Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck posts his Rockies Mailbag every other week on Fridays during the 2006 Major League Baseball season. The next installment, however, is slated for Aug. 18.
To drop a Major League Baseball or Rockies question into the Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Is it me or does Clint Hurdle manage the team like a slow-pitch softball team? He had three chances July 14 at Cincinnati to play small ball. He only did it once, when the game was fading into the later innings. How many times have the Rockies stranded men at second base with no outs or men at third with one out?
— T Chap, Denver
T Chap – It’s strange that you single out that game, only because it’s one of the few that the Rockies didn’t bunt frequently. The Rockies lead all of baseball in sacrifices, light years ahead of any competitors. Most of the gripes I hear from fans regard the Rockies bunting in the first inning after the leadoff hitter reaches – especially at home. As someone who covered the monster mash days, when I see a first-inning bunt it reinforces the idea that Coors Field has become Coors Light Field.
A lot of criticism is headed for the bullpen right now, but the real reason the Rockies are losing games is that they can’t score runs. A coach friend of mine has asked me the following. One, why not move Todd Helton to second in the lineup? And two, do the Rockies have a hitting shortstop and/or center fielder in the minors they can bring up?
— Lynn Keener, Oak Point, Texas
Lynn – Your analysis is spot on. The Rockies are falling out of contention because of their lacking offense. The numbers are reflected in the statistics as they rank in the bottom third with runners in scoring position and hitting with two outs. General manager Dan O’Dowd explained it this way: “This is something a lot of young players have to go through. It’s a new experience (hitting with expectations with the team contending). I believe we will eventually be better for it.”
Manager Clint Hurdle contemplated moving Helton to second before settling on fifth because he believed it would create more RBI opportunities for the first baseman.
To answer your question, the Rockies have shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the minors. He’s expected to finish the year in Double-A, where the team is in the playoff hunt, before going off to the Arizona Fall League. That should leave him in position to compete for a starting job next season. As for a center fielder, Dexter Fowler is the future, but he’s at least two years away from arriving in the big leagues. I would expect the Rockies to address that position through a trade in the offseason.
Any chances of Shawn Chacon coming back either this year or next? I’d love to get Shaq back!
— Jeff Himelspach, El Paso, Texas
Jeff – Chacon sparked plenty of emotion from Colorado fans – they either loved him (as an all-star starter) or hated him (as embattled closer). Chacon turned into a terrific story for the Yankees last season, going 7-3 down the stretch as they slipped into the playoffs. However, he never got on track this season and is now a mop-up man in the Yankees’ bullpen. The Yankees are expected to trade him. But the Rockies are not interested in a reunion.
Hey, Troy. Will the Rockies really be improved next year if all they do is wait for more kids? Or are the Rockies holding on, having collective career years, and destined for another awful season when the kids make it to the big leagues? Thanks!
— Erik Nelson, Colorado Springs
Erik – There’s no question that the future of the franchise rests on the development of the young players. If the kids get good, the team will be transformed for years to come. If they bust, the franchise will be trapped in a vicious cycle, not unlike the Pirates, Royals and Devil Rays. In the Rockies’ defense, several of their young guys have shown up well – like Matt Holliday, Jeff Francis, Garrett Atkins, Brad Hawpe. They need Ian Stewart and Troy Tulowitzki to morph into impact bats in the big leagues. That would go a long way in accelerating the franchise’s path back to the playoffs.
I agree that the Rockies shouldn’t sell out their future to make a move at the break, but why is it unrealistic for the Rockies to pursue Miguel Tejada? He wants out of Baltimore. He’s only 29. He is the premier shortstop in the game, and he plays every day. Why couldn’t we package Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Shealy and Jeff Baker for Tejada? Shealy is never going to pass Helton. Baker is never going to pass Ian Stewart or Garrett Atkins. And as much as I love Tulowitzki, I think I could live with Tejada in Rockie pinstripes for five or six years. I don’t think that trade would sell the Rockies’ future, and I think Baltimore would jump at that trade. You tell me if you’d like to pitch to this 3-4-5-6 part of the lineup: Helton, Tejada, Holliday, Atkins. It seems like the Rockies are stockpiling corner infielders at the expense of other positions.
— DJ Cook, Santa Barbara, Calif.
DJ – Tejada makes sense on one level – the Rockies need a power-hitting shortstop. The problem I see is that Tejada isn’t a very good shortstop anymore. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play third base if he’s traded. Your suggested lineup is intriguing. But to get Tejada, the Rockies would have to give up more than Tulowitzki, Shealy and Baker. The Orioles aren’t interested in Baker. Plus, when I talked with Tejada at the All-Star Game, he insisted that he didn’t want to be moved. Then again, he’s switched his stance on this issue several times over the past 10 months. Any deal would more likely involve Tulowitzki and Ian Stewart. If Tejada were a center fielder, the plan would make sense. But given Tulowitzki’s progress, I can’t see the Rockies doing that deal.
Regarding Shealy, he’s in a tough spot. Playing behind Helton is like backing up Brett Favre. He would be a perfect fit for an AL team. Plenty are interested, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Orioles. There’s still a decent chance he will be moved on Sunday or Monday, if the demand continues to go up.
Troy: I realize Clint Hurdle is a nice guy, but has anyone besides me noticed how many bad moves he makes that cost the Rockies ballgames. The recent slump is a good example. There is an old saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Just because the book says you should make a pitching change doesn’t mean you have to do it. I remember when Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller, Whitey Ford, etc., pitched until the game was over; there was no middle relief or closers, and they had better arms and records than any of these so called prima donnas. Thank you.
— Ed Potestio, Pueblo
Ed – Always good to hear from someone from my hometown. Hurdle has been a work in progress as it relates to handling a pitching staff. In his early years, the staffs were spotty and his lack of options too often left him grasping. In the seasons since, the Rockies went to great lengths to break in their young starters – Jason Jennings, Aaron Cook and Jeff Francis – by closely monitoring their pitch counts. In the case of Jennings and Cook, I think they should have lengthened the lease sooner since their sinkers often become more effective when they are fatigued. Both now have earned Hurdle’s trust as has Francis.
A manager can separate himself if he can adroitly mix and match with his relievers. Hurdle, like a lot of bosses, has a tendency to ride a hot hand. This year, for example, that led to a lot of early work for Jose Mesa, who has struggled to regain his effectiveness in the second half. Bullpens are most reliable when a manager uses them when he wants to, not when he has to.
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 .
