Tuesday Rockpile: Swing away - tell Troy to swing away
by Andrew T. Fisher on Sep 22, 2009 8:00 AM MDT
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PrintThere isn't a lot of Rockies news burning down the wire, so you'll get a hodgepodge of the Rockies, the NL West, and even a movie review.
Rockies
An ESPN Insider article notes that Troy Tulowitzki is teeing off on first pitches, which has ignited his season turnaround and led to his NL Player of the Week Honor last week. Tulo is hitting a robust .458 with 8 HR and 21 RBI when connecting on the first pitch, equating to a 1.361 OPS. When he doesn't connect, his average drops to .276 after a 1-0 count and .258 after an 0-1 count.
That's not just a trend for this season, so Clint Hurdle's benching of Tulowitzki earlier this season really has no excuse. For his career, Tulo is hitting .401/.393/.692 when connecting with the first offering.
Tulowitzki takes a captain's attitude in this Patrick Saunders article,or more accurately a managerial tone. The Rox SS wants the club to cut down their strikeouts and finish the season strongly. While he may believe they aren't playing their best baseball, Dan Haren notices something special.
"They play great defense and they can swing the bats, and that's a winning combination...And they are playing with some swagger. I don't remember them having any swagger early in the season." - Dan Haren, from Patrick Saunders
I believe it is important to note that the Rockies earned the respect from Haren for their resiliency Sunday afternoon, and that "swagger" he is talking about just might have come from that 3-run seventh inning, where all four hits came on the first pitch Haren threw over the plate.
A Saunders/Renck dual effort article gives Yorvit Torrealba some love. The Rockies catcher is 17-for-his-last-23 with runners in scoring position, something Seth Smith can't even do.
Silver Screen
Troy Renck is trying his hand in the Roger Ebert role by posting a movie review of the film "Sugar" this morning. The film follows Miguel "Sugar" Santos, a young pitcher from the Dominican Republic, who is trying to push past his early life to make it to the Major Leagues. It's not as easy as Ubaldo Jimenez makes it look. It sounds like this film should be of extra interest to fans of the Rockies, who have one of the more developed Latin pipelines around.
But don't worry, Renck won't be leaving the Post to do movie reviews for the Chicago Tribune any time soon. You're not supposed to reveal the ending Troy!
NL West Links
Dave Cameron at Fangraphs says that Joe Torre makes his team worse, slanting at the jawdropper headling by criticizing his move to ride the hot bat of Ronnie Belliard over the more talented Orlando Hudson. I wonder what Cameron's views are on Bruce Bochy, who is letting Buster Posey rot on the pine. Posey has all of three ABs this month compared to their apparent catcher of the future Eli Whiteside, who has 17.
BtB examines the Dodgers roster and each player's Value Over Contract this year. Manny Ramirez will be a net loss for them.
Home runs are down 20% in the last ten years, but that probably doesn't surprise you. Beyond the Box Score notes a correlation with division rival. Okay, so it's a sexy display, but the effect has happened to almost all teams, so don't get carried away.
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the tulo benching
by hurdle for swinging at the first pitch in the 9th inning of a game we trailed 8-1 was the redwood log that broke the camel’s back.
actually, the camel was dead long before that….
Remember ...
… early in the year, when some folks here were suggesting that Tulo be sent down to AAA?
He has turned his season around just a bit from that point …
Intra-season comeback player of the year? :)
Reviews of some great baseball sites and other cool stuff on my web magazine @ The Casual Observer
Don't fault the people here who were suggesting drastic measures,
Tulo was awful early in the season and everybody was looking for a way to get him to snap out of it. He and Don Baylor came up with the right answer it seems. Of course, Baylor’s an idiot that needs to be fired according to “some folks here,” so apparently this sort of turnaround could be a bad thing.
Do you really think Don Baylor will be back next season?
by cocainelips99 on Sep 22, 2009 8:46 AM MDT up reply actions
Whether he Will be back and whether he Should be back are two different things
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 8:51 AM MDT up reply actions
I don't know, I don't think he deserves getting fired...
I think the arguments against him (TOO MANY STRIKEOUTS) pale in comparison to the big argument for him (MOST RUNS IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE) because runs have a far more direct impact on a team’s win/loss total than K’s do. He’s got work to do with Stewart, Fowler and Iannetta to get this team playing like it’s really capable, but he’s helped Tulowitzki, Smith and Gonzalez turn things around. I worry, though, that Jim Tracy might have too much say in the matter and I don’t know if he and Baylor are totally sympatico with each other.
I'm not a fan
but…some times we don’t know what the coach is getting out of a player. If a coach is not getting 100% out of a player, and can’t..then they need to be replaced. If a coach is, and we think the player has more…the fans could be wrong.
I’m not a huge of Baylor, but it could be worse.
No ...
I’m not faulting people for their suggestions. While I didn’t agree with the suggestions, I’m not saying that the suggestions were “wrong”.
My point was that Tulo has climbed out of a huge hole to the point where the MLB article says "Troy Tulowitzki is on pace to have one of the best seasons ever by a shortstop. "
Reviews of some great baseball sites and other cool stuff on my web magazine @ The Casual Observer
The issue with Tulo at the begining of the season
was he had a terrible stance. His front torso was twisted around so much that if he faced forward he would be looking at the catcher. Now, a baseball player has played baseball since it was on a T when he was 5 years old. I would accpect a player to have a batting stance by this point. It might need some refinements, and adjustments, but Tulo had NO stance. He had no idea how to stand in the box when he walked up.
It takes years to get a stance down…..and where he was at this spring, the Rockies couldn’t afford him that time to learn at the major leagues. That’s what the minors are for (unless you are bad major league team).
BUT Tulo made the adjustment to his stance. Which in and of it’s self is pretty remarkable. THEN he actually was able to get production out of that stance. Usually once a person adjusts that much it takes time to get a normal feel out of it. What Tulo has done this year is nothing short of amazing. It’s really a testament to him being a gifted athlete. If you would have asked me if all this was possible in a season at the major league level no less, I would have said no way.
Guilty as charged
I believe earlier this year I compared him to Khalil Greene and Bobby Crosby.
[hangs head in shame]
look at you owning up
good onya
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 10:01 AM MDT up reply actions
He was hitting like them
It was just a matter of trusting him to pull out of it
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Sep 22, 2009 10:02 AM MDT up reply actions
If
it makes you feel any better, when Justin Upton started the season 0-19, some people were suggesting the same thing….
Posting 65 comments/day since June '07.
by DbacksSkins on Sep 22, 2009 12:35 PM MDT up reply actions
Sugar
I saw this recently and really enjoyed it. I’d encourage everyone to rent it.
"A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure."
-Czech Proverb
by NewMexicanSteven on Sep 22, 2009 9:00 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
my brother in law
is a real cinema fan.
and he played major college baseball, was offered a contract by the cubbies…
he saw sugar and loved it.
I got my tickets
The first big thing to not is they have less price ranges then they do for the regular season, combing areas.
So I got Right Field second level. Different sections and rows.
Game one: 207 Row 3, seats 10-13
Game Two: 205 Row 8 seats 5-8
Game Two 205 Row 7 Seats 20-23
Lower home run porch was sold out already (or for 4 tickets) With the service fees, each ticket cost me $44. The normal price for this area is $24
no problems here
smooth sailing…
except for the fact that it rejected my password when i cut and pasted it (as suggested in the email!!??)
hand typed it, no sweat.
4 in the pavillion – aisle seats (good when you’re 6 4) – same price as yours.
about when I got in
and when I hand typed it, the screen Pulled up the exact same password that I cut and pasted – I think they just weren’t ready quite at 9 – or the system was full.
in any case, i’m good to go, my family is good to go and I may have a couple of tix to sell!
woooooooooooooo
Oh, and did you notice
that the color codes were off from the regular season or some areas. Like the Dark Blue for Upper Box.
So each playoff game = around 180% of a regular season game?
As a fan of future Rockies teams as well as this one, this thought makes me happy, particularly if the Rockies can somehow get three or four of them. Four playoff games would be about equal to seven regular season home sellouts, with most of the extra money being gravy for the payroll. The Monforts do seem willing to put that money back into the team lately, I think they’re discovering the benefits of owning a winning franchise and realize that a bit of prudent investment in the club goes a long way.
prices go up
with each round.
20-25% higher for the NLCS.
200-250% higher for the World series.
I better get busy and win some more money playing online poker…
I have a Nigerian friend who can help you
all you need is a bank account
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 9:46 AM MDT up reply actions
I have several rich relatives in Africa
That seem to get lost or stuck, and just need $500 to get home….than they will pay me back.
they were having me wait for their wife's courier service
to come pick up my iphone.
I’m still waiting. They’re probably just late.
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 10:02 AM MDT up reply actions
if you know poker at all
and can be patient (not my strong suit online) – about half the players are just idiots…
My biggest downfall online is....
…my love of large field MTTs. The variance is so sick, and you have to dodge a dozen rivers just to get to a mincash…
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
yeah, it takes a big investment of time
for a relatively modest return – and i just don’t have the time – unless i play all night… lol
Well, I almost had a major score a while back...
The Sunday 1/4 mil over at Jokerstars….went out 28th of 28000 runners. Sadly, I was 3rd in chips with 36 left, but took a bad beat and spewed the rest openshoving A9o in early position….
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
if i look at a number
like 28000 players, i have a nervous breakdown, shove immediately and go home… lol
I love the challenge
I actually did good in that tourney last weekend, went out something like 1280th of 27000…was cruising until some guy got all his chips in with A7o versus my QQ preflop.
Of course, the flop comes 77K, and the A on the river was just like watching Eric Byrnes hit a home run.
The 180,000 chips in that pot would have helped me immensely.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
Well, I actually prefer fields of, say, 150-300 players
But the good MTTs with fields those sizes are well outside my roll. So I have to play smaller buyins, which attract larger fields, and the variance goes up exponentially.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
by Mondogarage on Sep 22, 2009 10:02 AM MDT up reply actions
300-400
is a good number..
unless its 6 max, then you can go a little bigger..
and you’re right, pstars has precious few of those at a reasonable buy in.
by RockyMtnCat on Sep 22, 2009 10:12 AM MDT up reply actions
It's been a while since I've been up the hill
well, that’s not true, went there for bachelor party….but no poker….but I digress.
The low limit tables up the hill are what I like to refer to as “the ATM.” Play tight agressive and someone is going to pay you.
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Sep 22, 2009 9:49 AM MDT up reply actions
i want to get up there and play some of the Tourneys
they have a lot?? of $10-$50 tourneys, no clue how big the fields are, etc.
The hill has changed a LOT since July 2nd.
The 4/8 limit tables are all the old nitty regs, and the big action’s moved to the 1/2/100 tables, or so I’ve heard. I haven’t been up since Jenn got sick.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
Seems like on the weekend a tourney is starting every few hours.
I really don’t like tournaments so much. But if you can find a 2-4 game, you can sit for a while with minimal investment, and when the cards get hot, the pots actually are pretty decent.
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Sep 22, 2009 9:54 AM MDT up reply actions
The tourney fields can reach 70-80 players for tourney buyins of $100 and up
Blackhawk tends to pay out one seat per table. The juice is bad at the Gilpin, though, so if you play tournies, I highly recommend Golden Gates.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
And then
have a plane explode over your house.
"If we never try, we shall never succeed." - Abraham Lincoln
Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!
by Russ Oates on Sep 22, 2009 10:10 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Not a plane
A hot air balloon. Over AT&T Park, preferably.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
by Mondogarage on Sep 22, 2009 10:15 AM MDT up reply actions
I took a toxicology course for my Bachelor's
the Larimer County sheriff came in and lectured on how to make meth.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Sep 22, 2009 10:52 AM MDT up reply actions
You and me both
Though I did have a nice weekend over at Bodog…sorry I’m such a small balla online, though, heh.
I just need to get lucky and have the golden thong ticket for NLCS tix, since I took a bad beat for the NLDS.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
oh, i'm definitely in the small league
generally play tourneys or SNGs in the $20 range (i’ll satellite into something bigger – or try).
play maybe $1-2 cash games – have to be careful there, you can toss $200 in about a minute…
I'm not a ring game player, actually
I dig the $5-15 MTTs over at Jokerstars, but Bodog’s $T satellites are juicy…there’s just not enough of them to keep me fully occupied.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
i have found some recent sucesss
playing 5 draw and hi lo stud ring games.. not that many people seem to know those games – and that is what i played in college (of course, college was a LONG time ago… lol)
i don’t think i’d ever play a ring game live – too much chance for collusion against you (see rounders – it’s really like that)
I actually kill 1/2NL in Vegas when I go
But online…since I don’t use datamining and such, and since I can’t get interested in grinding out .25/.50, I just stick with tournies.
Besides, it’s better to feed my Pot Limit Omaha 8OB addiction in low buy-in tournies than to try that at 1/2 lol
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
omaha
gives me a headache…. too many cards… lol
it’s weird, i seem to do much better grinding in cash games than in tourneys?
if you sit back and can get a read on your table, you can hit some pretty monster pots in the cash games….
i’ve several times recently won $50-$100 pots in a .50/$1 or $1/2 game…
(of course, that works both ways… lol)
The difference between tournies versus ring games
Playing style, really. In ring games, you don’t worry about blind increases, M, bubbles, and the like. But you have to read opponents’ tendencies almost even more.
In tournies, concepts such as effective M, blind stealing, etc come into play more. In both, you need to be aggressive, but it’s probably easier to be more lag-tardy in tournies, since you’re only risking a buy-in, not your roll, so to speak.
Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave
by Mondogarage on Sep 22, 2009 10:00 AM MDT up reply actions
And here I clicked in seeing "24 new posts" thinking something exciting happened in MLB
I suck at poker
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 10:02 AM MDT up reply actions
This
I thought the ’Pile stimulated something. Meh. I am terrible at poker too
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Sep 22, 2009 10:04 AM MDT up reply actions
SPEAK ENGLISH OR GET OUT OF OUR COUNTRY
All kidding aside, I also am a terrible poker player. Now, blackjack – there’s a gentleman’s 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.
by Franchise26 on Sep 22, 2009 10:33 AM MDT up reply actions
The Dave Cameron Article is interesting as it pertains to Yorvit
Is this sustainable? Or do we not care because the alternative is Iannetta, who has, ahem, struggled this year?
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Sep 22, 2009 9:51 AM MDT reply actions
short term vs long term
Torrealba vs Iannetta
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 10:03 AM MDT up reply actions
Only thinking short term right now
If we ride Torrealba’s hot bat into November, sweet. If he cools off considerably, does Iannetta get back in, or just stick with the only catcher that has had a hot streak this season?
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Sep 22, 2009 10:33 AM MDT up reply actions
I don't know how I could have missed pointing out those similarities.
You win.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Sep 22, 2009 10:04 AM MDT up reply actions
this post confuses me
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 10:10 AM MDT up reply actions
Belliard is a veteran/mostly backup below average hitter riding a hot streak replacing Hudson, a far more superior talent that is struggling.
Torrealba is a veteran/mostly backup below average hitter riding a hot streak replacing Iannetta, a far more superior talent that is struggling.
I wrote the ’Pile and included a link on Belliard/Hudson. It would have been a good place to point out the similarities to draw into Rox discussion
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Sep 22, 2009 10:50 AM MDT up reply actions
oh right right
confusion is cleared out now
Mike McCoy Status: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Seth Smith Status: How do you like me now?!
Chris Iannetta Status: Yeah...see you in the Spring, big guy...
by Andrew Martin on Sep 22, 2009 11:02 AM MDT up reply actions
Some love for Torry
1. He’s been through the 2007 postseason experience, so won’t be intimidated by it
2. He’s seems to actually thrive on the high pressure mode
There may not be alot of support at PR for intangibles, but I can’t help thinking Yorvit has some of those this time of year.
Patrick Saunders: I think Kruk is lazy.
How long
can you hit .750 w/ RISP?
Posting 65 comments/day since June '07.
by DbacksSkins on Sep 22, 2009 12:58 PM MDT up reply actions
And
will Jim Tracy recognize it when he starts to fade?
Posting 65 comments/day since June '07.
by DbacksSkins on Sep 22, 2009 12:59 PM MDT up reply actions
Not so much when
but instead how far would it have to fade before making a change?
Funny Dog to Make Life Worthwhile
by frightened inmate #2 on Sep 22, 2009 1:44 PM MDT up reply actions
Imagine....
…how much better Tulo will be if/when he develops a proper two strike approach. He’s got one of the better two strike hitters I’ve ever seen just ahead of him in the lineup. He needs to read watch and learn.
He's hitting about .250 with two strikes, which honestly, isn't so bad
He’s over .300 with 4 HR in ~90 AB’s with a 1-2 count
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Sep 22, 2009 11:58 AM MDT up reply actions
More importantly than anything else posted here,
Mark Reynolds is awesome — as recognized by USA Today.
Posting 65 comments/day since June '07.
Dear Coloradoans,
Will the weather hold up tonight?
Actually, now that you bring it up,
That cold weather should be a pretty big advantage for the Rockies against a team coming from Southern California. Too bad we’re coming from Arizona ourselves.
Padres are coming in from Pittsburgh...
They won in 11 last night as Heath Bell blew another save. He also threw 30 pitches, and that was his third straight appearance. So he likely won’t be available tonight.
I was wondering what our record is when the temp is below 45.
"I've had pretty good success with Stan Musial by throwing him my best pitch and backing up third." - Carl Erskine
I suspect they'll play tonight...
Nobody wants any doubleheaders later in the week.
I’ll be there, but it’s going to be a cold (and possibly wet) night.
Go Rockies
hopefully the weather holds up in Denver
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!!
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