Blake Street Bulletin » Kevin Kroh

Living in the Past (Week)

Kevin Kroh — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:16:09 +0000

The kid can pick it

Fans will have to look back in wonder on this past week of scintillating play, if the Rox can keep it rollin’ all the way to a wilder card spot come September, and smile. An off-day today gives us all the time to breathe deep and take it all in again. Hosting our two division rivals (BSB poll currently says Giants, but I say D-backs) for a seven game homestretch and some NL West 1st place bragging rights at stake, you could feel that, although still very early in the season, this was a big week of must-win games for the Rockies.

The Rockies struggles against the Giants, especially in recent years, has been well-documented. And nothing feels worse than getting Snake-bitten. Additional anxiety over another brutal start to May, having lost all four series to open the month (vs. Rays, Yanks, Cards, Cubs) and nearly getting no-hit on two occasions, created even more pressure on the club and stress on the fans.

What’s more, the Rockies simply gave away the first game of this home stand to the Giants, blowing a six run lead after three innings, succumbing 8-6 in the end. Cargo summed it up, “Sometimes six runs is enough, but it was not enough tonight. Cain pitched terrible, but Chacin pitched even worse.” It marked Colorado’s tenth straight loss against San Francisco and you could tell it was getting into their heads. Weiss could only shake his while dejectedly repeating a simple mantra, seemingly to himself, “We got to play better. We got to win games.”

But there were positive signs to be seen. Rookie third baseman Nolan Arenado continued to look like he belongs in the bigs, as he made a brilliant, Brooks Robinson-esque play at the hot corner after hitting one of the three homers off Cain. Rosario got out of his funk by going yard as well, driving in three runs and scoring twice. And although the Giants might’ve won the game, they must’ve felt like Kobayashi in the Usual Suspects — although they knew they could get to the old Rockies, now they had to admit the suddenly younger Rockies could get to them too. Winning the next three games against San Francisco by a combined score of 25-11, with Rosario, Fowler, and Cargo putting up big numbers, certainly hammered that sentiment home:

Rosario: 6/14, 5R, 2HR, 7RBI

Fowler: 10/20, 7R, 2RBI, 2SB

Cargo: 4/12, 5R, 1HR, 5RBI, 3SB, 7BB

And all of a sudden, the Rockies had taken three of four against a very good ballclub they’d previously been cursed by all season long. Fans could now anticipate the Rockies carrying some momentum, confidence, good vibes and back-to-back pitching gems from Chatwood and Nicasio, of all people, into the three game series against the red-hot D-backs.

Those hopes were promptly dashed in the first game of the series, with Colorado bats unable to touch Patrick Corbin, who became only the third visiting pitcher in Coors Field history to toss a complete game win with 10+ K’s. The D-backs also tore the cover off the ball, getting 16 hits despite only plating 5 runs. Those stubborn, pesky D-backs play some gritty ball under Krik Gibson, to be sure, but that doesn’t keep me from loathing the entire organization, and for that matter the entire state of Arizona as well, in all its socio-political idiocy. But those of us who take losses like these so personally, enjoy subsequent victories that much more.

Ergo, these past two victories against Arizona have been some of the most gratifying all season. For the Rockies to bounce back in the second game and score four runs off Ian Kennedy in four innings was a critically important re-awakening. And despite letting the Snakes slither their way back into the game, the Rox probably needed to experience a walk-off victory again, to rediscover that mystical, magical feeling of being what the front-office always wants them to be: a team of destiny. Rosario’s walk-off hit in the 10th — staying back and hammering a 75mph curve ball on the outside half into the right field corner to score Gonzalez — gave even the most anti-metaphysical of us reason to pause.

Why can't Tulo stay healthy?

But it was the final game of the home stand, last night’s rubber match against Arizona, which was the pièce de résistance. The cosmos aligned perfectly so that mlb.tv decided to show it as their game of the day, which meant that all of us residing outside the U.S. were mercifully spared the buffoonish blatherings of the Rockies’ t.v. tools and were instead treated to the infinitely more competent radio tandem of Jack and Jerry on KOA. Moreover, with Tulo’s fragile nature confining him to the bench, manager Walt Weiss got creative with his lineup card and rewarded all of us Fowler-howlers by putting the underrated slugger in the clean-up spot! Seeing Cargo go yard first, then Fowler and Arenado back it up with back-to-back doubles was a THING OF BEAUTY!

De La Rosa continued to pitch well when the Rockies need it most, and Cargo continued to show that he’s every bit the superstar that Tulo is (Cargo is effortless instead of constipated; smooth and smart instead of tense and stubborn). And the Rockies’ decision to call up DJ LeMahieu for the homestand, which initially went under the radar, in hindsight looks like a great move. He performed competently at the dish (7/17, 2R, 2RBI, 1SB), in the field, and on the bases, giving the Rockies the most gargantuan infield in the history of the game:

Arenado: 6’1″, 205lbs.

Tulo: 6’3″, 215lbs.

LeMahieu: 6’4″, 205lbs.

Helton: 6’2″, 220lbs.

Rosario: 6’0″, 220lbs.

Gradually shifting one of these towering infielders over to first base this season might be a bold, but brilliant move — as we slowly continue to say good-bye to Helton — while throwing Rutledge back at 2B (or dare I say, SS?) and getting Cuddyer back out there in RF when he’s healthy, to keep the likes of EY2 and Blackmon on the bench — their glovework has been awful of late!. But as a team, the Rockies have certainly improved defensively (although they still only rank 20th in team fielding %) and the pitching has been relatively amazing thus far (relative to last season, at least).

So with the Rockies returning to San Francisco this weekend for a three game series, there’s a considerable weight lifted off their shoulders as they find themselves atop the NL West in a three-way tie with the Giants and D-backs, and the added relief of having the following four games be against the dreadful Astros.

But on this day of rest, the Rockies won’t be working, won’t be driving cars, won’t be riding in cars, won’t handle money, won’t turn on the oven and sure as shit won’t roll over. They’ll be relishing in last week’s wins, like the rest of us Rockies fans, which is how it should be, and gearing up for this weekend’s rematch against their division rivals of San Francisco.

In the meantime, they can all go bowling.

Springtime Baseball Latitudes and a Cosmic WBC

Kevin Kroh — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:19:14 +0000

As major league teams (and we BSB writers) finally emerge from off-season hibernation, a entire month of spring training games in those two sanguine states of Arizona and Florida offer baseball fans a sneak preview of future prospects, flashes of brilliance from replacement players doing their best to earn a roster spot, and brief glimpses of the well-known stars playing it safe. Tulo occasionally runs the bases, Weiss likes what he sees out of Player X, and Helton is still sobering up after his DUI.

And although there’s an interesting mix of styles and abilities on display during spring training, the lack of shared passion or coordinated team effort or any real desire to win usually makes it all seem a bit individualistic and unfulfilling. Especially in comparison to that surprisingly overlooked and underappreciated phenomenon known as the World Baseball Classic – which just so happens to start today, March 1st!

This will only be the third WBC ever played (the first was in 2006, last one was 2009), plus we’ve had to wait an extra year for it, so this time around it’s gonna taste extra spicy.

An alternative March Madness bracket for this year

With 16 teams competing for a spot in the championship round of four – to be played in San Francisco’s beautiful ballyard – the tournament immediately features some intense first round matchups (Cuba vs. Japan, D.R. vs. Venezuela, Canada vs. USA) as well as some very intriguing, under-the-radar contests (Brazil vs. China, Netherlands vs. Korea, etc.), and even a few Colorado Rockies players are participating.

Team Venezuela will have Carlos Gonzalez (OF), Ramon Hernandez (C), and Jhoulys Chacin (P) playing pivotal roles for the defending bronze medalists. Chacin will have big shoes to fill, as he replaces King Felix Hernandez as the Venezuelan staff ace Will he toe the rubber against the mighty Dominican Republic or perhaps have a chance to shine against the underwhelming lineup from Spain – which, ironically, has exactly zero Spanish-born players on the roster!?

But this might actually be one of the great things about the WBC. Instead of being some kind of nationalistic, flag-waving spectacle of patriotic pride, this tournament is so young and (post-)modern that pretty much anybody with distant roots can play for Team Italy or Team Spain, as long as you’re a good ballplayer. Years from now, perhaps all countries will compete with a squad of mixed nationalities. Or perhaps this trend won’t last long at all; the more popular baseball gets, the more each country will strive to raise some homegrown talent.

Quietly, baseball is gaining an interest in several new areas of the globe just as it’s finally becoming well-known in places where it’s been played for decades. Granted, on the surface it would seem that baseball’s popularity has dwindled over recent years in its traditional strongholds. Baseball has lost its status as the most popular sport in the U.S., the game is no longer part of the Olympics, and even the Puerto Rico Baseball League (renamed this year to the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League) had to cancel play in 2007 due to a drop in attendance.

But if we dig a little deeper, we notice that both MLB profit and attendance numbers in the U.S. are at all-time highs (though the reasons for this can be debated), and this year’s World Baseball Classic is expected to generate a surge of interest in at least the two superpowers that qualified for the tournament – Brazil and China – as well as the smaller European states of Italy, Spain, and Netherlands.

But the best thing about the tournament is seeing entirely different styles of play squaring off against one another. The North American power game against Japanese and Korean small ball; the Cuban sluggers swinging freely for the fences compared to the dangerous Dutch, who always seem capable of manufacturing runs better than any other team; Venezuelan suave vs. Australian grit.

In fact, I bet the WBC is gonna be the biggest, brightest, and best thing to happen in 2013 since that majestic meteor roared through Russia a couple weeks back. (Even though the frozen lake into which the massive meteorite is presumed to have settled might be too murky and cold to see anything right now, they say locals giddily await the approaching spring “like crazy American baseball people ready to run on the grass”).

A Josh Gibson homer from 1934 finally returns to Earth

Spring can’t come soon enough for those of us at the 55^th parallel – whether it’s at Lake Chebarkul or here in Copenhagen. As the days slowly get brighter and the sun brings life back to this chilly northern chunk of the globe, those of us with baseball under our skin are indeed itching to get outside and play. And the WBC may yet be that transitional, transnational sporting event needed to carry people from winter to spring and to get them talking about, watching, and playing more baseball.

Here in Copenhagen, you might overhear the mumblings of local barflies discussing how the Urban Achievers will do this season. Along the same 55° latitude, the Moscow Hunters look to return to the Russian baseball championship this summer, while the Diamond Devils of Edinburgh strive for glory in the Scottish league. Even as the 55^th parallel circles over to the North American continent, and passes through someplace in Canada called Dawson’s Creek – obviously named after The Hawk – you will find baseball being played by youngins. And that same line of latitude wraps past the Alaska Panhandle, over Russia, and eventually crosses the very spot where that mighty meteor hit: Lake Chebarkul.

Make no mistake: If some kind of alien life emerges out of that frozen lake just in time to watch the WBC, then we’ll know there’s intelligent life out there after all.

Who do you think will make it to the final four…and beyond?

See No Evil, Hear No Evil

Kevin Kroh — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:55:19 +0000

In what was truly one of the wildest games in Petco Park history, the Rockies were mathematically eliminated from wild card contention after another late-game comeback fell short on Sunday night in San Diego, losing 12-11 in the bottom of the 9th and dropping the season series to the Friars as well, ten games to eight.

The normally reliable bullpen totally imploded, the Little Pony strained his hammy, the catching woes continued, and all signs point to the Rockies limping their way toward the worst record in franchise history. Even if Tulo and JDLR make a cameo appearance in these final few weeks, most fans probably feel that playing the remainder of the season out is just an empty formality.

Talk of a five-man rotation returning for the 2013 season has Jim Tracy speaking in ironic hyperbole, while the front-office still insists that these five starters will be limited to 90 pitches and still have three “piggyback” long-relievers handcuffed to them. The rest of us are just trying to figure out if this four-man, er…uh….six-man…well, four-paired-pitching-rotation-experiment-thingy actually yielded enough data for the front office to use in the future.

But at this point, the Rockies organization is such a comic disaster that I can’t help but think of Jim Tracy as a blindfolded manager being led down this treacherous path by a front-office which turns a deaf ear to all forms of criticism or external input. A lot like Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder hilariously yelling and stumbling into trouble everywhere they go in that classic movie from the late 80′s.

In fact, the way in which one should approach that movie (with an easy-going openness, low expectations, and the ability to laugh at slapstick fun) might also be the best way for Rockies fans to approach the end of this dismal season.

Although the rest of the NL West still has a shot at that coveted second wild card spot, our hapless home team seems all but totally irrelevant. While the Giants have a comfortable 7.5 game lead in the division, the Padres are currently 6 games out of the wild card, the D-Backs trail by 4.5, and the Dodgers are only a single game out. The NL West is showing once again how surprisingly competitive it can be, but it’s more the crazy potentialities surrounding this second wild card spot — the Wilder Card — that has created such late season excitement and hope for fans all across the country of baseball.

It’s just a damn shame that Denver won’t have the opportunity to experience this wonderfully engaging and novel element of the baseball season, in this inaugural year of the Wilder Card.

The most significant role the Rockies can play at this point is that of “spoiler”, as this sad and comical season in the Year of the Fan draws to a close. And that means the Rockies aren’t totally irrelevant…

Aside from three games against the equally awful Cubs, the Rox have four games left against the Giants, three against the Dodgers, and seven against the dreaded D-Backs. As far as the fates of our NL West foes are concerned, the Rockies are still very much relevant. In fact, with opposing pitchers wearing down and our offense still pounding out hits, I imagine Colorado (and especially Coors Field) is seen as quite a nuisance.

Now, given the fact that the last month of Rockies baseball has gone from teasingly tantalizing (a sweep of the Brewers, followed by a sweep of the Mets in August) to downright depressing (four consecutive 1-run losses from Sept. 5-9) and predictably sloppy (e.g. a five-error game on Sept.9), several of us Rockies writers have found our priorities drifting and shifting to more important, and presumably, more enjoyable things.

For at least one diehard baseball fan, the Wilder Card has suddenly made mid-September baseball exciting enough to not only completely forget about football’s typical late-season encroachment upon hardball’s home stretch, but also to forget about all the negative thoughts and emotions surrounding our home team and instead to open my eyes to all the great baseball going on outside of Denver this season.

On that note, I’d like to pretend that this Wilder Card has resurrected our Rockies into a relevant, late-season spoiler worth watching. A team we can take a kind of schadenfreude-like pleasure in, not for their triumphs and successes, but for the way in which their awkward, foolish, and idiosyncratic play might actually frustrate and confound their opponents enough for us to laugh at the kind of suffering it induces; the same kind of suffering that we’ve taken so seriously all year long.

Battle of the ballparks

Kevin Kroh — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:58:05 +0000

Coors Field is gorgeous from the exterior - the red brick matches the rest of lower downtown

Last week the Rockies turned in a series of surprise pitching performances on the road against their division rivals in both L.A. and S.F., completely baffling the baseball world. It started with a 2-0 shutout and a 3-1 stifling against the Dodgers, then a 3-0 shutout against Lincecum and the Giants.

But just when the extremely naïve, optimistic, and desperately positive sides of our baseball-loving selves might’ve been reactivated for the first time since early May we were brought back down into our collective pit of despair. The Rox quickly gave up 18 runs in two games against the Giants and their rather underwhelming offense.

Well, just in time to head home to Coors Field where Rockies pitching this year has been absolutely horrendous. As you might’ve guessed by now, Colorado leads the majors in several dubious categories:

* Most home losses (37)

* Highest BA against (.310)

* Highest ERA (6.14) and WHIP (1.63)

* Most Hits (666), Runs (391), Earned Runs (361), and Home runs (92) surrendered

But as much as the front-office would like to blame the home ballpark for their misery and failure, nobody’s buying it. Ironically, people are still buying tickets to be at the beautiful ballpark in LoDo despite being exposed to the actual playing of another baseball game. And although our previous poll here at BSB revealed a strong number of people refusing to go to another game this season, the Rockies remain in the top-half of the majors in total home attendance. I wouldn’t be surprised if people continue to cram into Coors Field for the rest of the season with no intention of watching any baseball at all.

Simply put, Coors Field is a magical place. First of all, the Denver weather during a baseball season is spectacular. It’s always sunny in Denver (not Philadelphia, as the tv show would have you believe). Even during a spontaneous snowfall, or after one of those Venusian lightning storms with brief monsoon rains, we’ve got storybook sunshine all the time.

And how about those views. Nothing beats the panoramic of the mountains from the third deck down the right field line. The ballpark itself is an architectural delight, providing unique perspectives of the diamond from every seat in the house, yet also interesting enough to wander around the place if the game gets out of hand.

It’s the first ballpark to have a microbrewery inside the stadium (only fair, considering the naming rights were basically given away to that crappy local macro-brewer), and it’s the only place where you can get Rocky Mountain oysters.

Which ballpark has a better view?

But I don’t need to tell this to all of you. It’s most of those other writers in the country of baseball that don’t seem to appreciate the magic. Case in point: ESPN’s Battle of the Ballparks.

In case you missed it, ESPN did a bracket-style battle a while ago between the 30 MLB ballparks based on a set of criteria devised by Jim Caple.

Out of the 30 MLB ballparks in the bracket, Coors Field got an 11-seed. Not even in the top 10!? Just like the CU Buffs in 2011, Coors Field got snubbed here. Of course we Rox fans are biased, but even an unbiased fan who’s been to the ballpark in Denver will tell you it easily makes the top 10.

If we go along with Caple’s criteria for what makes a good ballyard, it’s hard to imagine ten other stadiums out-ranking our own.

Location – LoDo and NoDo ballpark neighborhoods are as vibrant as any in the country, with tons of bars, eateries, music venues, and street vendors. Very down-to-earth, upbeat, and friendly atmosphere.
Architecture – the second in the series of throwback ballparks built with burnt red brick and industrial green beams, plenty of light and air and space inside with access to almost every part of the park in uncongested thoroughfares. The bullpen shrubbery and centerfield forest fountain complement Colorado’s natural beauty quite nicely. As does the dark colored clay of the infield and warning track next to the vibrantly green outfield lawn.
History – The ballpark absolutely revitalized the city, especially the neighborhoods of LoDo and North Downtown.
Seating – no obstructed view seats to be found, club level not imposingly large, lots of bleacher space in LF and Rockpile, angled seating, cup holders and leg room, and the purple row for those who wanna get a mile high.
Price – Rockpile bleachers as cheap as $4, third deck seats under $20 with incredible scenic views, King Soopers ticket deals for $14 get you within 30 rows of the field down either line.
Concessions – decent selection of craft beers for a tolerable price, a microbrew inside the stadium, gluten-free foods, big salads, Rockies dogs, bbq sandwiches, and the only park serving Rocky Mountain oysters.
Scoreboards – not bad, but not the dominant feature. This is a good thing.
Transportation – accessible by foot (profoundly cool pedestrian bridge going over I-25), by bicycle (several easy routes snake their way to the ballpark), by RTD (free mall ride bus, the #38, etc.), and if you absolutely have to — by car (preferably hybrid or electric).
Roofs – don’t need one; it’s sunny all the time, we boast some breathtaking mountain views, fantastic cloud formations, Venusian lightning storms, and scintillating sunsets.
Grass – turf would be unimaginable, even in Colorado’s dry climate. And anybody can tell you: nothing beats Colorado grass

Seems like the Denver ball yard passes Caple’s test with flying colors. Alas, our ballpark ended up losing to sixth seeded Wrigley Field in the second round. Tough bracket; at least we beat out the new Yankee Stadium.

And although football season is looming large and the Rockies are losing big, expect to see a sturdy number of fans enjoying another fabulous fall in the pitcher-unfriendly confines of Coors Field.

Just don’t expect them to be back next season.

Back to the Future

Kevin Kroh — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:09:20 +0000

Rockies baseball needs to get back to the future.

Once upon a time, the Colorado Rockies found something special with their “homegrown” approach to slowly cultivating a crop of major league talent within their own farm system. That farm has been suffering under some kind of drought for the past several seasons. But there’s hope for the future. I think next season we can anticipate a deluge of new talent flowing onto the field.

No pun intended, but I’d also like to encourage the image of the Colorado Rockies as a “Youth First” organization for the rest of this season, and for 2013 as well.

The good old boys and clubhouse leaders acquired for this disappointing 2012 campaign have all flopped. First Blake, then Moyer, now Guthrie. Even Scutaro, Giambi, and Helton have been failures (none of them register an above-zero WAR value), and Cuddyer hasn’t been worth anywhere close to his hefty price tag

The young veterans (Tulo, Cargo, Fowler) are clearly seasoned enough to assume these somewhat superfluous roles, so let the dam burst here.

Thankfully, an exciting group of prospects and professionals are quietly starting to emerge, getting some well-deserved attention on and off the field (Rosario, Rutledge, Colvin, and Pacheco to name a few).

But the main problems are still and will eternally remain: starting pitching and defense.

1. For Starters

Backend filler : Frontend starter :: J. Sanchez : J. De La Rosa

Jonathan Sanchez once threw a no-hitter. Sanchez is wild. Ubaldo Jimenez also threw a no-hitter while being wild as hell, but learned to control his use of the Force well enough to go on a 15-1 stretch. But can we honestly ever expect Sanchez to develop enough control to start an All-Star game for the NL?

JDLR was a true Ace in ’09. After a rough start, he went an incredible 10-1 in the months of June/July, followed by a 9-3 record in August/September to lead the Rockies into the playoffs. Injuries have slowed him since then. But until we’re forced to believe otherwise, JDLR is our ace and must be considered “The Johan Santana” of the Rockies 2013 rotation. Believing anything else might potentially bring on cluster headache.

For next year, JDLR is our no.1 while Sanchez sneaks in at no.5 – assuming he’s even with the club next season. I think this video highlight from ’08 (vs. San Francisco) best foreshadows their respective futures at Coors Field

Some Middling Southpaws

Jeff Francis was once considered the Ace of the staff. The next thing you know he’s getting shelled in Kansas City. As early as this season he was apparently seen hucking it down on some sandlot in AAA. And today, Francis is once again the Ace of the staff. The circle is now complete.

Although they might be the cleverest pair of snake oil salesmen still employed in the major leagues, this circle of life somehow proves that Dan O’Dowd and Jeff Francis really are the only ones who’ve “truly lived Coors Field.”

Christian Friedrich and Drew Pomeranz – much like Madison Bumgarner and Barry Zito – have some funny-ass sounding names. That might be all they have in common.

Josh Outman. Out, man. No, get out. Now. And take Moscosco with ya.

It’s time to welcome back Satchmo into our crazy 75-pitch-limit scheme. That jazz-ball artist would fit perfectly into this circus act. Of course, he’d get cut, but then might get picked up by some desperate playoff-bound team with a struggling staff, going 5 innings to get a win in mid-November, at the age of 50. Hell, in this age of obsessing over numbers, why not obsess over this wonderfully trivial landmark of baseball minutiae.

Recovering Righties

Jhoulys Chacin was expected to be a lot better than he is. For a brief period, he showed flashes of brilliance that got us anticipating another Jimenez-caliber pitcher was on the way. Even if our own GM thinks he’s a fat-ass, he’s still gonna be around next season; what team would even consider adding him to their starting rotation?

One sentence can describe Juan Nicasio: after getting hit in the head by an Ian Desmond line drive last year – falling face-first onto the top of the mound and fracturing the C-1 vertebrae in his neck –this “Juan in a Million” survivor has since made a complete recovery in time to be flung right back into the starting rotation where he couldn’t ever really get it going, and then, well, he ended up on the disabled list anyway.

Both righties regaining and repeating their former successes seems essential for the Rockies to contend for a playoff spot next year, or to reach .500 for that matter.

Starting rotation:

De la Rosa (LHP)
Francis (LHP)
Chacin (RHP)
Nicasio (RHP)
Sanchez, Friedrich, Pomeranz (LHPs)

2. Righting the Right Side of the Infield

Todd Helton can “pick it” at first base like nobody else in the game today. Consistently scooping, nabbing, swiping, snagging, snaring, snatching, and plucking baseballs out of the air, on the grass, and in the dirt for so many seasons. Can he not impart this wisdom onto a young padawan disciple before the apprentice becomes a master someplace else and the master becomes a bench warmer for us?
Helton must now graciously step aside (if only into the PH role). The city can hold some kind of ceremony where this magical moment is shown in an endless loop on the Coors Field jumbotron to remind us of that wonderful, transient time when Denver was transformed into a baseball town.

In the meantime, or until we trade him for some pitching, Micheal Cuddyer starts at first base. He’s only half as bad there defensively as he is in right field.

But tell me why the hell the Rockies haven’t traded Marco Scutaro yet? The keystone position, like the Colorado ski-resort of the same name, suggests a consistently high-quality, complementary player at a reasonable price. We don’t necessarily need another “Telluride” like Tulo, or even an “Aspen” like Gonzalez. Nor can we settle for a Loveland-like, slow heartbeat type experience on an everyday basis.

In my book, LameHieu, Horrera, and Smelly Nelly are all on the precipice (seems like maybe one should stay and at least two should be traded for some pitching).

That leaves us with Eric Young Jr. He might be the fastest player in baseball and one of the top stolen base threats in the game. Who knows how the rumor got started, but EY2 seems quite capable of playing 2B. In very limited time at the keystone position, he’s actually put up very respectable numbers.

2013 starters:

Micheal Cuddyer – 1B

Eric Young Jr. – 2B

3. Provocatively Progressive Left-Side of the Diamond

Tulo gradually appears to be losing the joy he had playing during his remarkable ‘07 rookie year and now looks the embittered, embattled, and bruised up superstar that best describes his idol – Derek Jeter. He stunk it up in the field to start this season, making more errors in a month than he did all of last year. Since his injury, talk of Tulo turning into everything from trade bait, to a Skrimshander, to a third-sacker has circulated the blogosphere.

Let’s consider these three possibilities.

a) Trade-Bait: in a stunning move, the Marlins recently traded their superstar (former SS, current 3B) Hanley Ramirez – an experiment that now opens the door for any owner to attempt within their respective organizations. Still, it’d be an insult to all of us if the Rockies ever tried to trade Tulo. Not gonna happen.

b) Skrimshander: I just went to pick up a hardcopy first edition of The Art of Fielding that was shipped here to Copenhagen, but the normally reliable Danish postal service seems to have lost it. Kinda like how the Skrimshander character in the book loses his ability to make a routine play, or so I’ve heard. Kinda like Tulo’s rough start to this season, I suppose. Yet, there’s little reason to doubt he’ll once again be projected as a top 5 glove at shortstop going into 2013.

c) Third-Sacker: There was a time when Tulo’s glove-work was superior to his bat; this is no longer the case, which is not to say he’s lost anything in the field. I know Kiszla’s suggestion has gotten a lot of flak, but it’s not entirely insane. If we move Rutledge to SS and Tulo to 3B, will we not finally have an answer to the emptiness existing at the hot corner since the days of Vinny Castilla? Even the likes of Charlie Hayes and Jeff Cirillo would be worthy names to live up to.

But Tulo!?

Jordan Pacheco has performed admirably since being called up, no doubt about it. But imagine having Troy Tulowitzki at the hot corner! His bat certainly “profiles well” at the position and he’s got a cannon for an arm. Tulo still has the swagger and skill to teach young Josh Rutledge how to truly flash the leather at shortstop while the two are still young and agile. And if the Rockies ever realize the advantages to using the “Williams Shift” a bit more, Tulo would confidently cover the entire left side of the infield by himself.

If the Rox are looking to experiment this coming September (and continue to be conservative with Tulo’s hamstring) they might want to consider “easing him in” by starting him at third base, especially while Rutledge is raking. Tulo can then enjoy putting up more RUTHIAN September batting stats while fielding a low-stress position.

Rutledge – SS

Tulowitzki – 3B

4. Athletes in the Outfield

Behind this promising infield is a trio of rising stars who continue to enhance and refine their swings to complement often beautiful and always-athletic outfield play.

LF – Tyler Colvin looks comfortable enough to be penciled in as the starting left fielder with the Rockies from here on out. It’s been a promising 2012 season for him thus far and he can even play a little 1B.

CF – Dexter Fowler consistently defies his critics and steadily shows us why he’s one of the top center fielders in the NL, both offensively and defensively. Sure, he takes a bad route once in a while and he has his slumps at the dish, but neither the numbers nor the eyes lie: Fowler is a star on the rise.

RF – Carlos Gonzalez might also be one of the top center fielders in the NL, if he was allowed to play there. With a sensational arm and great range, he’s played a graceful and reckless outfield in the past, showcasing his talents at all three outfield positions. This season, however, he’s been nonchalantly strolling after no-doubt doubles way out in left, visibly disappointed in this low-stakes environment. Coors Field has one of the most-difficult right fields in all of baseball (Boston and SF also come to mind), and I guarantee that the Little Pony is more than up to the task. Nobody would dare go first-to-third on that arm. Not to mention, going second-to-home on a base hit would once again become a thrillingly close play at the plate.

5. Catching up

Although he could probably use some veteran tutelage calling a game and refining his defense behind the dish, Wilin Rosario so far looks like a promising young slugger with a great arm, who runs surprisingly well. With “Baby Bull” in the starting lineup, the Rockies finally have an offensively intimidating catcher – a force to be reckoned with in the NL West – alongside all-stars like Montero and Posey.

Super-utility man Jordan Pacheco appears to be the real deal – an excellent all-around stopgap who’s able to play every infield position, except pitcher. His ability to make contact at the plate (he’s still hitting around .300), despite not having much power (only one HR), still gives him good value as a replacement player. And he can even hold down the dish when necessary.

The Rockies have fallen so far down this season that it’s hard to remember the lofty heights our preseason hopes might’ve once attained. But the return of promising prospects and the prospect of returning rookies next season gives Rockies’ fans some hope that we can once again becoming a contender – by going back to focusing on the future.

Suggested Starting Lineup

Carlos Gonzalez – RF
Dexter Fowler – CF
Troy Tulowitzki – 3B
Michael Cuddyer – 1B
Tyler Colvin – LF
Josh Rutledge – SS
Wilin Rosario – C
Eric Young Jr. – 2B
pitcher

Kevin Kroh doesn’t tweet. He howls. Feel free to howl back at him: kevinkroh(at)gmail.com

Touching Base With the Fans – final edition

Kevin Kroh — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:00:51 +0000

Back in late March, before this disappointing season ever got started, the Rockies declared 2012 to be “The Year of the Fan.” Much to their surprise, and to ours, there would be next to nothing for Rox fans to cheer about through the first half of the season. The general frustration expressed by our readers in the various comment threads here at the BSB is palpable.

Dude I'm the Bag Man, man (Photo: Robert LeClair)

Purpleshirts are profoundly disappointed – and for good reason.

Our star shortstop got injured – again.
The starting rotation is worst in the majors – again.
The whole team has proven to be even more incompetent in the field than they are on the base paths.
The pitching coach quit.
The manager looks frustrated and exhausted, and he should quit.
The GM sounds frustrated and exhausted, and he should also quit.
The owner wrote an email to season-ticket holders, trying to sell them on ownership’s commitment to winning. He failed to persuade them. Dick should probably just sell the team instead.

And yet, Rockies fans can’t seem to resist flocking to Coors Field by the thousands. In fact, we rank 10^th in total attendance this year, despite our team being more than 20 games under .500!

There are good reasons for that, too (which I’ll save for my next post).

An off-season shot of an empty Coors Field is enough to get anyone to attend a game

But back in March, I thought this might be the season for us fans to rise up and demand a more active role in guiding the development of each of our major league baseball organizations.

So, I wrote this post and a few others questioning current ownership practices and structures. It was to be a rallying cry that similarly disenfranchised baseball fans could mobilize around: cross-country conversations on community ownership in “the year of the fan.”

Alas, it turned out to be more like a fart in the wind.

And so what was initially dubbed “The 2012 Pro Baseball Partnership Tour” actually ended up being a more laid-back and slightly awe-struck experience of various ballparks and lovely locals. I didn’t interview as many different people as I intended to and certainly not enough about initiating fans’ unions or community ownership models.

Honestly, it felt a little forced each time I brought up those topics with total strangers at the ballpark. Only after the games, in the bars, was there time and space for such conversations. But even then, talk ultimately drifted back to the diamond itself.

Naturally, pub conversations unfolded as freely and easily with clinically depressed Cubs fans as they did with

Wright or not, fans in the Big Apple boo everyone - but mainly the umps

ex-convicts in Seattle. The die-hards in Denver and Oakland were only slightly more familiar with their home teams than the casual connoisseurs in San Francisco and Milwaukee were with theirs.

And nothing beat the big-city bitching coming from the nosebleed seats in Queens when Johan Santana didn’t get the call on his changeup,

“Auww, git outta heeeeuh!!!”

So, in another way, I guess this trip was about cross-country conversations in the year of the fan, after all.

Here’s one last look at the list of teams and fan bases we encountered, with a link to the story behind them…

Cubs – opening day pitchers duel at Wrigley Field

Brewers – first win of the season in their ballpark cathedral

Mariners – nice town, but even the home opener fell victim to the Seattle Freeze

Giants – a beautiful ballpark and overachieving misfits; their fans got it made

A’s – gonna lose a few games this year, but fans in Oakland might lose a lot more

Rockies – two terrific home games, back when the Rox looked like contenders

Orioles – sights and sounds from cozy Camden Yards

Nationals – natitudinal adjustments had to be made in D.C.

Mets – too tragic for words; only these unforgettable images can capture another unmemorable loss in Queens:

The fact that we didn’t even get in to the final game of our tour – the true Battle Along the Beltway: Orioles vs. Nationals – seemed only fitting. After going 9 for 9 on our stadium tour, we finally struck out.

And perhaps that’s a metaphor for the sad fate of every baseball fan across America who brazenly wants to democratize the (un-) enlightened despotism inherent in current ownership models.

We’re always left on the outside looking in. Locked outside of decision-making processes and not permitted to hold positions of power or influence. Our role is to consume whatever products ownership sees fit to shove down our throats, while we pay them to do it.

Dr. Ken Reed, the sports policy director at the League of Fans, seemed interested in the initial partnership project from the get-go and encouraged those of us willing to pursue these ideas to take the next step.

I think a good goal would be to have fan representation on some type of advisory board for Rockies’ ownership. The fans’ voice needs to be at the table when decisions about the franchise are being made. Since the taxpayers built Coors Field and gave ownership a sweetheart lease, Rockies fans and taxpayers are essentially partners in the organization and should be treated as such.

Baseball fans are being held hostage...by ourselves!

Sounds like good advice to me.

And while this might be the final chapter in the “Touching Base with the Fans” series, with any luck it might turn out to be more than just another burp in the breeze.

What say you, Rockies fans…how much more losing can we bear to watch? Should we not start up a Fan’s Advisory Board for Rockies’ ownership? Let your voice be heard in the comment thread below.

Touching Base with the Fans (TBWTF): For the first seven weeks of the season, Kevin Kroh traveled across the country — from big city stadiums, to small town sandlots — chattering with baseball fans all over the nation on everything from the cold, hard facts of the stat sheet, to the utopian fantasies of community ownership models. With his trusty audio recorder and baseball-loving girlfriend at his side, he tried posting some unique perspectives from around the horn, and did his best to bring it all back home to the Rockies, in this year’s “Pro Baseball Partnership Tour: cross-country conversations in the Year of the Fan.”