Rockies coming back to earth, lose to Giants. Again.
by Rox Girl on May 7, 2011 11:37 PM MDT
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The final score was 3-2. Clayton Mortensen pitched well for Colorado. The Rockies, however, had more GIDP's than were necessary, I think. Also I could have done without the whole contact play misery. And that Mike Fontenot guy. I mean, really, the Rockies lose because of the guy that couldn't beat Miguel Tejada for the Giants starting shortstop job?
At any rate. Todd Helton had two RBI, that was nice. The bullpen has been brought to the point of exhaustion too early in the season by the failure of starters to go deep, mismanagement , overuse and injury, that's not so nice. That aside, however, this is precisely the kind of game we should shrug off as fans. Early May, Mike Fontenot, at a hostile park, it's too easy to see the recent slump as part of a bigger impending doom, and who knows, maybe it is, but it could also just be another bump in the race track.
Go to bed, take a deep breath and let's get back up tomorrow.
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Mortenson had a K/BB ratio of 4/3, and was king of the BABIP fluke and LOB% maniac. LOL. But I guess that’s just the Giants getting lucky again.
You're not a 49er unless you got a gold star from Trent Baalke. Only "high character" guys get to play for the 49ers. The team is built in the locker room, as we all know.
Thanks for representing in a better light, Pain.
Nomadic baseball fan, with no agenda other than observation/conversation/mass confusion/mass consumption. And annoying 09.
Prosecutor: "Jesus Christ, did ANYBODY tell the truth to the grand jury?"
Barry Bonds: "I did."
Prosecutor: "GAH!"
by victor frankenstein on May 8, 2011 12:06 AM MDT up reply actions
Also, I fixed this for you.
Everyone on the board seems to be more excited when we beat the Rockies than when we beat most other teams (Dodgers notwithstanding).
That seems to me to be certainly indicative of a fan rivalry.
Although the players do seem to be getting into itO NOE I DID NOT JUST SAY THAT
AND LINTSCOMB DINT SAY WUT HE SED NEETHER
Nomadic baseball fan, with no agenda other than observation/conversation/mass confusion/mass consumption. And annoying 09.
Prosecutor: "Jesus Christ, did ANYBODY tell the truth to the grand jury?"
Barry Bonds: "I did."
Prosecutor: "GAH!"
by victor frankenstein on May 8, 2011 1:36 AM MDT up reply actions
obvious troll is obvious
you still have to play the game, no matter how shiny liriano's FIP is*
ok, so he threw a no-hitter...everybody gets lucky sometimes.
the only organization of humans responsible for more evil in the universe than the philadelphia phillies is the boston red sox
*f. liriano's FIP currently sits at 5.63**
** suck it dave cameron
I think it's safe to say we've officially entered our first downturn of the season
it was bound to happen sooner or later. The interesting question is how long does it go on? Even great teams have losing streaks at some point. The thing that separates them from the merely contending teams is how they react to them and how soon they can overcome them.
Todd Helton has been the closest thing to a spark over the last few games. I’ll be amazed if he plays a 6th straight, on a day game after a night game. So it would be a great chance for someone else to point the team in the right direction. It’ll take a team effort, but team efforts usually have an individual effort as their catalyst.
"The game of baseball is made up of many little things. If we do all the little things right, then we'll never have a big thing to worry about" -- Cal Ripken, Sr.
Johnny Herrera Fan Club Member -- "Mr. Fundamental"
Yankee Haters Encouragement Group Member #3
I think it's safe to say this loss blows
"These are thin mints. I put them in the freezer. My favorites. So good."
--Reds outfielder Adam Dunn, on the girl scout cookies he keeps in his locker
where is that pesky antirec button
"I think I speak for everyone in here when I say it's playoffs or bust"- J. Hammel
Toddfather, Tulo, CarGo plus The Answer - Rox 2011 NL West Crown
Orig.Thugget Loyalist #4, UNugg #4, QPU Emeritus, Proud member PR Gynocracy
Stop with Matchup Madness!
While I am not one to blame Tracy or think he’s a problem, I do think he’s becoming too matchup crazy. Belisle could go multiple innings last year and got both righties and lefties out…yet Tracy feels the need to replace him with Reynolds with 2 outs and nobody on to face the fearsome Mike Fontenot? WTF??? These little decisions are why we have to resort to using Paulino and Morales sooner than otherwise would be the case. Then, in the 9th, he uses three pinch hitters, two for position players. That’s using up your bullets in a game that likely would have to go extras if we were to win. I think managers who use up so many bullets, so quickly, in tie games are putting their squads at a huge disadvantage. Such has been the case with Tracy lately. He seems to have lost confidence in his players to overcome their platoon handicaps, and the players are in turn also losing confidence. Baseball is a game of confidence, and Tracy isn’t helping out that cause lately with all his lineup shuffling, matchup switches, etc. This can cause a prolonged team slump, guys and gals.
I wasn't a fan of the 'Reynolds coming in to face Fontenot' move either
"These are thin mints. I put them in the freezer. My favorites. So good."
--Reds outfielder Adam Dunn, on the girl scout cookies he keeps in his locker
At the risk of sounding like a broken record
Do not use your worst relievers with the game on the line. 9th inning and beyond in a tie game, the game is on the line. Do not use your worst relievers during these times. To use your worst relievers when the opponent is in a perpetual state of walkoff is foolhardy at best. Use your best relievers available until they are no more.
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I feel like there would have to be a paradigm shift among baseball managers for that to change.
Whether it was Paulino or some other pitcher, the great majority of baseball managers follow the same philosophy of not using their closer in a tie game on the road. I mostly agree with you, but feel like it’s useless to spend much energy on it, as most any other manager you replace Tracy with would likely do the same thing.
Now, if you want to make a change so that the non-Street guy that gets used in that spot is better than Paulino (or make less switches earlier so that there were more options later), that seems a more likely scenario to me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens soon.
yeah that's pretty much the end of my "announcing" this clever fact
I’ll still whine about it though.
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by Andrew Martin on May 8, 2011 1:31 AM MDT up reply actions
Could we lose the
“Purple Row – Rockies Losing? The World is Ending. Rockies Winning? The World is Ending.” ?
I recall when that went up is when the soul crushing losses started. Thx.
per popular demand, it has been changed.
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by Andrew Martin on May 8, 2011 1:13 AM MDT up reply actions
Heh
Nice one.
Altar Boy in the Church of Santo Ubaldo
"...buffalo chicken is a fine anti-depressant, after all." -UZ
it'd better have some wins in it carnsarn it
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by Andrew Martin on May 8, 2011 1:32 AM MDT up reply actions
Not from my side of the family crypt.
I missed the whole game, but saw the score on MLB.com.
My condolences to the composure of the pliable Purplians amongst you.
I started reading the GDT but haven’t yet finished, as something was posted – again – that I feel needs to be addressed. Again.
Granted, this wasn’t the first of these I ran across. But its unique content begs a similarly unique response.
I remember somebody saying that offense occasionally falters…
But for what – 12 games in a row?
Yeah, well – the Rockies are hitting the same way Carney had the Giants hitting for two years.
star The more you know.
by lucky777 on May 7, 2011 7:40 PM MST reply actions
Well.
First…
Oh, no worries. I’d never allow a Bleacher Report “report” to be my sole source of outside opinion.
Wait, what was that?
Lansford, who was hitting coach for the Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate this season,For those of you afraid of scaaary links that was written 11/1/2007
Now, let’s reflect on the Rockies’ progress in the 2007 season.
Up until that unfortunate meteor strike in Massachusetts.
If Lansford’s instruction is so screwy then why did the Rockies ever lose Alan Cockrell (who?), the miracle worker who so successfully corrected all the flaws he instilled?
Nomadic baseball fan, with no agenda other than observation/conversation/mass confusion/mass consumption. And annoying 09.
Prosecutor: "Jesus Christ, did ANYBODY tell the truth to the grand jury?"
Barry Bonds: "I did."
Prosecutor: "GAH!"
by victor frankenstein on May 8, 2011 12:59 AM MDT reply actions
This is not me lashing out at Rox Girl
But perhaps I’m lashing out at something I’ve been reading on PR for the past three weeks as this team has fallen into a pretty substantial funk. And if not for the 2 game “sweep” of the Cubs it could probably be properly labeled a tailspin; 4-10 since the Giants came to Coors not counting the Cubs road series. “Aw gee shucks you win some you lose some we got unlucky let’s go out and win tomorrow” is getting pretty damn old at this point. This team is hitting like crap and it’s been going on for weeks now. It’s tired. I’m sick of it and I’m sick of close losses to garbage teams that stem from pathetic offense. The Giants are not a garbage team, but the Pirates and Dbacks are and our bats rolled over for them. Now it’s becoming a regular occurrence. What are we hitting with RISP since the home Cubs series? I don’t even want to know. It’s sad that the bullpen has been walked off on in three consecutive, but they’ve been pretty effective this year overall. And the starters have finally gotten their act together recently. How about we decide to actually hit the effing ball occasionally? That would really tickle me. I think that’s the answer to making me excited about watching this team again, not “well this is the kind of game we should shrug off as fans.” I’ll start shrugging off losses when they stop looking like the exact same game played over and over and over again.
Wait, what's his real name? We should make a joke out of that.
by BrandonHawpe on May 8, 2011 1:33 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
It's baseball, a 162 game season that has twice as many highs and lows as basketball and hockey, 10 times as many as football.
Rockies fans of all people should know this. What those of us in this camp are saying is that you still have to look at the aggregate season and talent on the staff not just on the last two weeks, additionally, you can’t just throw out a series like that. That’s like fans that want to throw out the last 14 games of 2007, or of 2010 for the opposite side of the coin, and say that they shouldn’t count. It’s all part of the season, it all gets added together in the end. Sure, every loss is painful, but all this fan angst over a bad stretch, particularly with so many close, one run losses that really could have gone either way with just minor differences, is likely a bit misguided and not seeing the forest for the trees.
by Rox Girl on May 8, 2011 6:45 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
by the way, too, the "shrug this loss off" bit was as much for Giants fans
who are feeding off the angst of all the high drama “woe is us” types on the board and finding it fodder for mockery as it was for Rockies fans. Seriously. Their team is far less relevant this year. Baseball fans just haven’t realized it yet.
I certainly believe that
but if the Rockies keep doing the same thing on the road that put them in such a massive hole last year- 2, 3, maybe 4 runs, RISP failure after RISP failure after RISP failure- the Giants can still take the division with the 85 win season I think they’ll have. The final standings will look like they did in 2008, only the Giants will be the Dodgers and we’ll be the Dbacks. I get the whole forest/trees thing, but I’d also feel a lot better about their road ineptitude if they had hit a little bit better than .226/.303/.351 on the road last year.
Wait, what's his real name? We should make a joke out of that.
by BrandonHawpe on May 8, 2011 10:04 AM MDT up reply actions
Their team is far less relevant this year.
please don’t stop believing this.
Turns out you can spell Ugnio Vlz without 4 E's
by The Gene Hackman on May 8, 2011 12:54 PM MDT up reply actions
It's a little less believable now.
Nomadic baseball fan, with no agenda other than observation/conversation/mass confusion/mass consumption. And annoying 09.
Prosecutor: "Jesus Christ, did ANYBODY tell the truth to the grand jury?"
Barry Bonds: "I did."
Prosecutor: "GAH!"
by victor frankenstein on May 8, 2011 10:10 PM MDT up reply actions
This loss is on the offense
As frustrating as it is to see Paulino take another loss (and the under-use of Belisle that lead to the situation), the offense never gave the bullpen a lead to defend.
In perspective, this was only the first 3 game losing streak of the season, and in SF where the Rockies always struggle to score runs.
It would be really great to break the losing streak today, the pitching match up is in our favour, but Helton will be getting a day off (assuming Giambi plays 1st?). Tulo could do with a day as well looking at his current slump, no off day tomorrow.
What the Rockies need is a homestand of more than 3 days, with decent weather, and to steamroller some mediocre opponents. Ah would you look at that, Mets and Pads are coming to town!
Now if we could just get out of the Bay with a W. Please!
The Giants won and they put up two runs until the 9th.
They just happened to put a pitcher out there that can actually pitch. Regardless of how you spin it, we did NOT.
Paulino has already proven himself to be unreliable. This isn’t just another game of 162. It’s essential we do everything we can to win games against the biggest threat in our division. Paulino blew it last night and he blew it IMMEDIATELY tonight.
Tracy needs to stop the matchup crazy BS. There is absolutely NO reason Herrera should have been a bench player for this game. I have no doubt that Smith could hit lefties better than Spilly could hit a high school pitcher at this point. Reynolds replacing Belisle for Fontenot??? Utter nonsense. In fact, in a tie game where you might go in to extras it’s freaking madness. Over managing at it’s finest.
by Skullduggerman on May 8, 2011 2:59 AM MDT up reply actions
Via Renck
I asked Tracy about the status of Paulino and Morales. He said that they have to pitch in those situations, that’s their role.
Really Jim?!?!?!?!?!?!
Really??
The role of the two worst pitchers on the staff is to pitch in the most important inning of back to back games against the team you will be most likely be fighting for the division with all season?
The only good thing about these two losses is that they might send Paulino packing — And if there’s any chance that’s the case, I will personally drive across this country and give him a lift to the airport because if Jim Tracy actually thinks that his role is to pitch in situations like that, I want him off this roster ASAP (especially the way Daley and Brothers have been pitching in AAA)
MEMO to Jim Tracy: Don’t save Huston Street for extra innings because when you use Paulino and Morales in the 9th, there’s probably not gonna be a 10th; even if you’re facing a lineup as awful as the Giants.
I wasn't alive during the dead ball era; but thanks to the Padres, I know what baseball was like back then.
by RhodeIslandRoxfan on May 8, 2011 4:26 AM MDT reply actions
yes this!! Please. Can we get rid of Paulino and bring up Daley. And when you need to win a game, when you’ve been walked off on 2 days in a row.. AAAAAGH. Not Paulino and Morales!!!!! Again!!!
Also agree with Skullduggerman. Smith and Herrera should have been in this game.
I don’t like to complain about managing and stuff and I can’t pretend to be very knowledgeable about baseball but it just feels like watching on the TV, like Tracy was doing too much.
“Manager Jim Tracy had already used Matt Belisle, Matt Lindstrom and Matt Reynolds to keep the score close, and Rafael Betancourt was unavailable. That left Huston Street, who was only entering with a lead, and Paulino,…”
If you use Belisle Lindstrom and Reynolds to keep the score close, why, just, I can’t, it’s like once the 9th inning turns, well put in the 2 worst pitchers of course because who cares about keeping the score close in the 9th inning!! Right!! I don’t know. I’m going to go to bed now and wake up for a better game I hope.
The last two games have a significant difference
On Friday the worst guy out of the bullpen blew the lead.
Last night the offense never gave the bullpen a lead to defend!
OH SOOO THIS!!!!!!
The results of last night really brought out my frustrations. The comments of RIRF and ejskater pretty much outline what I was asking as this fiasco was happening. I live in Colorado Springs and I will be very happy to pack Paulino’s bags and either drive him to the airport or back down here to the AAA team. I believe that Houston got the better end of the deal, giving us Paulino for Barmes.
How many more times does Morales need to prove that he is incapable of effectively pitching in high pressure situations? Agreed he is better than last season (so far) but I saw the old Frankie Mo last night. He just isn’t a set up man or closer. I have to admit that I am pulling for the guy but, last night was NOT the time to use him.
That said, I am looking forward to a win today from our present Ace Jorge.
GO ROCKIES!
"It ain't over 'til it's over." Yogi Berra
"Boys, baseball is a game where you gotta have fun. You do that by winning."
Dave Bristol
"First and foremost, we want to win the Western division" Jim Tracy
Almost every manager in baseball saves Street for a lead on the road.
No use trying to get that to change.
The only thing I would put on Tracy was not letting Belisle finish the 7th. If that happens, maybe we get Lindstrom in the 9th instead. But of course, then maybe Paulino gives it up in the 10th instead.
As for Tracy’s statement, I’m pretty sure he means mainly, pitching at the end of the bullpen and holding the opponents to wherever they are.
The Rockies are down right now
Our bullpen has had a couple rough days. The offense is not playing to the level it needs to consistently and Jim Tracy does need to adjust what he is doing because he is encouraging our players to run into outs on the bases
Even with all that there is one shinning amazing piece of information. This is the first time all season we are in a position to be swept. First. ALL SEASON. I know that it is SSS and all that, but this has never happened in April/early May. I checked because I wanted to confirm, we have never got out of April without at least two times where the rubber game is not the one we must win or we get no wins in a series.
This is what I see. I see a team that is good enough that when they are down, wins still happen. Even more they are in EVERY GAME. Walk off losses are painful and when Paulino came in I went from feeling we had a chance to thinking the game was likely over.
We will have to see what happens. If thy win today then my fan meter shoots back up to 100. Right now it is at a nice solid 95 still because this team is very good at what they do.
I want to say how awesome a particular Rockies player is and that he will be the MVP, but the last time I mentioned it in my sig he went out with an injury, so, GO PLAYER WHO IS SO AWESOME!
who on earth would have thought in 2011 we would be complainging about the UNDERuse of matt belisle...
you still have to play the game, no matter how shiny liriano's FIP is*
ok, so he threw a no-hitter...everybody gets lucky sometimes.
the only organization of humans responsible for more evil in the universe than the philadelphia phillies is the boston red sox
*f. liriano's FIP currently sits at 5.63**
** suck it dave cameron
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