Monday Morning Rockpile:

to combat any declining output is to add more elsewhere.  The easiest place is catcher, where a return to form for Iannetta will soften the blow a great deal.  He's starting to put it together this month, and a hot September could go a long way in restoring confidence (both for him and the club in him).  I also thinks he needs a better partner, and will still plug away for Michael Barrett.  His down year actually works in favor of the Rockies, as it should keep his price down.  an Iannetta/Barrett catching tandem should be offensively sound if not dangerous, and Iannetta's defensive skills are still solid for everyday duty.

I think the outfield is also a place production can be added, and it comes at a decrease in playing time for all players not named Holliday.  Taveras has shown that with everyday duty he'll tired and breakdown.  Once Spilborghs got everyday duty, he too seemed to lose bat speed and suffered from overexposure.  When Hawpe plays too much against lefties, he racks up the K's, and perhaps more rest in the first half will prevent another second half swoon of sorts.  How do you share time?  Add Seth Smith, and map out a usage pattern where Hawpe and Taveras get 60% and Spilborghs and Smith get 40% of the playing time.  That gives you two lefties with pop, a righty with pop, one speedster, and three centerfielders.  If everyone plays relatively consistently, they'll all hopefully stay fresh and stay sharp.  Plus, if you play more matchups with these guys, you should also put these players in the best position to produce, and thus maximize the run producing potential of the lineup.

Lastly, second base could potentially see an upgrade through trade.  I like Matsui okay, but his work on the road and his lack of plate discipline woudn't make me heart broken to see him go.  Who knows, maybe Milwaukee shops Rickie Weeks, we swap Fuentes for him, and he begins to recover the offensive value everyone thought he had.  He's far from a defensive asset, but who knows what a player can do under the tuteledge of Walt Weiss?  He has the athleticism to at least be average.  Rickie Weeks is just an example, but Josh Barfield could be a bounceback candidate, and there are a couple prospects that might be available through trade.

As for Stewart, it's hard to see what more AAA time will do for him.  His month to month numbers don't show a destinct difference, so it's hard to say he was "fixing" anything or suffering from a correction in numbers.  I think he should be able to hit .270/.340/.430 in his rookie season, which isn't spectacular or Atkins worthy, but is still above average and allows the team to more effectively manage its assets.  If Garrett Atkins can land Matt Garza and another player, isn't the tradeoff of Stewart+Garza a net gain over Atkins?  Besides, Garrett is only hitting .247/.319/.427 on the road (and over the second half, it's improved some to (.282/.336/.491), so we shouldn't get overly carried away with Atkins' offensive value.  He gets the most out of hitting at home, and you can't blame him for it, but we also have to remember that Stewart will also have that luxury.  I think Stewart can match Atkins in average and on base in the majors right now, but it's the power where Atkins has him beat at the moment.  

Lastly, I think '08 is a good year to look for the playoffs, but we shouldn't get carried away with thinking from year to year, and look at the bigger picture.  The positive improvement of Jimenez, Francis, Corpas, and Tulowitzki as well as a farm system that is very close to being equipped to continually provide to the big league club has expanded the Rockies' window of competing a great deal.  I don't think moving Stewart in for Atkins dashes the hopes of '08 near as much as you suggest, since Stewart for Atkins isn't a zero sum question.  

You have to look at the equation as Stewart + return on Atkins, which can potentially tip the scales in favor of dealing him.  Of curse, I like the equation Stewart + Atkins - Helton much better...

Hurdle said they were bringing Bautista up.

I haven't heard much on him this year, anyone have a recent scouting report?