Colorado Rockies: Who was the better offseason acquisition? | Rox Pile
Look no further than the number of options for best move for a reminder of the clever moves that Jeff Bridich made before the season started. Quinn Ritzdorf breaks down each one, starting with manager Bud Black, and considers what has been the best move.
What’s interesting is how the Rockies have hit on low risk, high reward deals with Mark Reynolds and Greg Holland. You hear moves described that way, but to hit the absolute top of the high reward side to this point on two significant players is unusual. It also goes a long way towards explaining why the Rockies are in first place.
Progress reports and grades for all 30 MLB teams at the quarter mark | CBS Sports
Speaking of those first place Rockies, they predictably get an A+ in this look at grades so far. Dayn Perry notes how the results so far exceed most of the optimistic projections of a potential wild card team this season.
You might say that those who picked them to succeed can pat themselves on the back right now, but you might also say that nobody saw them being good this way. Although I would definitely be interested if you can point me to the preseason prediction where somebody picked the Rockies to contend on the strength of all-star first baseman Mark Reynolds, a dominant bullpen, and a bunch of rookie pitchers.
The 5 stages of a surprise contender | SB Nation
It’s still early. Wait, those grades are for the quarter mark of the season? We won’t be saying it’s early for much longer, right? Grant Brisbee offers the different steps over the course of the season for a surprise contender, with the Rockies among the surprise first place teams that he has in mind.
There might be exciting things upcoming, such as a deadline deal. There might be unpleasant things coming, such as a crash back to earth. So let’s hope we’ll be dreaming on trade deadline rumors for a buying team sooner than later.
Tempers flare after Marlins, Dodgers exchange brushback pitches | True Blue LA
Stupid baseball fights are stupid. This was a stupid baseball fight, started by the usual stupid unwritten rules. Apparently the starting point was Don Mattingly getting fussy about Corey Seager swinging in a 3-0 count with the Dodgers up five runs. Because, you know, teams never blow five-run leads and that game was in hand and he should have known better, or whatever.
It also culminated with the Dodgers throwing behind Giancarlo Stanton. That’s stupid because it’s dangerous, first and foremost, and then because we all know what Stanton looks like. But that’s not what made it stupid, it’s all the other stuff. Did I mention this was stupid?