Monday Rockpile: Jason Marquis and Ubaldo Jimenez fueling stretch run; Gonzalez could be back Wednesday
by Rox Girl on Aug 24, 2009 9:53 AM MDT
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PrintRockies silent assasins getting the job done
The Rockies current one-two punch of Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Marquis isn't glamorous, we aren't getting any Cy Young consideration at Colorado. What it is would be dominant. The Rockies in August are 8-1 in the starts of the two, today Marquis looks to make us nine for ten
- Ubaldo Jimen-ace: Krieger: At last, Rockies can play an ace - The Denver Post
- The Grand Marquis: Marquis leading stellar Rockies staff | ColoradoRockies.com: News
Add in the 3-1 record the team has in Jorge De La Rosa starts (albeit admittedly he's had two great starts and two bad ones) and it's no wonder the team continues to surge through the dog days. The Rockies better continue this trend for the month's final seven days if they know what's good for them.
Denver Post
Not beating themselves is part of what's separating the Rockies from the Giants and other teams right now. Let this be a lesson in keeping a tight ship.
Tim Lincecum gets unnerved by the Coors Field radar readings. Attacking his ego seems to be a pretty effective strategy.
Carlos Gonzalez could be back sooner than we feared
The initial reports of Gonzalez hand injury had said it might be a week before he'd return to action, now it looks like he could very well be back by Wednesday, or possibly even Tuesday, Jack Etkin reports:
Other links:
- Rockies confirm Giambi wanted for run | ColoradoRockies.com: News
- Pressure seems to be getting to the Dodgers -- latimes.com
As of this morning, the Rockies playoff odds range from around the 63% showing up at coolstandings.com and Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA adjusted odds report, to the 73% to 74% odds shown in BP's ELO adjusted report and at SportsClubStats (site was down while I'm writing this, you'll just have to trust me until it comes back up). Those are pretty solid and fairly convincing. Pragmatic fans of the Cubs and Marlins are jumping ship on their chances this year, making the NL Wild Card look like a three team chase at the moment between the Rockies, Giants and Braves. With hindsight, the latter two teams let the Rockies come back to take four key games at Coors Field that might have changed the complexion of this race if they had been able to lock down wins:
July 9, 2009 Atlanta Braves at Colorado Rockies Box Score and Play by Play - Baseball-Reference.com
The first of four games with Atlanta before the All-Star break, the Rockies pushed Braves starter Tommy Hanson out after just five innings. Getting four innings of bullpen caliber pitching allowed the team to outscore Atlanta 3-1 in the last part of the game after being outscored 5-4 in the first half.
July 12, 2009 Atlanta Braves at Colorado Rockies Box Score and Play by Play - Baseball-Reference.com
This was the last game before the All-Star break, and Atlanta could still have put a serious dent in the Rockies confidence by winning three of four against them at Coors Field. Racing to a seven to three lead over Jason Hammel, they appeared to be on their way, instead a dramatic reversal in the latter stages of the game allowed the Rockies to come back and win it on a walk-off double by Brad Hawpe.
These two are a bit different in that the Rockies made either all or a good chunk of their comebacks against the opposing starter rather than relievers, but the team's plate discipline again played a huge role in making the reversals. By wearing down Giants starters Joe Martinez and Tim Lincecum, the Rockies gradually exposed the cracks that allowed them to break through and win.
The season would look vastly different right now if the Giants or Braves were somehow able to split these four contests let alone win them, as it is though, a failure to protect their leads in those games has put both teams under enormous pressure to make up the lost ground.
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There's no way Ubaldo can be an ace
Not enough wins.
Mike McCoy Status: BETTER BE A SEPT CALLUP
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I thought you couldn't be an ace until you had Cy Young's mark of approval?
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
by Mondogarage on Aug 24, 2009 10:25 AM MDT up reply actions
Doesn't he play for the Rockies?
I didn’t know they still had a team. Weird.
crazyy
we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE
"TuLoRocks2008 had the most comments I've seen in any game thread this year (322)...Can such a feat be eclipsed?" ..... Bring it on!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Aug 24, 2009 1:34 PM MDT up reply actions
In regards to coming back against starter vs reliever
Lincecum was a big name to take the lead on. It’s one of the very few situations where I feel that a pitching win actually tells you something.
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On another note
Benjie Molina is terrible. Just a vortex of suck. I can’t believe he is hitting where he is for the Giants. 83 OPS+ out of the cleanup spot =/ good. And his defense is not great, which when coupled with his slowfootedness makes him just awful. I know the conventional wisdom is that you can’t bring up Posey to play in the middle of a playoff race, but the Giants should really consider doing just that.
Bruce Bochy is not a very good manager
I don’t care what their record is
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by Andrew Martin on Aug 24, 2009 10:13 AM MDT up reply actions
I don't see him everyday...like Rockies managers
but in this series, he’s made moves 1 or 2 batters too late. Closing the barn door after the cows are out…won’t help.
And I like Benjie Molina. Not as a clean up hitter…but that goes to say how terrible the Giants line up is hitting wise, and why I don’t think the Giants will stay in the NL Wild Card race (and surprised they’ve stayed in it this long). The Braves are a better all round balanced club.
I mentioned this in the KYF
but he’s on pace to be the 6th worst cleanup hitter in the last 53 seasons.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 24, 2009 10:26 AM MDT up reply actions
yeah i remembered that
Mike McCoy Status: BETTER BE A SEPT CALLUP
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by Andrew Martin on Aug 24, 2009 10:50 AM MDT up reply actions
Not sure how to take Lincecum's quote
“the ball does weird things here.”
Should I be annoyed that he just didn’t say “I left the ball up to a good hitter and he beat the crap out of it.”
Or should I be optimistic that Coors Field is in Timcecum’s kitchen?
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Aug 24, 2009 10:16 AM MDT reply actions
the last one
I like the way Coors Field seems to get into some pitchers heads. Yeah, breaking pitches break differently and release points have to be adjusted…but Rockies pitcher have to do it all the time, or they will look crappy either on the road or at home (Hi Mr. Hammel!).
Some pitchers love Coors Field (Brad Penny)…and other’s…it’s in their heads
Smith's HR would have been out of all 30 parks, no question.
I don’t care how the pitch moves, it doesn’t make it rise in the strike zone
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 24, 2009 10:29 AM MDT up reply actions
Ostensibly, more would change than just one pitch
If he were pitching the way he’s accustomed to, the sequence of pitches could change, and perhaps he’s less tired at that point in the game as well.
At any rate, they got to him, and they’ve gotten to him in San Fran, too.
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
The tiredness is certainly reasonable
Good thing for him he had well over 50 hours to acclimate to the altitude though. I agree with Redhawk though. Like the game itself, 90% of the altitude is mental for some players, and the other half is physical.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 24, 2009 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions
Lincecum
was tired, didn’t finish his pitch, and left that ball letter high. And Smith crushed it. Lincecum’s reaction….was to blame Coors Field.
the next time he pitches in Coors Field, the altitude will be in his head. He’ll be thinking about it.
Performance at this level of talent (we are talking the top 750 best baseball players in the world at the major league level) is so slight, that any mental difference is HUGE and can become a big variable.
And that backs up what RMN and Redhawk said earlier about Bochy sucking.
He’s waited about one-two batters too long to make his pitching changes the last couple of days. I feel like I’m watching Hurdle all over again.
by blooming rock on Aug 24, 2009 11:07 AM MDT up reply actions
I love how Timmy turned and watched that ball all the way into the 2nd deck
"If you're going to be stupid, you'd better be tough."
altitude acclimation doesn't explain how Sanchez owned us
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by Andrew Martin on Aug 24, 2009 11:26 AM MDT up reply actions
Funny how that works huh?
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 24, 2009 11:57 AM MDT up reply actions
That's easy to explain
Sanchez has thrown a no-hitter
Timmay has not thrown a no-hitter
So Sanchez >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lincecum.
See? Problem solved.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
by Mondogarage on Aug 24, 2009 12:18 PM MDT up reply actions
Uh, not from altitude, but from not having it.
and throwing a lot of pitches.
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
nope nope
thin air, etc
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 24, 2009 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions
yea it kinda went 450 ft
which is kinda far no matter where you are playing
we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE
"TuLoRocks2008 had the most comments I've seen in any game thread this year (322)...Can such a feat be eclipsed?" ..... Bring it on!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Aug 24, 2009 1:35 PM MDT up reply actions
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/baseball/flb/outOfTheBox?page=ootb090824
by blooming rock on Aug 24, 2009 11:01 AM MDT up reply actions
Good press
but I feel for the author. He has a very unfortunate name.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 24, 2009 11:05 AM MDT up reply actions
Well, at least he's not...
…Dick Trickle.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
by Mondogarage on Aug 24, 2009 11:13 AM MDT up reply actions
put links in the message body
they’re not clickable in the title
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/baseball/flb/outOfTheBox?page=ootb090824
thanks for the link!
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 24, 2009 11:26 AM MDT up reply actions
You...put links...in the message...body.
Ooh, snap!
"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
Another link in the body…
Buster Olney is all aboard the Rockies bandwagon in his ESPN chat.
He even sees the Rockies win the West, Braves win the Wild Card as Atlanta’s best shot for the playoffs.
Olney is like in love with the Rockies right now
He insists that the World Series will be Yankees-Rockies (which I would die from, being from a Yankees fans family), and that the Rockies are the best team in the NL. Hell, he took stuff from Phillies and Dodgers fans who thought they were better, and absolutely shot them down with reasonable arguments.
The way he was talking about Tulo, it was like he wanted him to be MVP, because he said that Tulo’s season parallels the Rockies’s season. I don’t think I’ve seen an ESPN writer be so in favor with the Rockies right now.
by bballrox4717 on Aug 24, 2009 11:53 AM MDT up reply actions
Another nice tidbit
Rockies the greatest come back in history? Maybe since division play. The Cards in 64 is tough to beat when you consider that the NL was just one big “division.” It’s a lot harder to do versus a whole league.
Buster Olney
(1:53 PM)
Sorry, one more — saw this. Quite literally, it would be the greatest ever, because the record deficit that a team overcame is 14 games, by the Yankees in 1978. The Rockies were 15 1/2 games deep on June 3, and now they’re 3 1/2 games out. We’ll see if they finish the job.
Now that’s sweet
by bballrox4717 on Aug 24, 2009 12:06 PM MDT up reply actions
Hell, I just made it a fanshot
This too good.
by bballrox4717 on Aug 24, 2009 12:09 PM MDT up reply actions
yea i have always liked him
and Keith Law they are very knowledgeable
we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE
"TuLoRocks2008 had the most comments I've seen in any game thread this year (322)...Can such a feat be eclipsed?" ..... Bring it on!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Aug 24, 2009 1:36 PM MDT up reply actions
olney is a bit excitable with trade rumors
we’re convinced he makes them up
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 24, 2009 1:51 PM MDT up reply actions
yea lol
we seem to have gotten over that HURDLE
"TuLoRocks2008 had the most comments I've seen in any game thread this year (322)...Can such a feat be eclipsed?" ..... Bring it on!!
by TuLoRocks2008 on Aug 24, 2009 1:59 PM MDT up reply actions
Wow...Buster..
is bustin with luv for the Rox. Niiiiiice..
And he seems completely legit in his belief.
I love Rockies love!
We’re #2! We’re #2! :)
"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
I like this
Jimenez — and really the Rockies as a team — are being foolish.
"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
I don't know how to do the blue box thing, but that quote is being skewered a bit
The actual quote is, “Those who still doubt Jimenez — and really the Rockies as a team — are being foolish.”
by bballrox4717 on Aug 24, 2009 11:55 AM MDT up reply actions
The blue box thing is purple darn it!
And it’s just the quote function. Click the purple quote marks to insert a quote.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 24, 2009 11:58 AM MDT up reply actions
Thanks
I’m still getting used to this all (And I’ve been here for over a month damnit! :P)
by bballrox4717 on Aug 24, 2009 12:01 PM MDT up reply actions
Yep
I didn’t realize I hadn’t copied the whole quote. Thanks.
"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
“Those…Rockies as a team…are…foolish”
—jrockies
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Aug 24, 2009 12:12 PM MDT up reply actions
I should finish
typing my quotes too then:
“Those…Rockies as a team…are foolish to try and comeback into a division race that was clearly won in April and May.”
Here’s to hoping 2009 Dodgers = 2007 Mets
"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
On a semi-related note
how was the concert after the game yesterday? did most people stay? where do they set up the stage for something like that?
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Aug 24, 2009 12:01 PM MDT reply actions
I was wondering about that.
I saw them bringing out the stage as I was leaving the park. It looked like they were going to put it on the infield. It looked like they had put down some sort of heavy tarps and were driving the equipment out there on ATV-like things.
Concert was good
They set it up at 3rd base and everyone moved over to the third base half of the stadium. Lot of people stayed, wrapped all the way from the left field corner to midway down right field. Dunno how many people stayed in the upper decks.
They also played a video on the big screen with a bunch of interviews with Rockies players about their faith, the team, and all that good stuff.
Gladly sharing a name with Dexter Fowler!
by ShadowPenguin on Aug 24, 2009 1:09 PM MDT up reply actions
the whole upper deck was packed
on the 3rd base side that is as well as the lower deck and club level. my guess is that 20,000 people stayed for the concert
Hot tip for MLB.tv subscribers and/or Roku owners
If:
1) You subscribe to MLB.tv premium, and
2) own a Roku box
Then:
You can stream any MLB game live to your TV (however local blackouts for live and postseason games do apply). MLB.tv is $35 for the rest of the season and Roku is a $99 box that hooks the Intertubes to your TV (wired or wireless) for Netflix, Amazon, and now MLB! You can watch live streaming and yesteday’s condensed games. Great way to keep tabs on those pesky Dodgers.
"If you're going to be stupid, you'd better be tough."
by Rawktober on Aug 24, 2009 1:42 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
you could also get a VGA cable
It works for most TVs and is only 5-10$. It works well for me.
by realmenwearpurple on Aug 24, 2009 1:45 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
I use a roku w/mlb.tv premium
It works pretty well. It’s a little slower to zip around different feeds, and it doesn’t do the 4-screen view.
The reason why I use it rather than a tv out on a computer is that a) I already have the roku for watching netflix streaming movies and b) I tend to want to use the computer for browsing while watching the game.
I’ve never tried a VGA cable for a tv though—I’ll have to give that a try. It would be good for Hulu.
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
Which type of VGA cable?
One thing which has confused me in the past, is that I thought the basic vga-to-rca (etc.) cable only works if the computer’s video card already has a tv-out. Otherwise, you need more than just a cable, you need a signal converter like this. Is this not the case?
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
Roku, Hulu, VGA, Streaming Netflix
Damn kids and all your little techo toys.
Why, in my day we had to actually get out of our chair just to change the channel… ;-)
I'll have another beer, please.
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