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Sunday Morning Rockpile: Mediocrity Is Not Better Than 5th Place

In the RMN's Friday Rockies Pregame post, Tracy answered a question, well there really was no question in it, but here's the first part of the submission:

Be happy that there is a GOOD baseball team in town. Don't get me wrong I want the Rockies to win just as much as everyone else, but mediocrity is better than 5th place in the N.L. West where the Rockies have been for the past 10 years.

Mediocrity and good are not interchangeable words. You don't have to look at the bottom of the NL West standings, but a mediocre team is not a good team. In this case, the whole is not greater than the sum of its parts. Mediocrity is not progress; it's ordinary, mundane, nothing special. You can celebrate mediocrity if you want to, but that's not setting the sights high.

And it's not only the fans that should aim higher than mediocrity, it's also the team, as Troy Renck writes. Though making a big push for a starter isn't necessarily a great idea:

If they can't find a suitable reliever, or if they aren't going to cash their chips for a run at Jon Garland, then they must maximize their current resources.

Jon Garland is not going to single-handedly make this team a strong playoff team contender. I guess this is where one could argue that the psychological impact this trade would have on the team would increase their drive for the playoffs (which they should already have). Plus the Rockies aren't going to cash in their chips (prospects), according to Bill Geivett.

Most of the other ideas Renck has are good ideas: give Spilborghs more starts in place of Taveras, have Carroll play a bit more against right handers, and, by implication, keep Corpas in the closer's role.

Franklin Morales was covered last week, and the question still remains: why not give Juan Morillo a chance in the bullpen also?

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The Rockies have interest in Cardinals pitchers Troy Percival and Russ Springer, and the Tigers are interested in Clint Barmes.