Miscellaneous
Team Chemistry: Making and Breaking Teams
by CBake33 on Feb 13, 2012 11:00 AM MST
in Miscellaneous
Team chemistry is one of the most underrated, yet important aspects of a team sport. Although it is also much less relevant than home runs and strikeouts, it can impact your team on a deeper scale. Unfortunately, you cannot practice team chemistry, you cannot build team chemistry (literally anyway), and sacrificing the quality of your team for a group of best friends will get you fired. A manager is left with the daunting responsibility of fielding a winning team and maintaining/creating good team chemistry.
Although good team chemistry can be a great thing, and underrated, it is oftentimes overrated. Good team chemistry can make a good team better, but good team chemistry cannot make a bad team good (Unless your manager is Gordon Bombay). Bad team chemistry can make a bad team worse, and a even make a good team bad. As a player in the Colorado Rockies organization, I was a part of both good and bad team chemistry.
As a fan, you get to see everyone on their best behavior. Most players aren't going to argue and settle their differences in the dugout or on the field (if you do want to see that though, tune in to the Miami Marlins this season), but it certainly happens in the clubhouse and behind closed doors. When you put a group of guys from all different walks of life, in a small room or bus, without air conditioning, with small seats, tempers will flare, and words will be exchanged. It's the ugly head that only makes an appearance when the proverbial cup "runneth over".
Now, while I didn't spend much time at the big league level (or any, for that matter), I was still able to see how team chemistry is different at that level. The Colorado Rockies have/had a strong core when it comes to team chemistry. It was a very inviting and laid back atmosphere that spring training (2010), but at the same time you were expected to get your work done, and do it the right way.
Manager Jim Tracy was the confident and focused leader. He made it known what he expected from his players and made sure that everyone took the necessary steps to make it happen. Ubaldo Jimenez led by example. Jason Giambi and Todd Helton had fun, yet worked harder than most everyone else. Troy Tulowitzki has that godlike aura around him; he could make stubbing his toe look pretty cool. Matt Belisle, Matt Daley, Huston Street and Jason Hammel were always readily available to give some guidance or advice to a rookie. Seemingly great team chemistry, saddening end results for the Rockies faithful.
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Rockies' Jhoulys Chacin Refutes Dan O'Dowd: "I Have Done My Job"
by Rafael Rojas Cremonesi on Feb 12, 2012 1:35 PM MST
in Miscellaneous
This article also appears in the Venezuelan newspaper Meridiano. - RRC
When you talk to Jhoulys Chacin, his voice is calm and shows no signs of fueling the recent controversy over his weight, and his offseason training in Venezuela.
The pitcher has been recently in the news because of recent statements made by Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd and reported by The Denver Post. O'Dowd was upset and claimed Chacin arrived to the United States overweight.
"I came to Arizona this past Monday. I have not stopped training during the winter, both in my country and here. I have always done the best job I could all throughout these past few months," Chacin said. "I don't know where these comments came from, I believe they're the result of what other people have told him, instead of his own personal evaluation".
Chacin comes to Arizona with all spotlights set on him: 53 Major League starts over three seasons made him one of the top hurlers for Colorado. In 2011, Chacin had a 11-14 record with a 3.62 ERA, after experiencing a rollercoaster of a season: his pitching was top notch at the season's start, then flopped after becoming the rotation's ace due to the trade which sent Ubaldo Jimenez to the Cleveland Indians.
O'Dowd claimed Chacin reported to Arizona weighing 218 pounds. The pitcher has different data.
"I reported to Spring Training last year at 228 pounds. I am currently at 226. That's two less pounds than last year," Chacin said.
"Actually, I finished last season at 230 pounds. So I am four pounds lighter than in September. I am looking forward to meeting O'Dowd personally and I am confident that he will have a different conclusion after a first-hand evaluation. He will realize he made conclusions based on incorrect claims made by other people," the pitcher said.
One of the issues is on the table due to O'Dowd's recent claims is the fact Chacin traveled to his native Venezuela throughout the winter instead of staying in the United States. The player does not consider it a decisive factor.
"There's a myth in the baseball world which states Latin players do not work at their hardest during the winter. We return to our home countries and people think all we do is party. That couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, we do take some time off and relax like everyone does. But we are aware of our duties; we are professionals and stay active. We keep ourselves in training and respect the recommendations our organizations make so we can improve ourselves. I have not done anything different to what I did last year," Chacin said.
After finishing the 2010 season, Chacin decided to adopt the same conditioning and nutrition plans set for his former teammate Jimenez. The Rockies decided to focus on his agility and athletics, instead of bulking an already large build.
This year, the Maracaibo native also has focused on one of the things he needs to address: a fastball that has not been as consistent as needed.
"One of the things I have worked on strongly is a better fastball. I have over a month working specifically on that, I believe this is important so I can have more innings pitched under my belt," Chacin said.
"I believe we will put this issue to rest after I get to meet personally with management. Spring Training is just around the corner. I don't believe this will be a major issue. I know I have done my best work possible; and I'm aware of my responsibilities and the tasks I have ahead of me".
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WIll Ubaldo Jimenez' Struggles Motivate Jhoulys Chacin?
by Rafael Rojas Cremonesi on Feb 10, 2012 6:30 PM MST
in Miscellaneous
ed. In light of the interesting commentary on Jhoulys Chacin from Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, we reached out to Venezuelan beat writer Rafael Rojas Cremonesi for some input on the situation. Rafael graciously obliged, and has contributed the following look at Chacin.
Rafael is formerly of Viva Colorado and currently writes for the Venezuelan newspaper Meridiano.
A promising Rockies pitcher spends his offseason in a far away place. He gets to enjoy the sights; then goes and visits his family and his native country. When he reports to Arizona, question marks start to appear. Is he in good shape? Did he work out enough during the offseason? Or did he really enjoy his time off just a little bit too much?
That's what many fans are reasonably wondering after statements made by General Manager Dan O'Dowd about righty Jhoulys Chacin in an interview with The Denver Post's Troy Renck.
O'Dowd is upset by the way Chacin handled his offseason schedule, and the fact that Chacin needs to lose weight. The Venezuela native is presumably weighing 226 pounds; one year ago, he reported to Scottsdale at 218 pounds.
This panorama might look terribly familiar, even moreso in an offseason that has seen so many members of the 2011 club traded away to other teams or simply unsigned and released to free agency. Dan O'Dowd has a plan that could resonate inside of the proper clubhouse culture, and as such, has questioned the character of many of his more unsuccessful players, resulting in so many moves. Not just the moves of this offseason though, but also at the trade deadline, when Ace Ubaldo Jimenez was moved..
Assembling the puzzle of the Ubaldo Jimenez trade looks eerily familiar. The Dominican hurler, after winning 19 games in 2010 went on a two-week voyage to Europe. He visited the Eiffel Tower and met with Pope Benedict XVI at The Vatican. After a contrasting 6-9 record, he was shipped to the Indians for Drew Pomeranz and Alex White. There was plenty of talk about Jimenez, questioning his commitment to baseball during the winter. It sounded shocking in the first place, especially after so many articles and footage dedicated to his remarkable work ethic and character.
Cardinals Stave off Elimination, Win Wild 11-Inning Affair over Rangers
by Bryan Kilpatrick on Oct 27, 2011 11:07 PM MDT
in Miscellaneous
On a chilly night in St. Louis in which a comedy of errors took precedence early on, the Cardinals and Rangers turned up the heat late and provided all of us with a show that we won't soon forget. In the end, David Freese sent the hometown fans home in a frenzy with a walk-off home run off of Mark Lowe in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the casual baseball fan what they wanted to see - a World Series Game 7.
The Rangers came within a strike of winning their first ever world championship on two different occasions, due in large part to a host of mental and physical errors on the part of St. Louis. Matt Holliday and David Freese dropped easy pop flies, while Holliday compounded the mistake by falling asleep at third base and getting picked off by Napoli on a snap throw. Holliday is no stranger to head-scratching mistakes during the postseason, as he was picked off in a critical situation during the 2007 World Series while with the Rockies and allowed a would-be game-ending flyball to hit him in the nether regions in Los Angeles during the 2009 NLDS during his first season as a Cardinal. To make matters worse, Holliday was forced to leave the game after getting picked off due to a finger injury, which FOX somewhat-humorously referred to as a "severly bruised little finger."
Meanwhile, the Rangers had a few errors of their own to deal with, as Michael Young and Elvis Andrus each botched a couple of plays that resulted in runs for the Cardinals. The sloppy defense played by both teams was largely responsible for the back-and-forth nature of the game, in which there were a comined 12 - TWELVE - ties and lead-changes.
The real drama began to unfold in the bottom of the ninth inning, David Freese lined a two-out, two-strike, game-tying two-run double over the head of Nelson Cruz. Before that at-bat, Neftali Feliz was 7-for-7 in postseason save opportunities. In the top half of the following inning, Josh Hamilton picked up his teammate by depositing a 98 mile-per-hour Jason Motte fastball into the seats in right-center field to put the Rangers ahead by two runs once again. However, as they had done all night, the Cardinals refused to give up. As Scott Feldman battled control issues, the Cards crept closer as Ryan Theriot's run scoring groundout cut the lead to one. Then, once again down to within one strike of winning it all, the Rangers failed to put St. Louis away yet again as Lance Berkman lined a single into centerfield to tie the ballgame.
Texas went away rather quietly in the top of the 11th, setting the stage for Freese to continue his storybook postseason with yet another HUGE hit.
Tonight's game was setting up to be truly an incredible ending to what was arguably the best World Series we've seen since 2002. Now, with the way tonight's game played out, and with a Game 7 on the horizon, it has a chance to be one of the best we've seen period.
Win probability graph and other notes after the jump...
Discussion: Baseball!
by Andrew Martin on Oct 6, 2011 10:05 AM MDT
in Miscellaneous
This has to be the worst part of the offseason for teams that aren't still playing. We sit, we watch, we gab about the other teams, and more importantly, we all form strong opinions about our own players. We haven't really heard anything from the front office yet, so everything we're talking about is either speculation or extrapolation from other commentary we've heard from the front office.
Because I'm up to my nose at the office today, I'm going to simply pose a question to you and then let discussion explode like it tends to:
If you could add any Rockies player, past or present, to this roster in hopes of fixing it, who would you add?
Elimination Day Number One Game Thread
by Andrew T. Fisher on Oct 4, 2011 11:30 AM MDT
in Miscellaneous
If the Rockies' September has soured you on baseball sufficiently enough to have checked out the past week, you are forgiven. You have missed some good baseball though, and today is your chance to jump back into the fray. Today guarantees excitement, for today, for the first time in the 2011 MLB playoffs, a team faces elimination.
Actually...three teams could be ousted by the time you sleep tonight. In a matter of hours, the season could be over for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays and.....New York Yankees.
ALDS Game 4 - Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays, 12 MST, TBS
Colby Lewis outdueled David Price and the Rays squandered golden scoring opportunities late in yesterday's Game 3, forcing the Rays to real off two straight against the reigning AL Champions to remain alive. While starting pitching was supposed to be their strength, Tampa has failed to win both games started by their top two pitchers (Price and James Shields). They will throw rookie Jeremy Hellickson (13-10, 2.95, 1.4 fWAR, 4.2 rWAR) against the Rangers' lefty Matt Harrison (14-9, 3.39, 4.2, 4.0) in today's game. Pick: Rays.
NLDS Game 3 - Philadelphia Phillies @ St. Louis Cardinals, 3 MST, TBS
In the lone non-elimination game of the day, the Cardinals will attempt to put the World Series favorites on the brink of elimination. They'll have Jaime Garcia (13-7, 3.56, 3.6, 0.9) on the hill, quite the stud for a Game 3, but the Phillies send out Cole Hamels (14-9, 2.79, 4.9, 5.4). Matt Holliday is still out with tendinitis in his right middle finger - his bat would have been a valuable weapon against the lefty Hamels. Albert Pujols, who has half of the roster's four home runs off Hamels, is hitting just .174 in 24 PA with a negative IsoD against the Philly starter. Pick: Phillies.
ALDS Game 4 - New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers, 6:30 MST, TBS
The Yankees don't have much of a rotation past C.C. Sabathia, so it was paramount that the Yankees ace delivered a win in this series. He did not, getting thoroughly outpitched last night by the soon-to-be AL Cy Young Award winner, Justin Verlander. That means the Yankees will have to win two consecutive games, with Ivan Nova set to face Doug Fister in an fantastic Game 5 matchup at Yankee Stadium. Oh...but the Yankees have to get there first. To do so, they'll have to win tonight behind A.J. Burnett (11-11, 5.15, 1.5, 1.1), who will be countered with Rick Porcello (14-9, 4.75. 2.7, 1.1). Pick: Tigers.
NLDS Game 3 - Milwaukee Brewers @ Arizona Diamondbacks, 7:30 MST, MLB.tv
Arizona has two solid horses in their rotation. Unfortunately, they lost both games Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson started in this series. With their fairy tale season now fully on the brink, Kirk Gibson turns to Josh Collmenter (10-10, 3.38, 2.2, 2.4). The quirky right-hander thrives on deception, which tends to wear down as a team gets longer looks. Milwaukee has indeed faced him twice already, but they managed just 6 hits and didn't score a run in 14 innings. Will they figure him out tonight? The Brewers will march onto the field behind Shawn Marcum (13-7, 3.54, 2.7, 3.3), one of the best pitchers in the league your neighbor has never heard of. Pick: Brewers.
Moneyball and the Rockies: How the Rockies Don't Participate
by Andrew Martin on Sep 23, 2011 1:00 PM MDT
in Miscellaneous
If the site advertising themes didn't clue you in, there's a movie coming out this weekend. A movie starring Brad Pitt. A movie about baseball. A movie that was a book. A book, written by Michael Lewis, called Moneyball. That's right, not written by Billy Beane, despite what Joe Morgan would have you believe.
The concept of Moneyball is that baseball is an unfair game. Teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Cubs, they just flat out have more money than other teams in the league. Whether they make wise spending decisions or not, the fact is that they can make them. Billy Beane's Athletics found themselves in a financial jam, unable to spend money on the big names they wanted. They had to try and find an edge, find a way of acquiring baseball talent on the absolute cheap while filling holes and remaining competitive. This is Moneyball. It's a mistake to say that Moneyball is purely stats.
Advanced stats were the original Moneyball because at the time, Scouting, AVG, RBI, Pitching Wins - that was all the talent evaluators needed to see. At the time, it was fine. But with the high RBI/AVG/whatever guys going for the big bucks, the Athletics needed to find something else. Enter OBP and its ensuing children. Now, OBP wasn't anything new, but it was largely overlooked by the baseball world. The Athletics were able to find guys who posted good OBP numbers who weren't being clamored for by the big money teams, and had a nice run of success with them.
The most common "Moneyball" strategy is just to build from within. It's cheaper... and sort of works. The Rockies very clearly build from within, but they don't display the detachment from their players necessary to succeed in the perpetual Youth movement. Moneyball is more about finding an edge that other teams DON'T have. Finding the NEW Moneyball is what so many small-budget teams are looking for. Royals Review suggests that it's veteran FA players. Pinstripe Alley points out back-end starters as the new market inefficiency. The Rockies clearly feel that their road to success is going to be young players and bringing in strong-character veterans to round out the team.
It doesn't seem to be working right now.
Market inefficiencies are always tricky to spot. Since the rise of Moneyball, every team has worked that much harder to think outside of the box and find that breed of player that everyone else seems to miss. Now that statistical evaluation has caught on with nearly every MLB club, that inefficiency has been pretty much fully exploited. Frankly, the Rockies don't seem like a club willing enough to take a risk like that anyhow. The Rockies fall more in line with the small-to-mid-market standard MO: fall apart for awhile, get a good flow of minor league talent heading to the majors, grab a few bargain FAs here and there, and voila, a MLB team.
It worked for awhile, but as we've seen with guys like Brad Hawpe and Garrett Atkins, the Rockies aren't willing to move guys at the most cost effective moments, and as such aren't able to reinforce their minor league depth with quality prospects, and instead bring in overpaid marginal FAs. As far as running a baseball team in a relatively cost-effective way, the Rockies are certainly well established in that group. But finding means of consistent success? That eludes them yet.
Is there an unexplored area of the market you think the Rockies could capitalize on? Or am I wrong, and the Rockies ARE a Moneyball team, and I just missed it?
SB Nation Launches iPhone App
by Andrew Martin on Aug 25, 2011 9:00 AM MDT
in Miscellaneous
How many of you like to post on the go? Like to post from games? Want to get caught up on the Rockpile on your lunch break? As a smartphone owner, I definitely get mileage out of SBNation's mobile sites, but in this day and age of magical phones that will read you stock quotes while playing your Foo Fighters Greatest Hits and cooking you breakfast, well, we need to take advantage of that platform!
To do exactly that, our tech team has been hard at work and has an exciting announcement to make:
The SB Nation iPhone app is now available in the App Store! And it's Free!
Now you can stay on top of all the latest news and commentary for Purple Row and all 300+ SB Nation blogs from your iPhone. With the SB Nation iPhone app you can:
- Get the latest, breaking sports news as it happens
- Customize your news with your favorite teams, sports and blogs (including Purple Row)
- Get notified of updates to the stories you choose to follow on SBNation.com, regional sites, Baseball Nation, and MMA Nation
- Read and reply to comments
Here's how to get it:
Go to the App Store on your iPhone and search for "SB Nation"
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Go here and click "Download Now"
FAQ
- An Android version of the app is coming soon. Hopefully by the end of the year
- The app is free
- Comments are basic read-and-reply, but SB Nation has plans to enhance them in future updates
- You can use your existing SB Nation user name and password to log in to the app
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