Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck will post his Rockies Mailbag every other week on Fridays during the 2006 Major League Baseball season. The next installment is slated for March 24.
To drop a Major League Baseball or Rockies question into the Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
When is spring training in Tucson this year?
— W.S., Las Cruces, N.M.
W.S. – T.E.R. here. Couldn’t resist. I haven’t been to Las Cruces in years – back in the days when I used to drive to spring training. This year’s spring training runs from Feb. 17 until April 1. The Rockies begin Cactus League games March 1 against the defending champion White Sox at Tucson Electric Park.
If you’re a big baseball fan, there’s nothing like time in the desert to get acquainted with the players and get a feel for the roster. Wins and losses are irrelevant, but trends emerge – like last year when the Rockies bullpen developed into a gnawing concern.
The best part of spring training is accessibility for both writers and fans. Autographs are readily available for fans, with players much more relaxed than during the regular season.
Hi, Troy. Could you tell us what has happened to Chin-Hui Tsao? He used to be the top pitching prospect, but he didn’t even feature on your breakdown of the Rockies roster heading into spring training. Thanks.
— Luke Foster, Brighton, England
Luke – You qualify as hardcore. It can’t be easy being a baseball fan in a soccer-mad environment. Thanks for reading so closely. Chin-Hui Tsao has not dissolved, he’s hurt. He underwent major shoulder to repair a torn labrum and biceps tendon last May, leaving him on schedule to return to the big leagues sometime in June.
“I am happy that I had the surgery,” said Tsao, who will throw off a mound again soon as he takes baby steps in his rehabilitation. “I am not in pain anymore.”
Tsao won the closer’s job last spring with his shoulder facing an expiration date because of a slowly worsening tear. He was done by May 12. The Rockies have never had a pitcher whose fastball explodes like Tsao’s. It would be a shame if he doesn’t have a solid major league career. He profiles as a seventh-inning guy upon his return if Brian Fuentes, as expected, is successfully holding down the closer’s role.
Extending the contract of Clint Hurdle is one thing, but extending Dan O’Dowd’s is just a bad move. Can MLB step in and restore order, or will this ship continue on its path to becoming the “Clippers” of MLB?
— Josh W., Butte, Mont.
Josh – Based on my e-mail inbox, a lot of Rockies fans were upset by the contract extensions, which run both contracts through 2007. The move didn’t surprise me, only the timing. Ownership had originally planned to revisit the status at season’s end. But goodwill from an organizational summit and the desire to eliminate distractions prompted quicker action.
To me, the situation lacked urgency. It would have made more sense to reward Hurdle and O’Dowd in May after a strong start.
While leadership hasn’t changed, expectations have. In Year 2 of the youth movement, the Rockies expect to contend, making the evaluations of the roster more salient.
How cool would it be to have Sammy Sosa at Coors Field? He only needs, like, 12 homers to get to 600, and where better than Coors Field? He can’t have his HRs any more cheapened than a corked bat, can he?
— Bill Farrell, Denver
Bill – It’s a curious thought. Even in his diminished state, Sammy Sosa could fall out of bed and hit home runs at Coors Field. Reality, however, remains a problem. The Rockies don’t have the type of money available to lure Sosa out of retirement – he felt a $500,000 deal from the Washington Nationals was disrespectful – and they are committed to Brad Hawpe.
A couple of years ago when the Cubs were trying to unload Sosa, the Rockies were involved. They were hoping to acquire the slugger and swing him for other pieces. Put it this way: If the Rockies didn’t bring back Andres Galarraga to hit his 400th at Coors Field, there’s no way Sosa is getting an invite.
You have to love the money they put into their bullpen. Brian Fuentes has to pitch like last year, and show it wasn’t a fluke. The young guys have to perform at the highest level expected. We can’t have any injuries, and we could finish around .500. How’s that for possibly, maybe, and we’ll see. What do you think?
— Jeff Rogoff, Denver
Jeff – At first glance, I would say you’ve joined The Simpsons’ Ned Flanders in the Optimist Club. However, the Rockies share your ambitious goals. They are talking contention, leaning hard on their 30-28 finish rather than their 67-95 overall record. There’s no question Colorado was on the rise last season as its young players matured. In an offseason with $10 million available to spend, they effectively addressed the bullpen needs, keeping Mike DeJean, trading for Ray King and signing Jose Mesa.
Though predicting a bullpen’s performance is never recommended, the Rockies are much stronger than a year ago, when the relievers sabotaged the season with a horrific April. There’s nothing about Brian Fuentes that suggests he was a fluke. He throws with a funky delivery – think of a T-Rex flipping a Frisbee and you get the idea – and can produce strikeouts with alarming regularity.
Health is an obvious concern. The Rockies, for instance, aren’t deep enough to lose Clint Barmes for three months. In fact, only the Dodgers lost more players to days on the disabled list than the Rockies last season, suggesting that this year has to be better.
So, to your question, what do I think? As I said in , a 75-win season is realistic for the Rockies. As much as the total, how they reach the number is important. Getting 75 by hanging around .500 all year represents success. If irrelevant by May 15 like last year, 75 wins would ring hollow, since expectations would have evaporated.
There’s no question that the National League West is vulnerable, given the injury issues surrounding so many star players. It makes a solid start imperative, allowing the Rockies’ collective confidence to swell.
Will the Rockies steal more bases this season?
— Ryan A., Denver
Ryan – Don’t bother notifying Denver’s finest. There won’t be any crime spree at Coors Field. That said, there’s no reason the Rockies can’t run more. Cory Sullivan and Clint Barmes will share the leadoff spot and should produce 40 stolen bases. . That’s a decent number, one that would allow them to sacrifice bunt less, especially at Coors Field.
A year ago, Aaron Miles had similar goals, but a balky knee derailed him. While swiping bases can be overrated, the Rockies need to be able to do it occasionally as it applies more pressure on the defense and can help trigger a big inning.
Are you doing the Postcards From Spring Training again this year?
— Roger, Lakewood
Roger – The Postcards have been retired and replaced by a . Both Patrick Saunders and I will regularly write blogs from Tucson and all parts of Arizona and Florida. The blogs are loosely defined and should remind loyal readers of the past Postcards. As with the postcards, the blogs will be posted daily, usually in the early afternoon.
My first was delivered earlier this week as I chronicled . It was from there that a Bay Area journalist delivered the best line of spring training. Bonds emerged from the dugout to flickering cameras around 9:05 a.m., then immediately ducked back into the clubhouse. At which point, the writer said, “He saw his shadow, six more months of winter.”
Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck is in his 11th season of covering the Colorado Rockies, his fifth for The Denver Post. To drop a question into his Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
