Friday Rockpile: Aaron Cook's toe, Cubs coming to Coors, Stewart staying optimistic, more.
by Bryan Kilpatrick on Aug 7, 2009 8:32 AM MDT
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PrintIn yesterday's game, Aaron Cook aggravated a toe injury that has bothered him a bit as of late, but he says that he will make his next start, which is scheduled for Tuesday against the Pirates. Cook says it wasn't necessarily the toe that brought him out of the game as much as it was the fear of hurting his arm by trying to compensate for not being able to push off as well as he is accustomed to. The same article mentions the promotion of Mike Timlin to Triple-A Colorado Springs, as he'll provide depth there and will be considered for the big league club in the event of an injury or meltdown.
The Denver Post also has a preview article for the Rockies' upcoming series vs. the Cubs. I'm sure there will be 20,000+ annoying Cubs "fans" there making things miserable for everyone else. For that reason (and because of other obvious ones), I really hope the Rockies treat the Cubs like they treated the Yankees in '07.
Thomas Harding's latest MLB.com piece discusses Ian Stewart's optimism after a good weekend in Cincinnati. Stew says he's feeling more comfortable at the plate, and wants to try to get his average up, but he'll have a hard time doing so if he isn't able to capitalize on mistakes, such as one that Brad Lidge left over the plate on an 0-1 count in yesterdays game. Jim Tracy on Ian working toward becoming a complete hitter (which in this case, involves not hitting mistake pitches):
You've got to be ready to fire, and you have to square it up and get it in play.
Ian has shown the ability to do this, but needs to do it more often, instead of missing/fouling the ball off.
The Rockies are 8th in Fox Sports' latest power rankings. I know how most people feel about such rankings, so I wasn't even going to post this but I thought this comment by the author was amusing:
Dodgers improved a tad. Giants improved a bit. Rockies stayed about the same. Their death knell?
I guess going out and picking up two relievers who have been very good over the past couple of years to shore up the team's most glaring issue at the deadline doesn't classify as an improvement. Cool...
Finally, FanGraphs' Marc Hulet has been posting a multi-part series ranking the prospects that were dealt before the trade deadline. Connor Graham, who the Rockies sent to Cleveland in exchange for Rafael Betancourt, is 16th on the list. Not bad, considering there weren't really any high-impact prospects dealt this year anyway (aside from maybe Brett Wallace, that is).
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i am almost regrettably going to tonights game
i really hate cubs games. although the last one i went to turned out pretty good for the rockies (jamey carrol hit a grand slam), the 20,000+ cubs fans there were rather annoying.
hopefully the rockies will get out to an early lead and it will be a mass exodus of cubs fans to the parking lot or in the very least shut them up
one of my best friends
is a big cubs fan, and he and a large crew are flying from Oklahoma for the series, to be part of the 20k. Say what you will about Cubs fans, but I wish the Rox got even 1/4 of that kind of love.
you nailed the problem
cubs fans flying in from Oklahoma???
They became cubs fans by watching when The Cubs were one of the two teams you could watch nationally.
Sorry, these aren’t real fans – and they don’t know how to behave.
Wrigley is great – northsiders are kind of a wine and cheese crowd (to the extent Chicago can have a wine and cheese crowd). The bleacher bums – errr, yeah, they will pour beer on you all right!!
YES, I was there, too!
That was INSANE. That shut em up soooo fast. Oh man. One of the craziest baseball environments I’ve been in (second to the Wildcard Tiebreaker, duh).
That was Ian Stewart’s debut also!
"There are only two important things in life: baseball and breathing. But at least you can survive without breathing for 3 minutes."
www.soundclick.com/hollidayrain
by Hollidayrain on Aug 7, 2009 11:54 AM MDT up reply actions
Wow, slow news day.
Anyone think the Rockies will make any waiver trades?
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 10:00 AM MDT via mobile reply actions
Can you explain in noob terms how this works?
I sort of understand, but not really. Rather than try and explain what I understand, I’d love to just hear it from the horse’s mouth!
Players must clear waivers before being traded
This is likely explained in the posts on transactions, which you could try searching for (I wish the reference-style posts were a little easier to find and refer back to).
But in short, teams put just about any player that might be traded on revocable waivers. If they pass through unclaimed, the player can be traded. If they’re claimed, then unlike the usual (non-revocable) waivers, the original team can pull the player back, no harm done. Or, the team can let the claiming team assume the player’s contract. That threat is what will enable some players to clear waivers—the fear of having to take on the money in the player’s contract.
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
check mlbtraderumors.com
scroll a bit, they have some explanations, if FooMan’s wasn’t enough
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 11:10 AM MDT up reply actions
For more information, please read this section of PR Academy:
See the section on Revocable Waivers for a detailed explanation.
Eschew Obfuscation!
No
cause waiver trades usually mean big money contracts. Is there a 2ndbasme, catcher, who’s contract is expiring after this year, that would be an upgrade over our current players?
I don’t think so.
Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!
Jamey Carroll's out there
Scutaro, Polanco and Eckstein, too. Whether some of those guys are an upgrade depends on how dead Barmes is.
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
I checked on Carroll
Barmes > Carroll
wait..
wow, Barmes’s slump has seriously dropped his value. Carroll won’t be a bad pickup. And if Q provided good luck binky value or whatever, Carroll has that plus family who likes to see the Colorado Rockies in the postseason.
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 11:14 AM MDT up reply actions
I would LOVE to get Jamey back. That would be an awesome move, and a cheap one.
Scutaro would be a next level acquisition though. He has quietly turned himself into a legitimate Type A shortstop. I sincerely doubt we could acquire him because he won’t clear waivers. He’s still extremely cheap (he’s makin’ less money than Betancourt!).
"There are only two important things in life: baseball and breathing. But at least you can survive without breathing for 3 minutes."
www.soundclick.com/hollidayrain
by Hollidayrain on Aug 7, 2009 11:52 AM MDT up reply actions
Scutaro won't clear
Carroll might. I don’t think many see him as more then a utility guy…that’s doesn’t have enough range for SS, and not a strong enough arm for 3rd. He could clear
Eckstein might clear…he’s got a big contract, as does Polanco. Too big for the Rockies to take on for their production levels
Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!
Why would the Tigers trade Polanco, though?
They just traded for Washburn, and they’re fighting for the AL Central.
He’s a solid 2B glove but he looks a lot like Barmes – flat bat, fab glove.
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 12:36 PM MDT up reply actions
He's got a .269 BABIP this season...
vs. a career .311. It seems to me his dip this season is entirely BABIP related. ZiPS says .294/.340/.407 rest of season, and with a Coors/NL bounce, he could be a huge upgrade over Barmes given that his glove is solid. I have no idea why the Tigers would trade him, FooMan’s the one that brought him up.
If we're going to benefit Polanco for a Coors boost
We need to remember that Barmes is a Coors hitter – despite being in a disgusting slump – .273/.322/.491 – and while I’d take the hell out of Polanco’s projected line, the price tag is prohibitive.
It depends on what we’re looking for. If we want to directly replace the #2 hitter, sure, Polanco works behind Dex, especially if that .294 AVG holds.
As Barmes plays as more of a #7 hitter – power to drive runners, but not enough OBP to turn over the lineup – and Smith plays the 2 hole well in terms of OBP, and is fast enough to keep the traditionalists content.
Point is, Polanco COULD be a decent bat if BABIP turns him around, but it seems the pricetag would be a bit prohibitive.
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 12:59 PM MDT up reply actions
But Eckstein is SCRAPPY! and a Winner!
Polanco has fallen off this year, and is getting up there in years at 33. Bounce back with a new team. He’s at the end of his 4 year contract. If he’s a Type A…that drives up the price. Type B..it could be easier to swing
Looking at Cot’s his contract isn’t that high 4.6 million a year
Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!
actually as I actually look stuff up
Eckstein’s Padre Contract was/is nothing….$850,000 for this one year. Though he could clear waivers.
Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!
and an albino midget!
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 12:51 PM MDT up reply actions
EY2 would be a better fit
Of all the options mentioned EY2 actually does the best against RHP, which Barmes is totally struggling with, and he would be the cheapest. Barmes could start against LHP and back up at short. If Barmes struggles through the weekend, something has to be done and it’s about time we bring up EY2.
TGFPR!!
I hate the Cubs
and there 20,000 + “fans”. I think they are the wet farts of baseball to be honest. Remember back in Wrigley last year I think, the fan who threw beer on Spilly? I was dumb enough to go to a Cubs game at Coors awhile back and from that point on I will never go to Coors when the cubs are playing.
FHWEE Woodie!!!
Hey I'm on Youtube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gAlLTZsGUg
That's why you get all the Cubs fans
We can’t fill our own stadium. And yeah, I’m sure there will be 20,000 of the type of person that throws beer at a ballplayer.
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
jackass fans everywhere
but Wrigley is an unreal experience. I’ve been twice, and had an unreal time each time.
I've been to Wrigley 3 times
and I agree…it’s a great venue, and a great unique experience. The fans there..not so bad……the “fans” that show up at Coors Field……the worst
Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!
This is the big issue...
You go to an opposing stadium and you should respect the host and the host’s fans. Kids who are Rockies fans shouldn’t have to hear “Rockies suck!” shouts while they walk to Coors Field. HR’s by the Rockies shouldn’t get thrown back on to the field at Coors. Give it to somebody who will appreciate it. Show courtesy. Cubs fans get incredulous when people talk about Cardinals fans being the best fans in baseball, but we don’t have this conversation when the Cards visit, even though they draw about as many fans as the Cubs do. We don’t have this conversation when the Yankees or Red Sox are in town during interleague play. The reputation Cubs fans get here and other places is deserved, in my opinion.
by Rox Girl on Aug 7, 2009 10:43 AM MDT up reply actions 8 recs
Absolutely
Come and cheer for your team, that’s great. This isn’t football, Coors Field isn’t the Black Hole, and that’s a good thing. But there’s a fine line for a visiting fan, and when you are standing up to applaud every 4-3 groundout or two-out walk like it just won the game and pointing to your hat or jersey and turning around in your section to give a “YEAHHHHHHHH BABY” to everyone else, well, that’s where that line gets crossed and a fan like that deserves whatever he gets.
I won’t go to Cubs-Rox games at Coors anymore either, but the last time I did I did have my greatest moment in my heckling career. Some jackass was standing up between a pitching change – this was 07, the night Baker got hit in the head, and I think it was Cook that got hit around that night – and talking about how a visting team’s fans “taking over” the home team’s ballpark “would NEVER happen at Wrigley Field!”
I stood up and yelled: “You know what else never happens at Wrigley Field? The World Series!”
Didn’t hear much from him after that.
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 Aug 7, 2009 11:03 AM MDT up reply actions 3 recs
this is brilliant. Golden. Amazing.
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 11:16 AM MDT up reply actions
hahahahaha! Oh my god.
Well played!
"There are only two important things in life: baseball and breathing. But at least you can survive without breathing for 3 minutes."
www.soundclick.com/hollidayrain
by Hollidayrain on Aug 7, 2009 11:42 AM MDT up reply actions
The best part is, that exact thing did happen this year.
vs. the Minnesota Twins. It was glorious. “A strike three, and that ends the ballgame. HUGE CHEER IN THE BACKGROUND”
"There are only two important things in life: baseball and breathing. But at least you can survive without breathing for 3 minutes."
www.soundclick.com/hollidayrain
by Hollidayrain on Aug 7, 2009 11:43 AM MDT up reply actions
I can agree with that.
I’ve never been to Coors Field, but my only experiences with Cubs fans are when they play the Cards here in St. Louis. You want to talk about complete jackassery!! I think it might even be worse than what happens at Coors since the Cards are a division rival. Some of the things I’ve seen done by Cubs fans makes me wonder how some people can be so classless.
I know a lot of people that are Cubs fans, and most of them are respectful at the games, but I see so many that are making asses out of themselves and being completely disrespectful to the home team and their fans. As for the home run thing, I understand that it’s a rule that you must throw back an opposing teams HR at Wrigley, but if I was there and caught a Rockies HR, you can bet your ass that I would be keeping it even if I got thrown out of the stadium.
And I’ll leave you with a little joke.
Q: What does the World Series and a gay bear have in common?
A: No Cubs!!
"Why don't you put that in a memo and entitle it 'Shit I Already Know'!" - Sarge from Red vs. Blue
I can't brain today, I have the dumb.
9 "Phinsider Feud" Points
by Chupathingy on Aug 7, 2009 11:54 AM MDT up reply actions 2 recs
I'm stealing that joke!
Ignorance of the American League is a sign of good moral character.
Look out Dodgers...Purple objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
That joke is actually
What does a mama bear on the pill have in common with the World Series? No cubs. ~Harry Caray
Funny that he would say that huh?
"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
It is funny that he would say that.
The version I put up was the way I heard it when a co-worker told it to another co-worker who was a huge Cubs fan, so that’s the way I know of it.
"Why don't you put that in a memo and entitle it 'Shit I Already Know'!" - Sarge from Red vs. Blue
I can't brain today, I have the dumb.
9 "Phinsider Feud" Points
Couldn't have said it better myself Roxgirl
FHWEE Woodie!!!
Hey I'm on Youtube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gAlLTZsGUg
I agree, it's absolutely ridiculous.
I may have said this a while back, but I went to a game when I was 16 and Aramis Ramirez hit a go ahead homer in the top of the 9th off of Corpas. The Cubs fan behind me started shoving me and yelling at me “WHAT! WHAT NOW?! TAKE THE B****!!” And I was frikin’ 16 years old. What kind of an idiot does that stuff? In the bottom of the inning when Spilly tied it on a triple, I gave it back to him then left the section.
I hope I get the opportunity to catch a Cubs homer someday in a blowout game or something so that I can throw it back. I wouldn’t mind getting the boot from the game; it would be completely deserved.
"There are only two important things in life: baseball and breathing. But at least you can survive without breathing for 3 minutes."
www.soundclick.com/hollidayrain
by Hollidayrain on Aug 7, 2009 12:13 PM MDT up reply actions
I hope I get the opportunity to catch a Cubs homer someday in a blowout game or something so that I can throw it back. I wouldn’t mind getting the boot from the game; it would be completely deserved.
Personally, I think that since Wrigley has that retarded rule about throwing back opposing team’s HRs, I think every other team should make it a rule to throw back any Cubs HRs. But that’s just my opinion.
Also, I wonder what the Cubs fans’ excuse will be this year for them not getting to the Series. One I heard last year was they blamed it on a guy who got a Cubs logo tattoo down here in St. Louis, and the tattoo artist wrote the words “Go Cards!” real small right by an edge. Someone noticed it when he was showing it off and then they started saying that it jinxed the Cubs in the playoffs last year. LOL, the sad part was, this was an actual story in the Chicago newspaper.
"Why don't you put that in a memo and entitle it 'Shit I Already Know'!" - Sarge from Red vs. Blue
I can't brain today, I have the dumb.
9 "Phinsider Feud" Points
I feel the opposite way about throwing back HR's but for similar reasons
Because Cubs fans started it, I just wouldn’t do it because I wonder if that sort of quiet disrespect for opponents even at Wrigley is at the root of what makes them so bad when they travel to other stadiums. I think Rockies fans should take a samurai code and always honor our opponents, even when they’re not as good as we are.
this exactly
It’s poor sportsmanship.
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
by Andrew Martin on Aug 7, 2009 12:37 PM MDT up reply actions
Ok, I can agree with this.
That practice is just one of the things that irritates me the most about Cubs fans, and sometimes I let my ‘eye for an eye’ urges get the better of me. You are right though, we should act better than they do in that regards.
Although, if I’m ever at Wrigley, I will still keep an opposing team’s HR ball, even if it gets me kicked out of the stadium.
"Why don't you put that in a memo and entitle it 'Shit I Already Know'!" - Sarge from Red vs. Blue
I can't brain today, I have the dumb.
9 "Phinsider Feud" Points
I'd have to disagree with throwing it back
that’s a Cubs tradition. Why go along with their tradition?
Take the ball to the nearest garbage can and throw it away while anouncing “here’s to the Cubbies and their fans, here’s what we think of your chances of getting to the WS” would be the way to go IMO.
by rockieprogress on Aug 7, 2009 12:46 PM MDT up reply actions
I kind of wish
we would rec more comments around here. I read Bloody Elbow from time to time and they posters on there do it frequently. I like the green comments.
President of the Don Draper fan club.
by jcd823 on Aug 7, 2009 2:58 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
We turned this one green
I think if people see that good posts get highlighted…more people would rec
I’m with you…let’s Rec the stuff we like, I mean +1 is nice….but hit rec if we like it!
Start Seth Smith! Free Eric Young Jr.!
by Redhawk on Aug 7, 2009 3:09 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
I, on the flip side, make a point to go to at least one Cubs-Rockies game a year.
It’s a ridiculously awesome environment. This year I have an awesome surprise in store for Sunday’s game.
We got upper deck tickets over the right field scoreboard. If the Rockies can win that game, me and my buddies are gonna drape one of those Cubs banners that says “W” over the third deck facade….except ours will be a large purple L. I really, really hope we can pull that one off.
"There are only two important things in life: baseball and breathing. But at least you can survive without breathing for 3 minutes."
www.soundclick.com/hollidayrain
by Hollidayrain on Aug 7, 2009 11:47 AM MDT up reply actions
shouldn't it be a blue L
or a purple W?
by Narcoleptico on Aug 7, 2009 12:26 PM MDT up reply actions
To me, it's a combination
Typically the Cubs fans who show up at Coors are not only rude “houseguests,” but often times grossly misinformed. We were sitting next to a cubs fan from Kansas the last Cubs-Rockies game I went to. We engaged him in conversation was telling us how lucky we were that they traded Todd Helton to us (I’m not sure if he was confusing Helton with Todd Walker or Hollandsworth, both of whom played for both teams, but neither went Cubs→Rockies), and how we always picked up their garbage like Jeromy Burnitz (uh.. other way around, dude).
Towards the end of the game, we were wondering who the closer was for the Cubs, and he told us that “Greg Maddux was going to come in and close; LIGHTS OUT!” Ugh…
hahahahaha
This generation of Cubs fans are ridiculous. For the sake of it, the only Cubs fans I can have a conversation with are like 50+….
"There are only two important things in life: baseball and breathing. But at least you can survive without breathing for 3 minutes."
www.soundclick.com/hollidayrain
by Hollidayrain on Aug 7, 2009 12:07 PM MDT up reply actions
I went to one in 2003
Where this fatass Cubs fan behind me referred to Michael Barrett as “Marty Barrett.” The ENTIRE GAME.
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.
I haven't really been paying attention to baseball lately
Yesterday I had a dentist appointment so I missed the game on TV and instead watched the gameday on my phone..it really sucked..and I haven’t been reading any PR stuff because when the Rockies lose it takes all the interest of baseball out of me. We need to beat these Cubs..geez I hate them..and take 3/4. =]
nine-teen-oh-eight!
The NY Rangers, before finally winning in Stanley Cup 1993, were routinely berated with “1940!” chants wherever they went. To me, it’s even more humiliating for the Cubbies, who haven’t won a world series since 1908.
That’s right, there’s nary a Cubs fan alive who was on this planet when they last won it.
I’m going on Saturday night, and I’ll gladly chant “nine-teen-oh-eight!” at Cubs “fans” around me.
Anyone care to join me?
by BroJB on Aug 7, 2009 1:06 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
surely theres some cubs fan out there thats over 100
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 7, 2009 1:17 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Does't "nary" mean "not any"?
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Aug 8, 2009 1:29 AM MDT up reply actions
Gregg Zaun traded to the Rays
Dangit, Torrealba would’ve looked so much better in a Rays uni…
Seth Smith status: Finally Getting Playing time
Mike McCoy status: FREE MIKE MCCOY
Too bad, Zaun's a little old
to be trying for the AL East loop…
Leave Dexter alone! You're lucky he even performs for you!
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