Aug 19, 2009 11:23 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, pitcher has to pitch to a batter

but the manager can burn a PH after a new pitcher is brought in and PH for the PH.

Mike McCoy Status: BETTER BE A SEPT CALLUP
Seth Smith Status: Part of a Good Problem
Chris Iannetta Status: OH MY GOD GET SOME HITS YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE AN ASS

Check out the most recent MLB Transactions on MLB Daily Dish

by Andrew Martin on Aug 19, 2009 11:26 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh no extra bullpen depth

that won’t be pitched in high leverage situations, barring disaster. How awful to not overuse our critical bullpen staff!

Mike McCoy Status: BETTER BE A SEPT CALLUP
Seth Smith Status: Part of a Good Problem
Chris Iannetta Status: OH MY GOD GET SOME HITS YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE AN ASS

Check out the most recent MLB Transactions on MLB Daily Dish

by Andrew Martin on Aug 19, 2009 11:11 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hell we don't use our guys we have now

by Redhawk on Aug 19, 2009 11:39 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

point

Mike McCoy Status: BETTER BE A SEPT CALLUP
Seth Smith Status: Part of a Good Problem
Chris Iannetta Status: OH MY GOD GET SOME HITS YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE AN ASS

Check out the most recent MLB Transactions on MLB Daily Dish

by Andrew Martin on Aug 19, 2009 11:55 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am happy

with the efforts those two gave to the squad this year. I don’t think its an overstatement to say we got more out of both than we could have reasonably hoped, and that their efforts were important to the resurgence of the team. That said, I think we ran the well dry on both, so if they do come back I suspect its just to hang around and throw some meaningless innings here or there.

by Teekalong on Aug 19, 2009 11:31 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hehehehe

I loved the “several Rockies players toured the CIA” note.

by WolfMarauder on Aug 19, 2009 11:32 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Atkins range may have improved

…but to me he still looks like he’s in the rocking chair compared to Stewie

"If you're going to be stupid, you'd better be tough."

by Rawktober on Aug 19, 2009 11:33 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Thank you to the Rockies

I just want to express my gratitude to the Rockies organization. I was with Tyler Matzek this weekend in Denver and was extremely impressed with the organization. From top to bottom they are a class act! I can’t say enough about the players, management, fans and the city of Denver. Our family is very grateful that Tyler has been given the opportunity to play for such an amazing team. Ever since the draft I have been following not only the Rockies but Purple Row as well and I love the passion and family atmosphere that surrounds this ball club! Thank you purple row for supporting my brother and I look forward to learning more about the Rockies!

Thank you,
Jeff J
Debt Skinny
Honest Debt Relief Information

by doublej11 on Aug 23, 2009 1:31 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs