Who Will Play Center Field in Colorado?

Trading Dexter Fowler for jack shit still boils my blood despite the trade having occurred several months ago. Rox brass claimed they had to get rid of Fowler to free up some cash. Bullshit. Fowler would only make $7mill this coming season and slightly more in 2015, which is very reasonable for an above-average lead-off hitter and above-average center fielder. Furthermore, the Rox immediately turned around and signed Justin Morneau to the same money over two years!

Fangraphs listed the Fowler trade as one of the top 10 worst transactions this off-season, observing how Fowler is 

"...still a quality player, in the prime of his career, and the Rockies basically gave him to the Astros in order to free up enough room in the budget to sign Justin Morneau, who is older, worse, and not really much cheaper. Moving Michael Cuddyer to first base would have freed up playing time for Dickerson or Blackmon in the same way that trading Fowler did, and the team would have been better off for it. Lyles and Barnes are unlikely to ever make any real contribution in Colorado, and it’s hard to see this series of moves actually paying off for the Rockies."

On the flipside, the Fowler trade made their list of the ten BEST off-season moves from the Astros' perspective, as

"...Fowler has been an above average outfielder for the last three years running, and is just 28 years old, so a short term spike can’t be ruled out. In exchange for two reasonably priced arbitration years of a quality player with remaining upside, the Astros gave up two fringe talents that they won’t miss in any real way. This move flew under the radar because it was completed during the busiest day of the off-season, but the Astros picked up a ton of value in this deal."

And when Rockies brass came out in favor of moving perennial Gold Glover, Carlos Gonzalez, to center field the acquisition of Brandon Barnes -- a center fielder -- looked even more idiotic than before. While Cargo is probably an upgrade over Fowler in center, for sure, who would the Rox play in left field? 

Once the club decided to pay over $4 to get Drew Stubbs for one year, also a center fielder, the Rox brass sheepishly shied away from allowing their most prized "investment" (read: the human being named Carlos Gonzalez) the opporunity to flash his leather in center field, where it's needed most, and instead assured us and him that he'd remain in left, lollygagging after base hits and rarely getting the chance to show off that canon of an arm. Is it for fear of an injury? It's not like Cargo plays as hard as Pete Reiser, for christsake.

Anyway, I'd written some other stuff here about all our outfield options (Blackmon, Dickerson, Stubbs, Barnes) but forgot to save it and now it's gone. Screw it. Nothing about how the Rockies organization is run inspires any hope or excitement anymore. Especially after giving up on our center fielder for no fucking reason.

Ups and Downs, Rox and Browns

With the Face of the Franchise now stolen away from both the Mets and Cardinals, the slick crooks of Little Havana and Disneyland are shamelessly vomiting out hundreds of millions of dollars for each their own southpaw starter. Not content to have raped Queens of her star, Miami ripped the soul out of the southside and stole away Mark Buehrle (he of the Perfect Game), while the crowds in L.A. coo at C.J. Wilson's decision to play for his hometown.

But what's new here in the BULLPEN?  Well, here's one headline:

CUBS AND ROCKIES SWAP FAILURES

The Rox finally disposed of another pasty white lug who couldn't man the hot-corner. But I haven't seen anything out of Colvin to make me think he's any better of a player than Stewart, except for that video on mlb of him legging out a triple (at least he looks faster than oafish Ian). The Cubs also get righthanded reliever Casey Weathers in the deal, who I barely remember even hearing about last season. But apparently the Rox brass is blaring loudest about acquiring this DJ LaMaheiu fella (sounds ridiculously Smooth Jazz Radiojockeyish), apparently another infielder to add to the merry-go-round.

With Herrera, Nelson, EY Jr, and LaMeheiu all undoubtedly inadequate in some ways or others, it's looking like the platoon-horny schmucks in charge don't mind prolonging mediocrity and destroying the careers of decent young infielders by turning them into schizophrenic failures, unable to grow some cajones and get beyond their collective performance anxiety. Shoot, the same probably goes for our third outfielder, too. Whomever he may be.

*                    *                    *

Out in the deep green grass of Coors roams the long-legged doe, Dexter Fowler, still green himself, but with the potential to be one of the best centerfielders in the sport. He's also expected to have a breakout season offensively. For real this time. But unless Jim Tracey gets him out of the leadoff spot and back to the 2-hole where he's most comfortable, there's gonna be some seriously disappointed fans in Denver.

Carlos "The Little Pony" Gonzalez can play anywhere and make it look easy. The dude loves to dive and slide and flash the leather, as much as he enjoys showing off that powerfully smooth swing. The Little Pony of the national league could make a run at MVP again, now that expectations have been tempered.

But the story of the third outfielder has been a woeful tale for the Rockies over the past several years. Watching Brad Hawpe shrivel from an All-Star rightfielder into an incompetent firstbaseman for the Padres, Rox fans have to wonder if we can really expect anything better from the Seth Smith, Ryan Spilborghs, and/or Tyler Colvin trio. Why not deal these players for pitching, and bring up Wheeler or Blackmon again?

*                    *                   *

Let's get the ball back into the infield. Although it'd be nice to snag Martin Prado, I think better value lurks with Placido Polanco. He was forgettably brilliant last May (.398, 10/5 BB/K, 19 RBI), and always wins a gold glove no matter where he plays (2B in 2009, 3B in 2010), plus he never strikes out. So add another veteran goldglover in the infield with Tulo and Helton -- likely the best defenders at their respective positions in all of baseball -- then simply start the best glove of the four platooners from above (at either 3B or 2B).  That sounds solid enough to challenge the '07 Rockies for the best team fielding percentage record in the history of the major leagues! (Lest we forget those glory days).

But what about the Rockies of today? Make no mistake, the Rox have been active this off-season. Active like somebody who insecurely keeps himself busy all the time in order to appear hard at work. They stupidly released a very valuable closer in Huston Street. And smartly cut Wigginton, just for the hell of it. They saved a tiny bit of money on the Iannetta/Hernandez flip. And for whatever reason, signed an undesirable, flyball-inducing innings-eater, Kevin Slowey. That still leaves a lot of money to get an Ace. And an Ace we need, oh-so-badly, ever since we traitorously traded Ubaldo.

Well, CJ Wilson went to Disneyland with Whinnie the Pujols, so there's only one Ace left out there.
It's the highly coveted Yu Darvish.
This is it, Rox. Your last chance.
This guy's numbers are no fluke.

Check it out, it's the Stat of the Week


Alas, we all know the emptyheaded Monforts are cheap bastards and there's no way in hell the Rockies could ever muster enough sophistication and/or foresight to pull this one off. Not as long as these same twisted minds are still in control. Given their history of terrible pitching contracts and the discriminatory practices of their more recent past, would it surprise anyone if the Rockies were reticent to go after Japaense-Iranian Yu Darvishsefad as opposed to simply "trusting" in dudes like Alex White, Drew Pomeranz, and Christian Friedrich (suspiciously Jeff Franciscan in his underwhelmingness) -- who stunk it up in Double-A last year (6-10, 5.00 ERA, 1.49 WHIP)? One thing has become clear over the years. Despite a consistently full Coors field, the old white men at the top only care about augmenting their own wealth, like every other jerk in the 1% -- to use the parlance of our times.

Thus, dear friends, with all your typical major league b.s. continuing to give Baseball a bad name, it may be time once again (after this season, of course) to abandon the mlb, and, in the meantime, to get to know the local amateur team, the Denver Browns, in time for my spring visit back home.

Colorado Dreamin'

The Colorado Rockies need to be active this off- season. The Rox have David Wright in the crosshairs, which would be expensive but exciting. They're reportedly also interested in Martin Prado and Grady Sizemore. But consider this unlikelihood from an alternate reality: the Rox should sign Jose Reyes to a multi-year deal instead.

Why, you may ask, when they already have Tulo at SS? Well, besides the fact Reyes is about the coolest player in the game, and the Miami Marlins seem to be on the same wavelength (with Hanley Ramirez at SS), here are some less subjective reasons...

1) Because Reyes can play 2B. Thankfully, the Rockies let their old friend Jamie Carroll sign with Minnesota, and last year's pickup Mark Ellis signed with the Dodgers. The Rockies are now left with Eric Young Jr. - who for whatever reason isn't the guy they believe in.

2) Because Reyes is a switch-hitting lead-off man who won the NL batting title and steals lots of bases. The Rockies haven't had a good lead-off hitter since Eric Young, Sr back in the mid 90's. Imagine what Reyes could do at Coors! Triples, homers, doubles, oh my!

3) Because the Rockies need versatility in the infield. For whatever reason, Colorado infielders are consistently getting injured. EY and Herrera and Stewart and Tulo and Helton, all spend lots of time on the DL. And perhaps Tulo's 10 yr. contract and 6'4", 220lb frame suggests he may have to move to third base at some point down the road. Although make no mistake: he's currently the best defensive shortstop in the majors. Even if that's a ridiculous non-concern right now, think of how versatile the Rockies infield would be with Reyes able to play 2b, 3b, and more-than-adequately fill in for Tulo at SS. Unless of course Reyes himself gets injured. Again.

4) Because the Rockies will obviously never have good pitching. But emphasizing stellar defense, speed, and incredible hitting (a faster version of the Blake Street Bombers, with multiple batting title winners and perennial MVP candidates) might just be enough to win the NL West and return to the playoffs.

5) And most importantly, because their lineup would be the fastest, most exciting, and most fun to watch in all of baseball. Dexter Fowler could return to the two-hole where he's said several times he feels more comfortable. And if they're serious about giving Ian Stewart another shot, then drop him to 8th in the order and take a lot of the run-producing pressure off. The lineup looks amazing...

1. Reyes - 2b

2. Fowler - CF
3. Gonzalez - LF
4. Tulowitzki - SS
5. Smith - RF
6. Helton - 1b
7. Pacheco/Iannetta - C
8. Stewart - 3b
9. Pitcher

Otherwise, if the Rockies are completely unwilling to go all-out for Reyes, they're gonna have to sign both Prado and Sizemore -- as it looks like Seth Smith would be part of the Prado trade -- needing not only a solid starting outfielder to replace Smith, but also an above-average infielder like Prado (seeing as how there are gaping holes at both 2b and 3b).

In that case, the lineup could look like this...

1) Fowler - CF
2) Prado - 2b
3) Gonzalez - LF
4) Tulowitzki - SS
5) Sizemore - RF
6) Helton - 1b
7) Pacheco/Iannetta - C
8) Stewart - 3b
9) Pitcher

Hmmm...that ain't too shabby either.

In the third scenario, one that also looks pretty damn good, the Rockies get David Wright and allow EY Jr. (and perhaps Jonathan Herrera) to man the keystone position.


1) Young - 2b
2) Fowler - CF
3) Gonzalez - LF
4) Tulowitzki - SS
5) Wright - 3b
6) Helton - 1b
7) Pacheco/Iannetta - C
8) Smith - RF
9) Pitcher


Bottom line is that the Rockies gotta do something. Getting the affordable James Loney, whom the Dodgers don't give a shit about, would be a smart move. The dude loves hitting at Coors (.337/.385/.581) and has a good enough glove to replace the ancient (but capable) Todd Helton. But that'll never happen as long as Helton gets paid tens of millions of dollars yet again this season.

Here's one more lineup to ponder over...

1) Young - 2b
2) Sizemore -RF
3) Gonzalez - LF
4) Tulowitzki - SS
5) Prado - 3b
6) Helton - 1b
7) Iannetta/Pacheco - C
8) Fowler - CF
9) Pitcher

Pitching will forever remain anathema to Denver baseball fans. Signing Colorado-native Brad Lidge on the cheap might be a good idea, thus letting closer Huston Street walk. But starting pitching will be a huge problem for the Rox. JDLR won't be ready until May and none of our highly-touted prospects look ready to be in a major league rotation. We gotta go after Wandy Rodriguez, C.J. Wilson, and Edwin Jackson. Then we might just have a competitive rotation.

But I fear that the hot stove will soon burn all these half-baked ideas into a cloud of smelly smoke...and the Rockies will once again end up dishing out silly one-year deals to guys like Ty Wigginton and Jose Lopez.

May the winter meetings have mercy on us all.

Razing Arizona & a Rocky Road for the future

With one out, a guy on third and the no.3 hitter up, the team up to bat must score. It's imperative; but far too often that runner doesn't score. Presumaby the team's best hitter, the no.3 guy will drive in that run with either 1) a hit, 2) a sac-fly, 3) a grounder to the right side of the infield, or 4) a squeeze bunt. The fourth option is literally NEVER attempted, although its probability for success may be greater than all of the other options, especially when ahead in the count. The typically bloated egos of both manager and hitter are no doubt partly responsible for their unwillingness or inability to pull of the squeeze play -- it's not a play that exhibits masculine prowess -- but there's another weakness on their part that seems even more disappointing. The fear of danger and deviance.

A failed squeeze play is just as exciting as one that succeeds. But the chances of a squeeze succeeding in the right situation are no more risky or prone to fail than any of the other scenarios outlined above. But for some reason, sports fans are quicker to chastise strategic guile and daredevilry and abnormality than we are to condemn conservative decision making when it fails.



When applying for that mlb "dream" job, they demand you send in a video clip answering some questions, which I'm unable and too lazy to provide. The job's fine print reads like a probation sentence; but watching and commenting on all that baseball could be crazy and fun, especially if they pay up big. One question on the app asks: "What will be the biggest MLB storyline of 2011"? To which I proclaimed 2011 to be the year we initiate a Fans Union. Shit, the timing couldn't be better!

Watched the Rox archived spring training opener yesterday in its entirety, and there were several interesting things to note...

1. This Salt River facility at Talking Stick is perhaps the most vainglorious land seizure of Indian territory for white man's recreation in recent American history. A casino, shopping village and golf course surround the excessively large baseball wonderland, providing several more reasons we should all burn that feckin' state to the ground.

2. The taboo of building white man's bullshit on Indian burial ground -- like cutting down a magical fairy tree in Ireland -- has long been an effective myth in preventing the objectification of the earth for capitalist ends. Those who fail to heed these mystical warnings are punished by having two of our star players collide in foul territory on the first batter in the first inning of the first spring training game ever on this field. Let that play not be forgotten, as it no doubt portends future disasters of cosmological proportions.

3. After grounding into a d.p. and moving sluggishly behind the dish for a couple innings, Chris Iannetta further demonstrated he's not our best catching option. Add to this an amazing at-bat by Jordan Pacheco, some great footwork and pick-off attempts from McKenry, and the promising past of Mauer back-up, Morales, the Rox have plenty of better options to go to this year, which could make our catcher not a weakness but an asset.

4. Dexter Fowler looked good from both sides of the plate and hit the ball hard both times. Top 3 defensive centerfielder in the game could be in for a solid season at the plate, which would be HUGE.

5. Johnny Herrera continues to show he's got the best batting eye on the team, good speed, and a solid glove at 3B. Goodbye Strikeout Stewart, you and Iannetta need to be traded for a young firstbaseman.

6. Good to see the vets put a HURT on the ball in each at-bat: Wiggy, Lopez and Jacobs all looked mean and confident up there.

With that said, here's my immodest proposal to J.T. for 2011 --

Suggested Rox opening day lineup:

1. Herrera - 3b
2. Fowler - CF
3. CarGo - LF
4. Tulo - SS
5. Lopez - 2b
6. Helton - 1b
7. Pacheco - C
8. S. Smith - RF
9. Jimenez - P



The third base coach is flashing signs to the no.3 hitter who, out of habit, looks back with feigned seriousness as if there's even a remote chance the squeeze is on. Nobody in the stadium expects it. The aging hot cornerman is standing well behind the bag. The man on third gets a very healthy lead down the line...the pitcher decides to work from the windup...staring straight ahead, focusing on the batter as he's been told so many times.

The runner anticipates the exact moment when the pitcher will initiate a series of subtle and coordinated moves -- looking down at the very instant his glove starts to rise upward while his weight rocks backward ever so slightly -- and he's off! In a sprint down the baseline against a 90mph fastball, with only the pitcher's windup giving him a small headstart. Is it a straight steal of home!? Can't be! Impossible! And the pitch comes in at 85mph right down the middle...our no.3 hitter in his head knows how to square up to bunt, but his body refuses.

This watermelon looks so juicy, just floating in there all big and round and right down the pipe! Give it a hack and hit it out of the park; it's worth two runs instead of only one. Simple fucking math! Adios, pelota....

And then....

Ubaldo's No-No

Hearing the ump call 'Ball One', our manager races out of the dugout - absolutely livid - as the high heater seemed to have grazed his batter in the helmet. It's early in the game, otherwise he'd be kicking some dirt and throwing shit. So after a smattering of saliva and swear words, we're ready for the 1-0 pitch with our lead-off man wandering off of third...

the radio broadcast:
1st inning:

"Well, the wind may play a factor in this one tonight. It has been swirling around the ballpark here in Atlanta...other than that, should be a good night for baseball..."

Cargo with a lead-off double, Fowler moves him over to third, Helton walks, Tulo sac fly. 1-0.

2nd inning:

-Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years" segues into a commercial break, and "Touch of Grey" by the Dead brings us back to the action

-Jack Corrigan tells some bizarre story about doing a college football game in Japan, which was suddenly moved to a baseball field where broadcasters sat in small "port-o-potties" to announce the game

-continuing on the Asian theme, Jerry Schemmel notes how China broadcasts all Houston Rockets games across the entire country, in honor of Glorious Super Excellent Giant Hero Faithful Patriot, Yao Ming.

-then on to how international the sport of baseball has become, with 28% of players on opening day rosters this year born outside the U.S. - "you wonder how long it will be before some of the European players join [the mlb]"

-segue music: "Baseball is Turning Japanese" - tr.16 on the 2008 Los Olvidados Fantasy Baseball Soundtrack

3rd inning:

"The appeal...the umpire says no, he did not go around"..."Ubaldo's been just wild enough that he hasn't gotten the borderline call, because he doesn't deserve the borderline call; he's just been everywhere with his pitches"...."Here's the 3-2 delivery, swung on and missed, strike three! Challenged him that time with that fastball, 97mph. And there are two outs. Boy, just looks like he can still throw strikes. It's gonna be tough to hit him tonight, again..."

"Not that he's been digging at the mound or whatever, but like Jason Hammel last night, it seems like Ubaldo's delivery is not as fluid tonight and you don't know if it's something he's doing, or if the mound is impacting on that..." "You know Jack, I'm with you completely...I think you're right, he seems to have something that's causing him to labor so far." "But, you look up, he hasn't given up a hit yet..."

"It's cold enough that Kawakami now has a jacket on at second base"

- 2 on, 2 out, 2-0 count to Chipper Jones...

"Jimenez trying to settle down and find the strike zone...47 pitches now, 23 strikes and 24 balls...McCann waiting on deck...here's his pitch...that one missed, away, and...there's a throw to second base and OUT! Miguel Olivo! A shot to Tulowitzki and he picks off Kawakami at second base to retire the side. Boy, that's a friend of Jimenez right there: his catcher, Miguel Olivo"

4th inning:

"This place interesting, too, in that it started out as Centennial Olympic Stadium. And then they did a poll to see what the fans thought they should name the new baseball stadium, and of course the fans said we wanna name it Hank Aaron Stadium. But, no, it turned out to be Ted Turner Field. And some in Atlanta, we're told, not real happy about that"

With Hawpe running from first on a 3-2 count, Ian Stewart slices a single to left, splintering his bat, sending a shard into Kawakami's back.

"Hawpe and Stewart have singled, they're at second and first, two outs here in the 4th, a one-to-nothing Rockies lead. Ubaldo hits it up the middle! into centerfield for a basehit! McClouth up with the ball, coming to the plate...Hawpe...he will... SCORE!"

"Kawakami...from the stretch, the pitch - Carlos lines it towards left-center field! ...that's gonna go to the wall! It'll score a pair! Nearly a carbon-copy of his first inning double; a two-run blast from Carlos Gonzalez, it's 4-0 - Rockies"

...



"Ubaldo hasn't been close with any pitch...it's 3-0 to Chipper Jones...and way high again, ball four. Five walks, twelve men into the game." "Oh, and now they're gonna call a balk on Jimenez. Started to raise his body, then stopped"

"That breaking pitch has gone for more strikes than the fastball; he's able to control that one a bit better. 54 pitches and only 24 strikes, yet he's got a 4-0 lead"

"A walk, a balk, and a groundball out to give the Braves a scoring threat here in the 4th...1-2 pitch....SWWWUUUUUUEEEEENNG and a miss! he got 'em with a breaking ball; and that's out number two." "Maybe that's the strategy, Jack, you walk a player so you can get into the stretch and then you can throw 100mph." "Tell you what, he's had better command from the stretch tonight." "I know, I say it tongue-and-cheek, but actually he's been effective that way"

5th inning:

Comparing and contrasting three great left-handed hitters in recent memory:
Todd Helton, Wade Boggs, and George Brett

Double-play ends the top-half of the inning, "China Grove" by the Doobies segues into the break...

"The 2-0 to Heyward is...well, I'm not sure where that one was, but apparently not in the strike zone. 3-0. And that's ball four, not close. Walk number six." "You have to believe walks are gonna catch up to ya; you walk 6 guys in five innings, something bad is gonna happen..."

"Strike one. And here we go, we get in the stretch again and the strikes start coming." "Yeah, almost like - 'just pitch out of the stretch, Ubaldo'". "Of the six walks, three of 'em were on four straight balls"

"Hit to deep center and the wind's gonna knock it down. That ball had the sound of being well hit, but the wind said no-no" [Ha!!!]

"Another strike. I've gotta ask Ubaldo about this tomorrow; it's unbelievable, the difference in his command from the stretch tonight." "3-2 to McClouth ... SWWWWUUUUUEEEENG and a miss he got 'em!"

6th inning:

- commercial break: "You just heard the bottom of the fifth. If you're at the bottom of your fifth, you need to get to Applejack Wine and Spirits...Minutes from anywhere, just off I-70"

"And we'll see the Major League debut of lefty Johnny Venters...he was a 30th rd. pick in the 2003 draft of the Atlanta Braves...finally making his debut and he'll face Ian Stewart."

"No runs...and I'll say it, no hits, so far for the Braves." "Hah. You're new school, I'm old school."

...

Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" leads us into the bottom of the sixth...

"How about this: in the stretch is Jimenez now, Jack, and it's strike one." "Well we've been talking about it...you get yourself in trouble from the windup." "From the Rockies perspective, they'd love Ubaldo to have a quick sixth and possibly seventh and turn it over to the bullpen." "And that is...a called strike three!" "And that gives him one more strike than balls, out of 87 total pitches."

"It's gonna be a 1-2-3 inning for Jimenez as we head to the top of the 7th inning"

7th inning:

Cargo strikes out on three pitches. Fowler hits the ball hard, again, and McClouth runs it down with help from the wind. Dex suffers another 0-fer. Helton follows with a "seeing-eye grounder" for a hit. Tulo grounds out, first pitch swinging once again.

Seventh inning stretch...4-0 Rockies

"He's gonna pitch again from the stretch...[cut in broadcast! two fucking commercials interrupt the game -- mlb must've stolen this call to post on their website -- and we're back with...] ... that was remarkable!"

"Dexter Fowler was maybe a step or so to the right side of secondbase in centerfield, he just outran this baseball, dove and made the catch. His batting gloves fell out of his pockets and all Ubaldo could do was go 'wow!'" "What a catch by Dexter Fowler!...an amazing catch, cuz number one to go spread out like that and also to turn the glove, so as not to lose the ball." "Dex might be as good as there is in centerfield in major league baseball and here's the pitch, there's a liner to center, Dexter Fowler coming on...on the run...MAKES the catch!...at his knees! ANother great running catch -- not quite as spectacular as the last one -- but Fowler gets out number two with that great catch."

"Since he moved into the stretch...Ubaldoo's retired 8 in a row." "Here's the pitch...STRIKE THREE CALLED ON HEYWARD!"

8th inning:

"One out in the Rockies' 8th. Ubaldo Jimenez has thrown 105 pitches, so he will come out for the 8th inning..."

Jack: "The game has featured an RBI single from Ubaldo, the wind taking a couple potential home-runs away from the Rockies, a spectacular catch from centerfielder Dexter Fowler to keep the 'you-know-what' going -- I'm old-school folks, I'm not gonna do it -- I keep tellin' you again and you can read between the lines or ask somebody what I mean when I say there have been six baserunners for the Braves, but they have gotten on-base by walks."

...

"Ubaldo Jimenez has allowed just six walks in the game...Cabrera swings and rolls it to first...out number one on one pitch!"

Fan question: Who is the youngest ROY in the history of the game:
NL - 1984, Doc Gooden - age 19
AL - 1978, Lou Whitaker - age 21

"Strike two called on pinch-hitter Hinske...[crowd boos loudly]...the pitch, SWUUUEEENG and he got 'em! Out number two in the 8th inning. Strikeout number seven for Ubaldo Jimenez. 110 pitches on the night for Ubaldo...To the best of my recollection, Ubaldo's career high in pitches is 127...129 from a year ago."

"The 1-2 pitch, popped up...in foul ground on the right side, and...OLIVO's GOT IT! And we'll go to the ninth! Three outs, four to go [sic] for Ubaldo Jimenez!! The Rockies lead it, 4-0!"

9th inning:

"New pitcher for the Braves is Jesse Chavez...and leading off, most appropriately, Ubaldo Jimenez - who has an RBI single in three tries tonight and a run scored." "Maybe the Skipper said, 'just go out there and make an out and come back'"..."Swing and a miss, he got him."

"Well, the fans here in Atlanta - they know what is going on - it has gotten quiet in this ballpark. Dexter Fowler, 0-4, lined out his last time up, drives this to center field...McClouth going back, and he will grab it. We head to the bottom of the ninth! Rockies- 4, Braves- nothing"

...

"4-0 Rockies, bottom of the ninth, Martin Prado will lead it off. Ubaldo Jimenez has allowed six walks on the night to Atlanta - that's it...first pitch a breaking ball for strike one to Prado. Chipper Jones on deck, Brian McCann to follow. Prado the hottest of the Braves' hitters...The 1-1 pitch...breaking ballllllllll....low, two balls and a strike. 32,602 here wondering if they're gonna see something special. The 2-1 pitch...in the air, on the infield...Clint Barmes calls off Todd Helton. That's out number 25!

"Here's Chipper Jones...outfield straight away and deep for Jones. Last baserunner was a lead-off walk to Heyward in the 5th...The 2-0 to Jones, GOOOOD rip at a fastball and he FOULED it back to the screen. Two balls and a strike. Jimenez takes a deep breath as he again puts that glove on his left knee to lean in for the sign from Miguel Olivo. Now he straightens, working from the stretch, the pitch...in the air towards leftfield, Carlos Gonzalez calls it. That's out number 26!

"Two outs in the Braves' ninth! Brian McCann, the man that stands between Ubaldo Jimenez and history. The Braves fans here come to their feet; in part in recognition for Brian McCann, in part in recognition for Ubaldo Jimenez. First pitch to McCann a breaking ball for strike one! April 5, 1993 the first game in Rockies history. The pitch to McCann, fouled away, strike two! On April 17, 2010 - Ubaldo Jimenez perhaps one pitch away from history! McCann asks for time; rubs the sweat off the top of his forehead. Jimenez patiently waits for him to come back into the batter's box...The 0-2 pitch, fouled away to the left. 125 pitches on the night, in a sometimes erratic but brilliant performance by Ubaldo Jimenez...Now he sets...another 0-2, fouled farther down the left side. Ubaldo taking a slow walk around the mound, holds his arms above his head for a moment. Now he's ready. Another 0-2, bounced it to home-plate [foul]. His heartbeat I'm sure -- as calm as this young man is -- has to be going a little hard right now. Shakes off two, now he's ready, the 1-2 pitch...BOUNCING BALL TOWARDS SECOND, BARMES HAS IT, TO FIRST....IT'S A NO-HITTER!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ROCKIES HISTORY! UBALDO JIMENEZ HAS NO-HIT THE ATLANTA BRAVES! WHAT A NIGHT FOR UBALDO JIMENEZ! MOBBED BY HIS TEAMMATES...ALL THE GUYS FROM THE BULLPEN, RACING IN!

"Jim Tracy made him the ace of the staff in spring training, and on an April night in Atlanta, Georgia on his 128th pitch, Ubaldo Jimenez is into the record books. The first no-hitter in Rockies history! That's why I talked about April 5, 1993 - that's when it began - and tonight, their most spectacular pitching performance!! The final score -- on a no-hit night for Ubaldo Jimenez -- the Rockies- 4, Braves- nothing."



From the stretch, the southpaw  shakes off a series of signs...grinding his teeth he...steps off the rubber. The crowd is already getting restless...

opening pitch

The great game of baseball goes through perpetual -- if only subtle -- changes and there's no better time than the off-season to discuss how to improve our experience and enjoyment of the sport. It might be suggestions on why big leaguers and school teachers should swap salaries; or a pointed critique of how mainstream media has affected the game; or simply a look back at an intriguing player, team or time in baseball history that may enlighten us or make us laugh.

So without further ado, I guess it's time to kick-start this here blog by simply and soberly looking at....

What made the '09 Rockies so goddamn cool

First, the brilliant mid-season turn away from emphasizing populist power-hitting philosophies ("production" via HRs, RBIs) and moving instead toward qualities that defined earlier generations (great fielding, base-running, starting pitchers going a minimum of 6 innings) and even some nods to nerdball (players with solid OBP, OPS, and UZR). Second, each individual on this very young team was capable of playing complementary baseball better than most. And just what the hell is that supposed to mean? Well, it's probably best embodied in some truly unique individual moments (the so-called 'intangibles'), but also the team's ability to creatively adjust to the ever-changing dynamics of situational baseball -- in the context of both a specific at-bat, inning, or game and also in the long-term context of the season itself. By the time the playoffs rolled around, the Rox were unrecognizable when compared to their opening day dynamic.


SPECIFIC SITUATION: Clean-up hitter Troy Tulowitzki (SS) in the stretch run of the NL West pennant/wild-card race put down a perfect bunt with a runner on first against Matt Cain (SP) on the road at SF (Sept.16) in an effort to manufacture an early run (to no avail -- so he hit a homer instead in the 4th inning to break the 0-0 tie and turned two double-plays to preserve the win). Most noteworthy because Tulo simply owned Cain (one of the best pitchers in baseball last year) and deciding to drop down a surprise bunt against him says a lot about Tulo's versatility as an individual player, but more interestingly illustrates the way in which even the no.4 hitter on a team is willing and able to strategically alter the situation from an individual advantage to a team advantage by performing beyond or outside of his designated role as clean-up hitter. I know of no other clean-up hitter in the majors who put down a bunt last season. Tulo lead all shortstops in homers, was 2nd in RBI, t-2nd in Runs scored, and t-2nd in triples: (.297/101/32/92, 20sb and 9 triples). Not to mention, Tulo also led all shortstops in SLG and OPS (.552/.930) and was t-5th in OBP (.377). Yet, his great season -- punctuated by unselfish moments -- was not an anomaly; one could find several examples from the likes of Torrealba and Spilborghs, Garret Atkins and Omar Quintanilla.


LONG-TERM CONTEXT: Several of us hoped to see rookies Dexter Fowler (CF), Carlos Gonzalez (LF/CF) and Eric Young Jr. (2B/OF) -- none of whom were on the opening day roster -- work their way into the starting lineup by August. By that time, both Dex and Gonzo were starting and with Clint Barmes (2B) struggling mightily at season's end, EY Jr. ended up getting a few starts as well. The recipe for success -- much like in '07 -- seemed to be to trust in the ability of our rookies to play surprisingly great baseball. After experimenting with Gonzo in the lead-off spot after Dex got injured, he made the adjustment away from the power label that plagued him in AZ and OAK and toward getting on base, hitting line-drives, and showing an uncanny ability to steal bases by reading pitchers like a hawk. Dex came back, he assumed the no.2 spot in the lineup and looked smarter at the plate -- in both moving the runner over, but also in providing solid OBP and incredible speed on the bases. Rockies and Rookies...a recipe for success, but more importantly - playful baseball. We'll never forget 2007 when the Rox similarly relied on rookies like Tulo, Ubaldo Jimenez (SP) and Franklin Moralis (SP) to reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history. All that's left now is to insert EY Jr. at 2B (batting leadoff?) and watch him thrive amongst similarly fun players.

And let's not forget, let's not forget, dude, the unheralded and unsung players who came off the bench to carry the Rockies for stretches at a time: Seth Smith (NL Player of the Week Aug.31-Sept.6), Franklin Morales (6 for 6 in Save opportunities from Sept.2-11 while Street was injured), and unforgettable moments like Ryan Spilborghs walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 14th against those pesky Giants (Aug.24).

So, yes, Tulo and Helton were both healthy again after an injury-ridden '08 and Brad Hawpe (RF) made the all-star team after a blistering first half, and yes, a managerial change helped spark the Rox to an incredible 74-42 record after Jim Tracy was hired -- yet, for all the offensive and defensive talents and efforts, it was the unbelievably consistent starting pitching that really rejuvenated the '09 Rockies; Jimenez, Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Hammel, Aaron Cook, and Jason Marquis all won 10 or more games in '09 and Huston Street proved himself as one of the game's elite closers. At Coors Field! Now that's a team effort.

All this arm-chair prognosticating about mlb clubs utilizing custom-design stadiums and rosters to provide home field advantage next season is a bit tardy...the Rox were clearly ahead of the pack when they instituted the humidor (2002) and let the grass grow high (slowing down grounders) in the infield to give our low-ball pitchers a chance to actually win a few games. Most surprisingly, they gave up on the "Blake Street Bombers" image in favor of an athletic squad who set the mlb record in '07 for best team fielding percentage in history. And to think, only a few years ago we wasted billions of dollars on old arms like Hampton, Saberhagen and Neagle, but now have a team almost entirely homegrown.

2009 was without a doubt the best in Rockies history, but 2010 looks even more exciting


ALTERNATIVE OPENING DAY LINEUP for 2010:
1. Eric Young Jr. (2B)
2. Dexter Fowler (CF)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
4. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
5. Todd Helton (1B)
6. Brad Hawpe (RF)
7. Chris Iannetta (C)
8. Ian Stewart (3B)
9. Ubaldo Jimenez (SP)