Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck posted his Rockies Mailbag every other week on Mondays during the 2007 MLB season on DenverPost.com. Welcome to a special postseason installment.
To drop a Rockies- or MLB-related question into the Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Does Todd Helton’s celebration at the end of the 4-3 win Sept. 30 over the Diamondbacks compare with Curtis Leskanic’s famous leap from the pitcher’s mound in 1995?
— Ryan, Denver
Ryan – I told Helton the other day that he’s going to enjoy watching those games when he gets older, seeing his unbridled joy. As for his celebration on Sept. 30, it appeared he was fleeing a swarm of bees. He hopped, jumped and eventually bear-hugged Jamey Carroll. It was wonderfully unscripted, if not a little goofy. Curtis Leskanic’s victory leap was more traditional, which is a bit ironic, since nothing about Leskanic was conventional. Talked to Leskanic the other day and he told me he could feel Coors Field’s ground shake when the Rockies clinched.
I’ve read that Troy Tulowitzki has changed the Rockies’ clubhouse atmosphere. How so?
— Greg, Boulder
Greg – Troy Tulowitzki is unlike any young player I have ever covered. He exerts his will on a game, on his teammates. As manager Clint Hurdle told me a few weeks ago, “He is the special sauce that has brought out the flavor in everyone else.”
Basically, Tulowitzki would rather eat tacks than lose. He’s never been on a losing team in his life, so losing is unacceptable to him. His teammates have fed off his intensity. In the clubhouse, he has fit in by dishing out and taking wisecracks. I would be surprised if the Rockies weren’t identified as “his” team next season – his personality and talent are that special.
Did Matt Holliday hurt his hand during the slide on ?
— Jim, Lone Tree
Jim – The Broncos have The Drive, and now the Rockies have The Slide. What will be remembered about that slide is how Matt Holliday dribbled his chin through the batter’s box. His left hand was a bit bruised and cut from where it rammed into catcher Michael Barrett’s cleat. Initially he was dazed from hitting his chin so hard. Holliday told me it was a mild bell ringing.
When the Rockies put on the “Howard Shift,” don’t you think they might have been better off leaving Tulo by himself on the left side and shifting Garrett Atkins all the way over? Tulo covers way more ground, and most of Ryan Howard’s grounders to that side are probably slowly hit, so Tulo’s arm would also factor in. Howard’s groundballs to the right side are hit so sharply that range/arm probably doesn’t mean as much.
— Michael Campbell, Aspen
Michael – It is an interesting thought. You make a great point regarding Tulowitzki’s range. Leaving him in his position makes sense. However, asking Atkins to play behind second, an area that he’s not familiar with, could backfire. The shift is basically acknowledging that Howard, if he hits the ball on the ground, will smoke it toward the middle or the right side.
Who would the Rockies have rather faced: the Cubs or Diamondbacks?
— Joe, Fort Collins
Joe – The Rockies welcome a series with the Diamondbacks. There are no secrets. They know exactly how the Diamondbacks’ pitchers are going to attack them, which is a critical part of any series. Plus, the Rockies’ offense is clearly better than Arizona’s. If there is a downside, it is the familiarity. These teams have played each other 22 times counting spring training. The Rockies won the regular-season series 10-8, including taking two of three last weekend.
When the media mentions Matt Holliday as an MVP candidate, it often comes up that he plays half of his games in Coors Field and that his numbers are inflated. Not that I agree with that; this guy can hit anywhere any time. Why is this not brought up in conversation in regards to Jeff Francis being a Cy Young candidate? Granted, Jake Peavy has the Cy Young nailed down, but shouldn’t Francis get that much more credit since he pitches roughly 50 percent of his games at Coors Field? It just always seems to be negative for hitters but never a bonus for our pitchers.
— Hugo, Greeley
Hugo – It is a strange dynamic. It’s as if the humidor logic is selectively applied. Because of the humidor, the Rockies’ pitchers should have better numbers, closer to league average across the board with their best pitcher sporting an ERA in the 3.00s. And yet, the Rockies’ hitters are punished because they play in Coors Field. It doesn’t make sense.
In reality, Coors Field is no longer a home-run friendly park. But it is a hitter-friendly park. So subtracting 15 points from the Rockies’ average is fair. But their power is legit. Along those lines, a pitcher should be expected to give up more runs because more hits fall. Still, for Francis to be a serious contender for the Cy Young, he needed to finish with an ERA around 3.90 rather than 4.22.
Hi, Troy. What are the plans with Josh Fogg for next year? A year ago there was talk of letting him walk and a greater emphasis was put on signing Byung-Hyun Kim, which I could not understand. We know what happened to Kim, and Fogg has been a competitor and bulldog at the back end of the rotation.
— Thomas Fioriglio, Levittown, N.Y.
Thomas – Josh Fogg has been invaluable this season, an ideal back-of-the-rotation starter who turned dragon slayer. That was the nickname his teammates gave him after the right-hander beat the likes of Curt Schilling, Mike Mussina and Brandon Webb. As we sit here today, I would be surprised if Fogg is back because he has earned a $4 million to $5 million salary. I don’t see the Rockies paying that if they think he’s going to be their fifth starter again.
Holliday’s contract extends until 2009, but can he opt out after this season? Also, when can Tulo start looking for greener grass? Do you think ownership will take these young stars to build for the future? Or dismantle this team? If they sold these guys, they are going to have a tough time selling tickets next year. Trust me, if they build it, we will come …
— Kevin, LoDo
Kevin – Matt Holliday cannot become a free agent until after the 2009 season. That means he’s under the team’s control through salary arbitration for the next two years. His salary is sure to jump to around $10 million next season on a one-year deal. Where it gets tricky is after the ’08 season. Would they consider trading him – as they did Jason Jennings – or let the year play out and risk losing him for draft picks as a free agent. I talked to owner Dick Monfort last week about Holliday and posed the question: Will you try to lock him up long term?
“I don’t know,” Monfort said.
With Holliday, he’s in line for a $140 million contract. As for Tulowitzki, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Rockies try to lock him up long term after this season, similar to what they did with Jeff Francis last year. Whether, he’d take it is another story.
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 .
