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 is slated for Sept. 29.
To drop a Major League Baseball or Rockies question into the Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
The Rox need a new manager who isn’t afraid to chew some tail and light a fire when they aren’t performing. Clint Hurdle is well past his due date!
— Steve, Nashville, Tenn.
Steve – I asked Clint on a handful of occasions during their horrible slide if he thought of ripping into the team. It was his theory that the players were tight and that yelling and screaming would have only exacerbated the situation. Fire-and-brimstone stuff grows tired in baseball. The best managers pick and choose their spots to light into their club, with best work done through subtle motivation.
Hurdle knows next season is critical. The team is no longer in a youth movement at that point. Anything less than a winning record and meaningful games in September would be a disappointment.
Troy – With the season almost over, and an eye toward next year, what is the Rockies’ situation regarding contracts? Who is eligible to become a free agent? Who do they hold options on? And for those with options, in your opinion, what do you think the Rox will do with those players?
— Thomas Fioriglio, Levittown, N.Y.
Thomas – That’s one of the nice byproducts of a youth movement. There is no longer the roster carousel that drove fans crazy from 2000-2003. To your question, reliever Tom Martin and infielder Kaz Matsui are the lone free agents. The club has contract options on Ray King, Jose Mesa, Mike DeJean and Byung-Hyun Kim and could choose to non-tender Josh Fogg rather than risk arbitration.
Those decisions will crystallize at the organizational meetings Monday and Tuesday.
Manager Clint Hurdle said that Martin is in the mix to return, but all but admitted Thursday that the team won’t be picking up King’s option, feeling it’s a high figure. King is not expected to come back. Mesa’s option will, too, be declined, though he’s indicated a willingness to work out another friendly contract, possibly deferring money again. Mike DeJean’s mutual option won’t be exercised, though there’s a chance he could return on a reworked deal, perhaps, after missing this season with a shoulder injury.
Kim’s situation remains undecided. At $2.5 million, he’s a decent bargain for a fifth-starter type, but he has tailed off badly in the second half. Matsui would like to return, but he’s facing a severe pay cut from $6 million to around $1 million per season.
What needs to happen this offseason for the Rockies front office to spend some money on an A-type player with a solid bat?
— Anthony Bowe, Denver
Anthony – The decision would have been made had the Rockies reached the playoffs, leading to a dramatic increase in attendance and increased revenues. Attendance is up but not enough to affect the payroll. The Rockies have chosen to use a self-imposed salary cap because of past debt. It’s obviously frustrating to fans, who want to see the team chase premier free agents.
Owner Dick Monfort indicated to me recently that the team would consider a three-year deal for a center fielder and that money would be spent to continue improving the bullpen.
Troy – Colorado obviously is going to look for an upgrade at center field in the offseason. With Colorado’s self-made budget constraints, are the guys being rumored like Dave Roberts, Juan Pierre, Eric Byrnes and Coco Crisp really legitimate possibilities?
— Matt, Denver
Matt – Some are more realistic than others, but the reason I have thrown out those names is that they at least have a chance of signing them – unlike Torii Hunter (out of their price range) and Jim Edmonds (age and injuries make him a risk even on a one-year deal). Another name of interest is the Padres’ Mike Cameron.
It’s hard to predict the market, but this is a good year to be a free-agent center fielder. The class is thin, which is why guys like Pierre and Gary Matthews will be seeking three-year deals. Byrnes is arbitration eligible, so he would have to be non-tendered or traded. Roberts would provide great speed at the top of the order for a slow team, but he has no power. Same goes for Pierre, which is one of the reasons the Rockies traded him in the first place. Crisp is very available after a disappointing season with the Red Sox.
Crisp is not all-star, don’t get me wrong. But last season, he hit 18 home runs, can run and plays a decent center field. That kind of production would be a huge upgrade over what Colorado has produced this season.
If an NL West team wins the wild care, will that quiet the critics who call the division a weak one?
— Sandy, Brighton
Sandy – I posed that question to manager Clint Hurdle the other day. He said it would prove what he thought all along – that the West was stronger than people gave it credit for. It’s amazing to think that two playoff teams would come from a division whose leaders sat around .500 much of the season. But remember, the teams at the top – Los Angeles and San Diego – are a lot different than they were in spring training. The Dodgers don’t have one reliever left from their opening-day roster – that’s a good thing – and added slugger Wilson Betemit and utility player Julio Lugo. The Padres acquired reliever Cla Meredith, who’s been Dr. Zero, catcher Josh Bard and infielder Todd Walker, among others.
Why call up Chris Iannetta before Sept. 1, especially when they are not playing him anyway? And why not wait until Sept. 1 for Troy Tulowitzki? The Rockies are out of it – so why call these guys up prematurely?
— Craig Magnuson, Milwaukee
Craig – You raise an interesting question. Teams like to wait as long as possible with young players to avoid starting their arbitration clock. The reality with Tulowitzki is that that the Rockies lost patience with Clint Barmes’ offense. They wanted to give the kid a shot to best prepare him to win the job in spring training. Chris Iannetta is actually receiving substantial playing time, which will only increase with . Iannetta and Torrealba could form a nice combination next season.
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 .
