Rockies’ RHP Jeff Hoffman optimistic despite early results

Rockies’ Jeff Hoffman calls his performance “mediocre,” but expectations remain high | The Denver Post

Jeff Hoffman has had his fair share of hiccups through the first five starts of his Major League career, but the rookie right-hander remains optimistic. On paper, Hoffman’s 6.04 ERA and .333 batting average against don’t sound like the work of a future rotation linchpin. Hoffman isn’t looking at the bigger picture at the moment, however, and instead at encouraging details: bounce-back innings, key strikeouts. Manager Walt Weiss expressed confidence in Hoffman’s eventual success, but noted improvement in fastball command as a top priority.

Descalso a vital veteran presence for Rockies | MLB.com

A series of adjustments to his offensive approach have made Daniel Descalso an unlikely hero on quite a few occasions for the Rockies this season. After his Friday night walk-off single to take game one from the Padres, Descalso is batting .272 with an .820 OPS. The 29-year old was picked up ahead of the 2015 season as a veteran presence with post-season experience, but struggled to contribute at the plate in his first season with the Rockies. Descalso studied the swings of Josh Donaldson, Mookie Betts and Matt Carpenter, and developed a more consistent swing. Descalso is a free-agent again after this season.

Weinstein's new challenge: managing Israel | MLB.com

Former Rockies coach Jerry Weinstein was selected to manage the Israel team in the WBC Qualifying Tournament next weekend in Brooklyn, NY. Weinstein likens the establishment of a baseball culture in Israel to soccer in the U.S., and is confident success in the tournament could assist in bringing better facilities and coaches to Israel. Read the full MLB.com interview with Weinstein here.