Aaron Cook admitted yesterday to "some tightness in getting loose for his two previous starts," and as a result he will not start Friday night against the Diamondbacks. Instead, Jason Hirsh will make his first and only start of the 2008 season. In three relief appearances, this is what Hirsh has done for the Rockies this season:

Maybe this will be a good way for Hirsh to start his bid early for a spot in the 2009 rotation. The first three spots are already locked up (in no particular order) with Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis, and Ubaldo Jimenez. Hirsh, Greg Reynolds, and Franklin Morales [EDIT]and Jorge De La Rosa[/EDIT] are likely to battle for those final two spots with whomever the Rockies bring in to compete. I guess we could also throw in Brandon Hynick and Sean Smith. Of course, we won't have to watch tonight's starter, Livan Hernandez, take part in the competition. We won't have that nightmare haunting us throughout the off season.

As for Cook, his decision to skip his final start is a good one. Sure, we'd like to see him win a 17th game, but he'll have more chances to win 17 games in the seasons ahead.

Clint Hurdle takes responsibility for this season and says it's on him for the team to play better baseball. But for how much longer will it be his responsibility?

Jack Etkin looks at Rai Henninger, who was injured in 2007 during a fireworks display.

Having difficulty placing the first two names? They're the agents for Brian Fuentes and Livan Hernandez, respectively, both of whom should benefit from yesterday's 1-0 victory over the Padres as much as anybody. Rather than being a test of the Rockies future, yesterday's game turned out to be more of a showcase for two players who are almost certain to sign elsewhere in 2009 and one whose future with the team may be just as short if the Rockies could find a willing trade partner.

One thing that remains a major issue on the offensive side of the ball, and this goes with item 1c in PinchHitLancePainter's diary, and was in ample evidence yesterday is the offense's inability to adjust at the plate. Josh Geer is a AAAA soft tossing, fastball-changeup-curve pitcher that should normally be expected to get thrashed by major league quality hitters. Sure he was the Texas League pitcher of the year last season, but that's simply because the minors are his natural home. That is probably part of the problem in that everybody save Chris Iannetta seemed to be trying too hard to hit his pitches over the fence every time they came to the plate. It's not surprising then that only Joe Koshansky succeeded. Win or not, Josh Geer made the Rockies look like a AAA team yesterday, and that should never be an acceptable outcome.

Wilin Rosario was named the Pioneer League's top prospect by Baseball America. Sorry I haven't put up more minor league review pieces yet, I've had power outage issues this week thanks to residual winds from Hurricane Ike. I'll try and get Casper's and Tri-City's finished by the end of this weekend.

Seriously, Livan Hernandez gets kicked out of the rotation after his struggles, to put it lightly, only to be put back in after the Rockies announce Jeff Francis won't pitch for the rest of the season? That's just the way the season has gone. Livan Hernandez says, "I am going to throw everything and give us a chance to win." I believe I wrote this once before: Sometimes throwing your best just isn't good enough. Sometimes your best sucks. Let's hope Francis returns to form in 2009, since we don't need the Rockies bringing in more pitchers to patchwork a rotation, if you can call it that.

Garrett Atkins wants to forget this season, put the possibility of a trade in the off-season aside, and just play ball for the Rockies. How true will Atkins's last supposition be years from now?

The RMN obtained a copy of the Rockies' 2009 schedule. I'm looking forward to that four-game series at Citi Field at the end of July. May Citi Field be kinder to the Rockies than Shea Stadium has over the last few years.

It seems strange to look at the standings as we approach the end of August. Many of us thought the Rockies would have been over .500 at this point and well on their way to capturing an NL West title or at least in the hunt for the Wild Card. Things didn't turn out that way. But it's not exactly a stretch to say the Rockies are still in it. Both the RMN and the Denver Post see some writing on the wall for it. Given the poor state of the NL West this season, hell, it's so tempting to say it will happen.

The NL West's worst, the Padres, have just taken the first two games of a three-game series against the division-leading D'Backs. They're 7-10 against the D'Backs this season. The Rockies are 2-10 with six games remaining. Let's take a look at the Rockies's records against their remaining opponents:

Not wildly encouraging, but the chance is there. Maybe Clint Hurdle has the solution on how to keep this going, which he gave in response to De La Rosa's outing. From the DP story:

"I just stopped watching at one point," manager Clint Hurdle admitted. "But it's a credit to him that he was able to get out it."

If he stops watching there's less of a chance that he'll do something.

Looks like the Rockies are trying to do something about their baserunning gaffes. From the RMN's Rockies Report:

Trenidad Hubbard, the Rockies' organizational baserunning and outfield instructor, is with the team in San Francisco, his first extended look at the major league club this season.

There's no time like the present to correct problems, but then there's also no time like the past in which to correct things so they don't happen in the present. If that makes any sense.

And so we wait in anticipation for Livan Hernandez's start tonight. Or we can place bets on whether Matt Holliday can reach 30-30 this season during the ensuing hours.

via soundbiteblog.com

Yeah, that's the funeral procession Troy Renck starts his game recap with. Though it may be a bit more extravagant than the Rockies deserve. And since Aaron Cook's not taking the mound on Thursday, that procession gets just a little bit longer: Glendon Rusch, Jorge De La Rosa, and Livan Hernandez.

Let's look on some of the better things going on right now. Dexter Fowler's words to live by are those for his father's company: "Exceeding Expectations." Here's one of the many good parts of that piece:

Asked whether Fowler's performance this season was unanticipated by the Rockies organization, [Bill] Geivett said, "I think so. . . . He doesn't have as good a bat control as he probably will when he really has his true strength that he's going to have. I think he's very close to that. He's much stronger and quicker with the bat now, and I think that's what's really helped him take off."

Fowler desires to earn a degree in computer science in the future. Reminds me of a few years ago when Mark Prior completed his degree at USC. Greg Maddux told him he was overqualified for the job.

Bill Geivett also chimed in on what Casey Weathers needs to do to get to the majors:

To get there, Geivett said Weathers needs to acquire "true command of his fastball. Right now, he's got OK control of it. But really true command where he can follow the (catcher's) glove with his fastball and put it there when he needs to - I'd say that's the biggest issue that he faces."

The future can't get here soon enough.

Gotta have better results tonight, right?

So, the Rockies brought in Livan Hernandez in an effort to improve their chances of catching fire. It hasn't worked yet (and won't). Tonight's opponent, the D'Backs, brought in Adam Dunn last night and will get . . . I guess the Rockies will be the first to answer that question. Dunn will bat cleanup and start in right field tonight. Livan Hernandez or Adam Dunn? Dunn or Hernandez? Who's actually going to improve their new team?

I'd like to see the infield configuration mentioned in that article:

A more complicated maneuver: Dunn to left, Jackson to first, Tracy to third and Mark Reynolds to second base to take the place of the injured Orlando Hudson.

Melvin wouldn't rule out moving Reynolds to second, but added, "At this point right now, he's playing third base."

Reynolds at second would be . . . good for a laugh?

The Rockies haven't talked with Garrett Atkins or Matt Holliday about new deals recently:

With third baseman Ian Stewart gaining traction offensively, the Rockies are expected to shop Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins over the winter. Stewart could replace either, though he has never played a major-league inning as an outfielder.

There have been no recent contract talks with Holliday or Atkins. Holliday is signed through next season, his last before free agency. Atkins was first-time arbitration eligible a year ago.

But Stew can't replace both, so possibly trading both during the off season doesn't make much sense. The tacit message in that is that Todd Helton will still be the Rockies' first baseman.

And let's close with this:

"The three-game series is an opportunity for us to get things right," manager Clint Hurdle said Sunday after the Rockies were drubbed 16-7 by San Diego. "And if it gets away from us then, we'll know where we are at the end of those three games. It could be sobering, and it could be something to hold onto and look forward."

Can the guy ever be specific? Anyway, Iet's see if the Rockies can club the Snakes this time around.

1-8. The Rockies have one win in nine games against the Snakes. There are nine games left between the two teams. That means, if the Rockies drop two of three in this coming series, there's going to be another SnakePit Day around these parts some time between the end of the season and the day pitchers and catchers report.

Or to put it another way, the Rockies need to win out against the D'Backs in order to have Purple Row Day over at the SnakePit. Strangers things have happened--I guess.

And does anyone remember what the original bet for the 2007 season between Rox Girl and Jim was? Take a look for yourselves here. Yeah, that's right. It involved current Rockie Livan Hernandez. You know, the guy who thinks the fans didn't see the real Livan yesterday. The guy who gets another chance on Saturday against his former team, the Nationals. At least he sounds sincere after his poor performance:

"I try my best," Hernandez said. "It's not happen the way I want. It's difficult. I got to move forward and help the team win. I know I no do good today. I'm sorry. I try my best."

Still, what will it take for the higher-ups to realize that even the best out of a pitcher or player just won't be good enough? We may never find out.

Note to Rox Girl: Stop making bets with Jim and the SnakePit.