Friday Morning Rockpile:

by Russ on Mar 14, 2008 8:25 AM MDT in Rockpile Comment 20 comments

If there are any concerns over Franklin Morales' velocity during Spring Training, they aren't emanating from Bob Apodaca:

Various scouts have noted that Morales' fastball is coming across the plate between 89-91 this spring, down from the 94- mph heater he threw when he first got called up to the big leagues late last season.

Apodaca, however, is not concerned. Indeed, he sees it as a sign of Morales' maturation.

"I want him to grow as a pitcher and not worry what the gun's showing," Apodaca said. "I want him to grow as a pitcher and throw in the bottom of the strike zone."

That's something Rox Girl brought up on Monday after some Keith Law observations were posted. If Frankie needs to lose a little bit of velocity to become more of a pitcher rather than a thrower, so be it. He'll go five innings today against the Mariners.

The trade winds are blowing. It's becoming pretty clear that the Rockies won't trade Clint Barmes, partly as a result of his utility role with the club and partly for asking price ("return value that would equate to a starting shortstop"). But, the funny thing is that a third team has interest in Barmes: the Giants. Vizquel is out until the middle of April (provided he doesn't suffer any setbacks on the way), Kevin Frandsen has been eliminated from consideration, and Brian Bocock, who has never played above High-A ball, could be the surprise starter at shortstop for the Giants. Bocock was a 9th round pick in the 2006 draft. So they could use Barmes, but the Giants seem more concerned with finding the right deal for Joe Crede. The Giants have offered such stalwarts as pitchers Scott Williamson and Randy Messenger and OF Dave Roberts. The White Sox want a top prospect and a young reliever. Here's a better deal: the Giants get neither player and continue into oblivion this season.

On the other side of the trade spectrum, the Rockies are looking at suitors for Cory Sullivan and Ramon Ramirez. Pods over Sully? You can make a good(?) argument for Pods over Sully if you prefer the speed Pods brings off the bench over Sully's defense. Wells over Rami? Uh, anyone want to tackle that argument?

Seth Smith will work in center field over the rest of Spring Training as he tries to make the team. This just seems like a nice way of saying that he's not going to make the team, but he could use more experience against big leaguers.

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Pods over Sully?

I'll offer a semi-outsider's perspective on this, as a mainly Astros fan who also follows the Rockies. (Retiring to Colo. in a few years.)

Podsednik's from West, Texas -- not the desert region of the state, but a little Czech town named West in Central Texas. I've kind of followed him over the years because he was from our area of the State (I live in Austin) & because when he was with the Brewers, he seemed to always burn the Astros in key moments of the game. That was before he hit a shocking (due to his lack of power) game-winning HR to beat the Astros in the '05 World Series.

Maybe it's just one of those "certain players do well against certain teams" things, but when Podsednik comes up to bat, my reaction is, "Oh no, he's going to dump on us again."

With Sullivan, however, my reaction is always "Oh, good. We're out of the inning."
He's always seemed a very weak offensive player to me. Maybe he's a shade better than Podsednik on defense due to Pods' injuries in recent years,
but I don't think the difference is material.

Plus, if you look at Pods' career, he's had good year/bad year/good year/bad year/injury year. He could be due for another good year. Sullivan's been consistently mediocre over his career -- good guy though he may be.

Bottom line: I think Pods is a better player than Sullivan.

by strosnrocks on Mar 14, 2008 9:25 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Rameriz is out of options

Tracy Ringolsby writes that Rameriz is out of options. Wouldn't it be great if this was a column on the roster report. There is no place that I have found that shows where minor leaguers are with their options.

Anyways, this must put Rameriz on the 25 man roster. Someone else has to go.

by brian8065 on Mar 14, 2008 9:35 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I made a comment on this yesterday

It seems that the team is going to make one of two bad decisions with Kip Wells:

Have him start despite his poor performance this Spring and well, for his career. This would put Redman in the pen in place of Bowie or Newman, opening a slot for Rami.
Put Wells in the pen and try to sneak Ramirez through waivers.

It's setting up to be an unpleasant outcome either way.

by Rox Girl on Mar 14, 2008 10:01 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a bit more

optimistic then you are about cutting Wells, though I'm not sure why. The Rockies have shown this off season, they are willing to spend money to put a good team on the field, mostly from re-signing our own players. I see this as the same...we'll have to pay Wells to not play...but it will be for the betterment of the team.

And it's becoming obvious to even observers over the computer like us....that Wells simply isn't good enough. Or even equal too....other options for the rotation or the bullpen.

So I think the Rockies might make the right player choice, and not just a financial choice and cut Wells. (wow...what a difference a year makes on my out look of the penny pinching Monforts and O'dowd)

Printing "Jeff Baker for Second" bumper stickers

by Redhawk on Mar 14, 2008 12:01 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rockies flashback...

Yesterday I had the enjoyable time of flying to Denver and back in the same day. It included a 6 AM flight and a return home at 9:20 PM with a 2 hour delay while United tried to locate the pilot. However, when I landed in Denver and boarded the train that shuttles passsengers between gates I heard the sweet voice of Allen Roach. He was warning me the train was approaching the next gate, but in my mind all I heard was, "Attention, now batting... Larry Wal--kurrr!!"

There's only one Rocktober!!

by Charlie77 on Mar 14, 2008 10:12 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

That reminds me

Last night I had a dream that Walker came back to have one last at-bat with the Rockies, and due to some machinations of dreamworld, I was sitting in the dugout with the team. Walker hit an inside-the-park homer and ran those bases like a pro, and the whole stadium gave him a standing ovation. It was a great dream.

Officially going to be watching our 2008 playoff run from the other side of the Atlantic!!!

by Silverblood on Mar 14, 2008 10:32 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

My other Rockies dream last night

it should be noted, was less amusing. Matt Holliday kept missing games because he wanted to work at a drugstore instead.

Officially going to be watching our 2008 playoff run from the other side of the Atlantic!!!

by Silverblood on Mar 14, 2008 10:36 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't like that dream...

Cause in my mind I associate drug store with being injured, and that is one thing the rockies do not need.

BTW, what's new with your book, is it out yet? And what's this news about you being on the other side of the Atlantic, did I miss an announcement? (It's ok for me to start a sentence with And because I am a business major not an english major).

There's only one Rocktober!!

by Charlie77 on Mar 14, 2008 10:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pods, Rami

Don't really care if Pods stays and Sullivan goes. They're a wash, IMHO.

As for Ramirez, either you accept that his strong spring is a sign that he's back to where he was -- and thus you put him on the team -- or you don't buy that he's a legit major league reliever and you take advantage of his spring numbers to get what you can from some team while the getting's good.

I'd like to think the former is the right way to go, but the Rox know the guy better than I do.

by BroJB on Mar 14, 2008 10:57 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

If we can trade Rami,

I'm certainly okay with it. He's not the same type of dominant pitcher that Corpas is, and probably isn't even at Buchholz' level. Casey Weathers and Pedro Strop will both also outstrip him in talent. I just don't think we'll be able to pull a trade off, though. Arizona is trying to deal Dustin Nippert, who regularly touches the upper 90's and can't find a taker because everybody knows their situation and that Nippert, Ramirez and several like pitchers could be free commodities in a couple of weeks.

The only upside with this is if we do lose Ramirez, there's a chance that one of these like pitchers will still be available to replace him.

by Rox Girl on Mar 14, 2008 11:37 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kip Wells....

I thought he could turn out to be a "Josh Fogg" type signing, adding a decent bottom of the rotation guy if he could duplicate what he did in Pittsburgh. However, it doesn't seem like that will be the case. His 2001-2004 numbers were pretty solid, but after that its a straight, rapid decline. The thing that scares me the most about him, is his control. I mean, 7 walks, 2 HBP, 1 WP in 14 spring training innings? Yuck.

"This is a game to be savored, not gulped. There's time to discuss everything between pitches or between innings." -- Bill Veeck

by TheChamp on Mar 14, 2008 11:25 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Speier over Ramirez/Wells?

I just read an article on the Rockies website, and it looks like that the spot that Ramirez is fighting for is between him and Ryan Speier instead of Kipper (Kip Wells). I would rather have Speier than Wells, and possibly Ramirez. I wouldn't mind Ramirez, as he has posted the same ERA (1.50) as Speier this spring. However, Ramirez has only played in 4 games (Speier has pitched in 6.

Here's the link: http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080313&content_id=2424772&vkey=spt200 8news&fext=.jsp&c_id=col

Die-hard Rockies fan. On the bandwagon since 7/6/93. Not giving up my seat. EVER! rockiesfan4ever reffered you

by rockiesfan4ever on Mar 14, 2008 12:21 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

not on topic

I've sent you two invites for the fantasy league. Are you still interested?

by Blake20th on Mar 14, 2008 12:27 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh

Sorry I havent checked my email in a while. Yea. I'll join tonite

Die-hard Rockies fan. On the bandwagon since 7/6/93. Not giving up my seat. EVER! rockiesfan4ever reffered you

by rockiesfan4ever on Mar 14, 2008 3:05 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, let's break it down:

Speier's not really in the picture for the start of the year. This kind of article is just to keep him motivated and let him know that the team really does value his pitching. The Rockies are saying that he's competing for a spot, but that would entail Kip Wells being in the rotation (bad), Redman in the pen (numerous reports of Hurdle wanting an extra left hander besides Fuentes) and Bowie and Newman -who both have also had excellent Springs- are in Colorado Springs, while Ramon Ramirez had been designated for assignment but was claimed off waivers by the Padres and Josh Towers similarly had been claimed by St. Louis. Speier in reality only enters the discussion if the Rockies are able to trade Rami (very unlikely) and they release Wells (still unlikely, but I guess a bit more possible) or if another pitcher gets hurt before then.

It's important to remember that teams have to cycle through quite a few relievers over the course of the year, giving up arms before the season even starts for free isn't usually going to happen if it can be helped, and the fact that Speier has an option where he can be sent to Colorado Springs without allowing other teams to claim him is what makes it very unlikely that he emerges on our initial 25 man roster, even though it's pretty certain that he'll be the first guy called up when somebody gets injured.

by Rox Girl on Mar 14, 2008 1:17 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Spieir

I thought all winter long that Spieir would make the team. He was on all the post season rosters, and Buchholz wasn't.

by brian8065 on Mar 14, 2008 2:14 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speier

Will be an effective big league late inning guy. He's very comfortabale late and close and you don't let guys like that get away. he should be on this team from day 1. As for Ramirez, if the Rox truly believe, as the article implied, that he's back to 2006 form and that his slider is working, it's a no brainer -- keep him and unload Wells.

Again, though, this could all be done to pump up his trade value, so we'l see.

One more thing -- unless you've got a true lefty shutdown guy like Mike Myers was, I'm sick of the whole lefty specialist thing. Every year, the Rox carry some dude who actually ends up being tougher on righties than he is on lefties, but still takes up a slot in the pen as a lefty specialist.

Go with the best arms. period.

by BroJB on Mar 14, 2008 2:44 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Question...

I'm confused by this: " while Ramon Ramirez had been designated for assignment but was claimed off waivers by the Padres and Josh Towers similarly had been claimed by St. Louis."

Did this happen today, or are you speculating?

by BroJB on Mar 14, 2008 2:45 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

It's an example of what would happen

Not what has happened. It's a pretty safe call that Ramirez will get taken. Towers probably will as well.

Last season the Rockies used 22 relief pitchers. Even a relatively stable team like the Red Sox used 15 over the course of the year. If you let a pitcher like Buchholz or Ramirez or Redman go to another team right now in order to keep Speier on the 25 man roster on March 31, you force yourself into a position of pitching somebody like Chris George later.

What you're saying about just keeping Speier instead of an extra LHP would make a bit more sense, but I'm being realistic with our manager, here. I just don't think Clint will be comfortable without his LOOGY, and so it's just a matter of picking which one of those fills the role best. At any rate, I don't see Speier as that much more effective than Bowie or Newman. He's a battler, but so are they, I think we'd be in decent shape with any of the three, and I can pretty much guarantee all three will see a pretty decent chunk of innings this year.

Best case scenario in my book is that we DL Wells after he slips on a banana peel in the clubhouse and keep him in Tucson so the team can do what it wants to in order to try and fix him. If it doesn't work, he gets cut, if it does, he comes back to help us in a couple of months. Next best scenario has us cut him so we can keep Ramirez.

by Rox Girl on Mar 14, 2008 3:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wells

If Wells doesn't make the 25 man roster, and is sent to Colorado Springs, he must clear waivers. If he is picked up, (by the Cards,) don't they also get his salary? If that is the case, then it is no big deal. Am I wrong?

by brian8065 on Mar 14, 2008 3:54 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs