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Living in the Past (Week)

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 …

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The Eight-Hole

Given the Rockies recent struggles at the plate, discussing who should hit eighth might seem a little out of place.  Let’s be honest – when a team scores more than three runs only once over …

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3 Up 3 Down: Much Ado About Tulo

The Rockies dropped to third place in the NL West after finishing their home stand a disappointing 2-4 and following that up by losing 2 of 3 in St. Louis.  The pitching struggles came from …

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Cuddy v Beltran

Prior to the 2012 season the Colorado Rockies were looking for an outfielder to replace the Seth Smith/Ryan Spilborghs combo in right field. The best player available was Carlos Beltran who had just made a …

“Crafty” Rockies pitchers toss BP in the cold“Crafty” Rockies pitchers toss BP in the cold“Crafty” Rockies pitchers toss BP in the cold“Crafty” Rockies pitchers toss BP in the cold

Apr 24

“Crafty” Rockies pitchers toss BP in the cold

Categories:

Jeff Francis, Jon Garland, Rockies

by Travis Lay

DFA?

Yesterday I was stuck listening to the Rockies games on the radio or watching on MLB At Bat or MLB Gameday. Work interfered with the first game and then my kid got in the way of the second game. Both semi-decent excuses for not watching, right?

Ya, I don’t think so either. I’ll do better next time.

What was with Walt Weiss letting Jeff Francis bat in the bottom of the fourth inning and then not even walking him out to the mound in the top of the fifth? What a waste of an out and by far my biggest pet peeve while Jim Tracy was managing. Let’s hope that was the first and last time that Weiss does this.

Anyway, while listening to the radio Jerry and Jack kept referring to Francis as a “crafty lefty”, aka, he sucks. When a broadcaster refers to a pitcher as “crafty” they are just avoiding saying that he sucks and that he basically throws soft toss softball. When Francis’ tops out in the mid-80′s with his fastball even the cold weather can’t keep hitters in the park. Jon Garland basically throws the same stuff so the Atlanta Braves saw a soft toss, ground-ball inducing (on a good day) lefty in the first game followed by the same type of pitcher, but from the right, in the night cap. Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 23

How good is Dexter Fowler?

Categories:

Dexter Fowler, Rockies

by Travis Lay

Dexter Fowler is good.

I think that is a very safe statement, yet I am amazed at how many fans still would rather see Eric Young Jr. in the outfield than Dexter.

Dexter Fowler is one of the best five best center fielders in all of baseball.

*Look of bewilderment*

I think even that statement is safe, yet many Rockies fans would think I am crazy for making that statement.

Quick, short list of the best center fielders in all of baseball: Adam Jones, Matt Kemp, Mike Trout, Jacoby Ellsbury, Andrew McCutchen and…Colby Rasmus? I think it is safe to put Dex into the conversation with Kemp, Jones and McCutchen, Trout and if Ellsbury shows he is healthy then we can put him in this conversation, too. There is a strong list of second tier guys in center field: Carlos Gomez, Coco Crisp, Austin Jackson, Angel Pagan and Desmond Jennings. There are your strong fielders, no hit guys: Ben Revere, Chris Young (how he has fallen…), Peter Bourjos, etc. When I sit back and look at all of the names of guys who have accumulated at least 17 or 18 games in center this year the position is really strong so saying Dex is top five is really making a statement. Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 20

3 Up 3 Down: Enjoying the Moment

Categories:

Jon Garland, Rockies, Troy Tulowitzki, Wilin Rosario

by The View from 132

Tulo is back!

As of Friday morning, the Rockies are 6-0 at home, 11-4 overall, and in first place in the NL West. Let that sink in for a minute. Yes, the schedule has been weak. Yes, better opponents are on the horizon. Yes, O’Dowd is still GM. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look at the standings and smile. Even with an opening day win last year, the Rockies did not spend a single day in first place in 2012. So savor it, Rockies fans, and try not to get bogged down by all of the things that might go wrong. Here, we take a look at what sets this team apart from last year, potential problems, and pleasant surprises.

1. What has been the most noticeable difference between this Rockies team and the 2012 version?

Brendan: Troy Tulowitzki. The pitching, defense, and hustle have all been improved as well, but Tulo is the most noticeable difference. Even when he was in the lineup last year, he was a shell of himself. In addition to being the Rockies’ emotional leader, Tulo solidifies both the defense and the offense. His play at shortstop has been stellar, something Scutaro could never approach last year. Having him in the cleanup spot is also a big difference that truly extends the lineup and allows Weiss to put Cuddyer, Rosario, and Helton/Pacheco in more appropriate slots in the order. As long as Tulo stays healthy, this team will stay dangerous. Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 19

Major League?

Categories:

Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Jeff Francis, Juan Nicasio, Nolan Arenado, Off the Field, Rockies, Todd Helton, Wilin Rosario

by Kevin Jordan

Helton on the left and Nicasio on the right?

“Maybe these guys ain’t so fu**in’ bad.” That’s the thought running through my head, as well as the rest of the Rockies’ fans. When they started off 5-1, it was easy to dismiss considering they had played a mediocre team in Milwaukee and a much worse team in San Diego. After the Giants took the Rockies behind the woodshed for a serious beating, that 5-1 start looked like a distant memory and the bad team we all expected was back. But, then a funny thing happened – instead of folding over like last year’s team so often did, the Rockies went into San Diego and dominated, then came home and took three more from the Mets; two in come-from-behind fashion. Now, we’re staring at an 11-4 team in first place and that thought is still there – maybe these guys ain’t so fu**in’ bad.

After thinking about this line for several days and seeing the same sentiment in dozens of articles, I started to think about the Rockies in the context of the source of that line – the movie Major League. You remember; it happens about halfway through when the guy in the coffee shop says it, followed by the construction worker who adds an F-bomb. And, like some of the more cynical, negative Rockies fans – the two groundskeepers who say they are still shitty. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much in common the two had.

To begin with, think about the first scene of the movie where the front office is looking at the list of names the owner wants to invite to spring training. One of them says “I never heard of half these guys and the ones I do know are way past their prime.” Doesn’t that describe the offseason and beginning of last season? Josh Outman, Guillermo Moscoso, Tyler Chatwood, DJ LeMahieu, and Tyler Colvin were the guys we’d never heard of and Marco Scutaro, Jason Giambi, and Ramon Hernandez were the guys way past their prime. Now, I know what you’re thinking – I forgot Jamie Moyer in that list. Remember this line – “This guy here is dead. Cross him off then.” I guess they forgot to cross him off. Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 17

The Rockies are 10-4 and came from behind in a cold second game of a double-header

Categories:

Rockies

by Travis Lay

Even Dick Monfort (along with Dan O'Dowd and Sandy Alderson) helped shovel the snow at Coors yesterday. Thanks to the Colorado Rockies for the picture.

The Rockies are 10-4 and came from behind in a cold second game of a double-header and both of those are just as astonishing to me on this rainy Wednesday morning. Who would have thought the Rockies would come out of the gate firing like this? Who would have thought that the pitching would be this good? And I know for sure that last year, in the second game of a double-header, in weather as poor as it was yesterday, that there was no way the Rockies would come back and win.

There is something different about this team this year. Definitely something different about it than last year. I am trying hard not to jump on this bandwagon, trying hard. The team has beaten teams that were predicted to be bad this year and got swept by the one team that is supposed to be good. The team is one rough road trip away from being .500. But, man, is it fun so far.

The team is hustling. As I tweeted the other night, there isn’t any slacking on the base paths this year. The team is running hard from first to third with two outs and weekly hit fly balls to to the outfield for the third out. The team is hustling to first on ground balls to the infield. The team is hustling in the field. All things they didn’t do, or do often enough, last year.

Put the blame on Jim Tracy or put it on the players, it is definitely different last year. There are rumblings that the clubhouse was not cohesive last year and that some players quit on the team. Maybe those players are gone and the clubhouse is better off and it is showing on the field. I read a quote a few weeks ago where Troy Tulowitzki said that the clubhouse in 2007 was the best he has been apart of. Now that is obviously a statement about how great 2007 was and how well those guys got along, but for him to bring it up six years later I think it also says something about the disarray of the clubhouse in 2012. Read the rest of this entry »

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18 comments

Apr 15

3 Up 3 Down: A Tale of Two Weeks

Categories:

News

by The View from 132

The first two weeks of the season have been representative of the ebb and flow of every baseball season.  From the “Another Rocktober!” optimism of a 5-1 opening week to the “100 losses here we come” depression of a sweep in San Francisco, the Rockies have watched the pendulum swing both directions already.  Only time will tell which one is more representative of what is to come during the 2013 season, and the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.  Here, we look back at the first two weeks to evaluate how Weiss is doing and discuss the lack of production from 1st base.

        What 3 words describe the first two weeks?

Brendan: Tulo is GOOD.  I knew the Rockies missed Tulo last year, but it took seeing him at full strength for me to completely grasp just how much he means to the team.  By anchoring the infield defense and the lineup, he is a critical part of both run prevention and run scoring.  Who would have thought that preventing the opponent from scoring runs and scoring runs yourself helps you stay in games?  Not me, apparently.  On top of being the best shortstop in baseball, he is also the Rockies’ emotional leader and demands accountability out of his teammates.  Tulo alone makes this club vastly better than the 2012 version, and I am embarrassed that I did not appreciate how much his absence killed the Rockies last year.  Tulo is back, he’s healthy, and he is awesome. 

Kevin: Good and bad. The Rockies played well during their first two series, winning five of six. Then came an early season test against the Giants, and the Rockies got an F. For whatever reason, when the Rockies play in San Francisco, they are at their worst and the Giants are at their best. Brandon Crawford with a three-run bomb? Please, you might not see another one of those all year. Anyways, the Rockies looked sharp against lesser competition, which is definitely good, but they struggled against a better foe. Until they learn how to beat the Giants, the Rockies aren’t going anywhere in the NL West. Read the rest of this entry »

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14 comments

Apr 12

“42” – Was there a point to this film?

Categories:

Baseball History, Off the Field

by Kevin Jordan

***Spoilers ahead***

There are a lot of reasons to make a movie. Money, art, to tell a story, money, to bring a serious issue to the spotlight, and money are just some of those reasons. Oh, and don’t forget money. So, when I saw that a new movie about Jackie Robinson was coming out, I started to wonder “why now?” This year doesn’t mark any special anniversary of anything related to Jackie Robinson. He was born 94 years ago, he died 41 years ago, he debuted in major league baseball 66 years ago, retired 57 years ago, was inducted into the hall of fame 51 years ago, and Jackie Robinson Day was created by baseball 9 years ago. None of those mark an anniversary ending in five or zero. It’s also really hard to make a case relating to race, considering we’ve seen sixty-six years of integrated baseball and Barack Obama’s been the President of the United States for more than four years. There have even been numerous films and television specials about him, including a biography where he played himself, so it wasn’t like the story hadn’t been told yet. I thought the movie itself might answer the question, but after watching the movie, the question still remained. The only thing I was able to come up with was a flimsy “baseball season just started, sooo…yeah.” My only hope of answering this question now is to go back over the movie and hope that you or I come up with something I haven’t considered yet.

The first thing you should know is that 42 is a decent enough movie. The second thing you should know is that it leaves a lot on the table. For one thing, like the film adaptation of The Help, it doesn’t show enough racism to really get your blood boiling. At most, it makes you a little uncomfortable, mostly due to focusing on a couple of characters or events and strategically placed n-words. Sure, he has to face several players and fans that call him bad names and others that issue vague threats, but it never seems like he has much to overcome. He just has to get a few hits and everything is okay. Considering the movie focuses on his year in the minor leagues and first year in the major leagues, we should have seen (and felt) a lot more vitriol, hatred, and threats. Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 11

The Rockies at AT&T Park

Categories:

Rockies

by Travis Lay

AT&T Park

…and SBC Park and Pac Bell Park.

All we heard about the past few days as the Rockies had the realization of what to expect in 2013 come crashing down in McCovey’s Cove in San Francisco was how bad the Rockies play in San Francisco, in particular at AT&T Park. I got to wondering…is it really an AT&T Park issue or is it a San Francisco Giants and their great pitching issue? Or is this just typical Rockies play on the road?

Here are the Rockies records, yearly, home and away by year from 2000-2012 (AT&T Park opened as Pacific Bell Park in 2000). Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 09

The Colossal Collapse of 2010

Categories:

Baseball History, Carlos Gonzalez, Dan O'Dowd, Jim Tracy, News, Playoffs, Troy Tulowitzki

by Logan Burdine

20130409-125212.jpg

On September 18, 2010, the Rockies, led by two Troy Tulowitzki home runs and eight shut-out innings by Jhoulys Chacin, beat the Dodgers 12-2 to move within a game of the first place San Diego Padres and a half game back of the Giants. Colorado was sitting on 82 wins with fourteen games left to play. The Rockies had won thirteen of their previous fifteen contests. Tulo was in the middle of a Ruthian September. CarGo was making a run at the MVP award. Another Rocktober and 90 wins seemed all but certain.

The next day, the Rockies dropped a close one to the Dodgers, followed by a three game sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks in Arizona. They returned home, where they had a 51-24 record at the time, to play six games against the Giants and Dodgers. They were so dominant at Coors that year, it seemed they would easily get back on track. They lost five of the six games. By the time they went to St. Louis for a four game set to end the season, they were mentally checked out. The Rockies managed to score two runs the entire series. All told, they lost thirteen of their last fourteen. After sitting on a 82-66 record, they only won one more game, finishing the season 83-79. Needless to say, it was an extremely disappointing finish. Yet, just two years later, fans would kill for this team to win 83 games again.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Apr 08

My weekend of Rockies (in pictures)

Categories:

Off the Field, Rockies

by Travis Lay

Here are some of the pictures I took on Friday and Saturday. For Opening Day we didn’t get tickets to the game, but that wasn’t going to keep us from the party that is Opening Day in LoDo. Saturday I used my first press credential of the year, and, wow, they totally redid the press box.

Here they are: Read the rest of this entry »

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