The Boulder
Yesterday's bullpen collapse, because you're a masochist and want to relive it, recapped at the DP and Inside the Rockies. David Martin blogs about his thoughts on the Rox pen here, including the painful truth that we've been neglecting ourselves at the Row that Matt Daley should be included in the list of relievers who are just not cutting it right now. In a post below, RockiesMagicNumber said to take a look at Herges for a minor league contract which I'm okay with.
I know that guys like Matt Herges and Ricardo Rincon and Joel Peralta have value, but this issue is deeper than that, as there is a definite need for a premium arm besides Street in this pen and none of these guys qualify in that regard. The Rockies have a pretty substantial need to get a guy like Heath Bell, Chad Qualls or Matt Capps to be an effective set-up man.
They have a pretty deep need to get an LHP more consistent and effective than Randy Flores and Alan Embree. The costs of these upgrades are going to be a pain in our minor league depth (sorry David, these teams selling arms aren't going to take Atkins' salary) there's not much getting around this, but if the benefit's another playoff run, I think the team may have to get it done.
Other Big Rocks:
Denver Post
Troy Renck argues for Brad Hawpe's inclusion in the All-Star game and has his usual chunky (in a good way, like ice cream or peanut butter) Sunday column of notes and thoughts from around the majors.
Dave Krieger uses the Moe Index, invented by the former Denver Nuggets coach, Doug, to determine that the Rockies are not as far back of the Dodgers as they appear. I have my own look at the schedules of eleven of the NL's conteding teams (not the Dodgers, the Rockies really need to close the gap before taking the NL West becomes a serious possibility) ready to post right after this once I decide on a picture to go with it.
Patrick Saunders notes that Aaron Cook's okay after getting the wind knocked out of him. The health state of his sinker is still unclear.
Jason Marquis is also looking like an All Star possibility, the teams get announced in just a little bit. I have a feeling that Marquis might be one of those final fan vote candidates.
Pebbles:
Tracy Ringolsby's connections with Baseball America allow him to post more of their scouting reports on Rosel Herrera an Johendi Jiminian than you'll see at other places without paying for a BA subscription. Be sure to read about the talented young players the Rockies are adding to the system if you haven't already.
The article I've been waiting to see on Kyle Hancock, the Casper Ghosts right-hander that mysteriously disappeared from our Rockies lives shortly after signing in 2005 has appeared. The Star-Tribune gives us many reasons to be rooting for him, not the least of which is a 94-mph fastball.
Crazy Flatlanders:
Arizona and Colorado apparently still have some bragging rights to play for this season:
But Byrnes also looks at the big picture: Over the past three seasons, the Diamondbacks have the sixth-best winning percentage in the National League. They won a division title in 2007 and led most of the 2008 season before the Dodgers said hooray to Mannywood.
I don't know if it's Byrnes that believes this or a lazy reporter, but in terms of 2007-2009, the top of the NL standings would look like this:
- Philadelphia 222-180 .552
- Chicago 221-180 .551
- Los Angeles 217-188 .536
- New York 216-188 .535
- Milwaukee 216-189 .533
- St. Louis 208-199 .511
- Colorado 206-199 .509
- Arizona 204-201 .504
Call it a hunch, but something tells me that the two teams ahead of the D-backs that were forgotten were not the Dodgers, not the Mets, not the Phillies or Cubs or even Brewers. At any rate, having said this, Dan O'Dowd, I'm sure you know this, but I just want to point out that even though neither we nor the Diamondbacks have it, "the sixth-best winning percentage in the National League" over the last three seasons is not exactly a goal we're looking for as Rockies fans.