Brian Fuentes has until this Sunday to accept or decline the Colorado Rockies' offer of arbitration. Fuentes could make $10M on a one-year deal if he accepts and wins his arbitration case, but does anyone seriously believe Fuentes would accept that at this point? Though Dan O'Dowd has said nothing would surprise him with the state of the economy, Fuentes accept arbitration would be a surprise to me. Given the comments Fuentes' agent has made over the last month, Fuentes would need to have a serious change of heart this week to take himself off the free agent market.

Of course, the Rockies will get two picks for Fuentes when he does sign somewhere else. But the Arizona Diamondbacks will receive five draft picks all together after offering arbitration to Type A free agents Juan Cruz and Orlando Hudson and Type B free agent Brandon Lyon. The total would have been seven had they offered Adam Dunn, a Type A free agent, arbitration.

The Los Angeles Dodgers offered arbitration to Type A free agents Manny Ramirez and Derek Lowe and Type B free agent Casey Blake. The Dodgers did not offer arbitration to Type B free agent Joe Beimel, whom the Rockies have interest in. The blog entry incorrectly states Beimel (and a few other Dodger free agents) to be Type A. Thomas Harding also incorrectly writes that Beimel would have cost the signing team a draft pick had he been offered arbitration. So, the Dodgers not offering arbitration to Beimel really doesn't work in favor of the Rockies or any other team since he was never going to cost a draft pick in the first place.

Larry Walker turned 42 yesterday. Texas Rangers fans think about what they would have lost had Walker not vetoed a trade to there in 2004.

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.