Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck posts his Rockies Mailbag every other week on Mondays during the 2007 Major League Baseball season on DenverPost.com. The next installment is slated for May 14.
To drop a Rockies or MLB question into the Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Troy – What is the cure for the RISP? The Rockies seem to struggle with this percentage. They just brought in a new hitting coach year, and I haven’t seen a change.
— Mike, Denver
Mike – I talked with Matt Holliday at length about that topic a few days ago. It’s a puzzling situation. As Holliday said, “It’s not like there’s a magic potion that will just make us better with guys on base.”
Failure in those situations is directly related to pressure and trust. When the players get white knuckles, the tendency is to try and do too much. And if they don’t believe the guy behind them is going to knock in the run, it only makes them try harder to do more. The results are predictable. More effort, less results.
What should change? The reality is that they need more quality at-bats in those situations. That means being a little more patient – working the count – and making productive outs – moving runners over rather than striking out. Stringing a few of those together – which is exactly what hitting instructor Alan Cockrell teaches – leads to runs and more confidence. But hitting is contagious. Guys feed off each other, which is why it’s important that their rallies involve several hits rather than waiting for the one big swing.
Troy – A Colorado transplant stuck in hurricane country, but a rabid Rockies fan. How long will we continue to see Willy Taveras, Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta stay in the lineup if they keep hitting below the Mendoza Line?
— Brian McLaughlin, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Brian – The struggles of the threesome have been symbolic of a lineup that has sputtered. Of all the Rockies’ concerns leaving spring training, a lack of offense ranked near the bottom. The three new starters up the middle were impressive in Tucson. Now, spring training is often the most deceptive part of the season, save for September. But nobody expected them to have this many problems.
Taveras is going to continue to play because the Rockies desperately need his speed, particularly with Kaz Matsui on the disabled list. Taveras went to videotape to rediscover his old swing from the 2005 and 2006 seasons. He’s standing more upright in his stance, using his hands more, and it’s helping him make better contract.
Tulowitzki has benefited from a move to the second spot in the order. He told me that he would like to stay there, clearly getting a psychological lift from hitting up higher. He homered on Friday and Saturday as he starts to break out of his slump. What’s impressive about Tulowitzki is that his confidence doesn’t appear shaken.
Chris Iannetta, of the trio, is the one in danger of continuing to lose playing time. The reason is obvious: Yorvit Torrealba has shown a knack for clutch at-bats and driving in runs. The Rockies can’t afford not to have his hot bat in the lineup on most nights even as they try to develop Iannetta. Taveras and Tulowitzki don’t have someone hitting well who shares their position. If the Rockies’ lineup is going to gain traction, they need more from their three players up the middle.
Do you think the Rockies like playing for Clint Hurdle? How would you rate him as a manager from the standpoints of leadership, motivation and decision-making?
— Dave, Centennial
Dave – Hurdle continues to evolve in his job. His greatest strength, I felt, when he got the job was his feel for players. As a hitting instructor, he was a master communicator, wringing the most out of pupils. He has lost some of that touch as a manager, relying more numbers than I expected. But this season he’s begun to regain his ability to go with a gut feeling. He’s also made a conscious decision to be more low-key. He’s more seen, less heard.
Hurdle told me that the maturation of this group required a change. He wants to be walking with them, not in front of them. So in spring, he was in the dugout. During the season, he has exhibited less stress, rarely, if ever bouncing the ball in the dugout that became his signature the past two years.
This is an important season for Hurdle as it is the team. The Rockies have expectations this season of achieving a winning record. Injuries notwithstanding, the final standings will go a long way in answering your question.
Hi, Troy. First, I would like to tell you that you do a great job covering the Rockies! … Why is John Mabry on the roster if he can’t fill in at first base?
— Eli, Denver
Eli – Thanks for the kind words. John Mabry’s specialty pinch-hitting. He’s one of the few guys in the big leagues who can make a living with one swing of the bat once every three or four days. His home run against the Mets on Wednesday illustrates how valuable he can be.
Mabry seems most comfortable at first base, but the majority of his starts will likely come at third or a corner outfield spot. Todd Helton is off to a fast start, for one, and secondly, Mabry has shown he can survive defensively at other spots.
I’m wondering about the situation of the Rockies having to play 19 divisional games to start the season. Isn’t this fairly unusual? I can’t help but think that this will be a hindrance to success. Are there any other teams facing such adversity?
— Tim Boulding, Crested Butte
Tim – It’s not ideal particularly given the pitching in the National League West this season. However, with all teams playing the unbalanced schedule, it’s not that unusual either. All the teams in the NL West spent the bulk of April playing each other. Even the AL East is an example, where the Red Sox and Yankees have already had two series, which could not have come at a worse time for New York.
Again, not ideal, but not uncommon. At the end of the day, if you want to call yourself a playoff team or even a contender, you have to beat the teams in your own division.
Hi, Troy. What is the status of Mike DeJean, Dave Veres and Geronimo Gil? I don’t see any of them on the minor league rosters. How are Veres and DeJean rebounding from injuries? Any chance they will be playing this year?
— Thomas Fioriglio, Levittown, N.Y.
Thomas – There’s definitely a chance that DeJean and Veres appear with the Rockies this year. Gil’s status is more uncertain since he’s still the Rockies’ property, but playing in Mexico. If Chris Iannetta were to continue to struggle, there’s a chance Colorado could use Gil as a veteran backup for Torrealba. They have that option.
DeJean and Veres are slowly coming back, regaining health in extended spring training in Tucson. Both have recently throw bullpen and live batting practice sessions. Veres, out with a strained forearm, told me that he hopes after two or three more BP sessions that he begins a rehab assignment soon. DeJean is coming back from shoulder surgery and is on a different timeline. If he continues to make progress, he could be back in the bigs in June or soon after the all-star break.
Troy – I noticed in my paper today that the “supposedly wonderful” catcher Iannetta is hitting .143. I guess some of the higher-ups with the Rockies might wish they had Javy Lopez’s great hitting. Do you have any idea if Javy will play again?
— Nancy C., Birmingham, Ala.
Nancy – I haven’t heard a peep on Javy Lopez. At this point, it would be difficult for him to catch on with a team without going to the minor leagues to get some swings. Lopez showed he could still hit in spring training, but his throwing was an issue while catching. That said, there’s no question the Rockies need more offense out of Iannetta. To his credit, Iannetta knows it; that’s why he hasn’t objected to Yorvit Torrealba getting more playing time.
If Ian Stewart is developing on track at Triple-A, moving Todd Helton makes even more sense. But my question is this: Where do the Rockies look to improve? Bullpen, second base and center field?
— Christopher Roth, Galveston, Texas
Christopher – Ian Stewart is off to a decent start in Triple-A Colorado Springs. Again, I have not cooled on Stewart despite his pedestrian Double-A season. He has buggy-whip hands, is athletic and should have power in the big leagues.
Stewart’s development will be tied to Helton, at least partially. If the Rockies feel Stewart is ready to play third next year, they could trade Helton and move Garrett Atkins to first. Moving Helton, however, is complicated on many levels because of his popularity, his bat and his contract. If Helton was moved, the Rockies need to get bullpen arms and use the money saved to pursue a center fielder in free agency.
Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck is in his 12th season of covering the Colorado Rockies, his sixth for The Denver Post. To drop a question into his Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
