While I'm always happy with outcomes like yesterday, having one starter who can't lose and four who can't win doesn't help us in the long run. Trade for another? Maybe, but the quality and service time of the starter the Rockies would need certainly limits our available options on the trade front to just about zero. I think we've got to wait a little to make sure that we're really in a position to contend this season in the first place and also to see if other teams open up the availability of their young and talented pitchers. I certainly don't think it's in the club's best interest to trade for a pending free agent or give up prospects if we're still ten games back at the All-Star break.
Clint Barmes didn't start yesterday, but his productive bat has been a definite positive for the Rockies in the wake of Tulo's injury. Jack Etkin writes about what he's been doing to elevate his hitting skills .
Woody Paige learned a valuable lesson about baseball from the Rockies last season; that early May is not the time to panic. Still, the issues facing the Rox right now are a bit more complicated than they were at any point in 2007, and the start of the D-backs more daunting.
I speculated in the game thread that Chris Iannetta's opposite field sac fly with the bases loaded yesterday might have been more impressive
to Clint Hurdle than a walk in regards to his playing time , even though the latter saves the out and leaves the team in a better position to score more. I may have been right:
We are knocking on that door," Hurdle said. "Iannetta has done a good job with the at-bats he's had. He's been very productive."
Meanwhile, Taylor Buchholz figures to see more late inning work given his strong performance in 2008 to date.