Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck posts his Rockies Mailbag every other week on Mondays during the 2008 MLB season on DenverPost.com. The next installment is slated for June 9.
To drop a Rockies- or MLB-related question into the Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Hi, Troy. It’s obvious what the humidor has done to improve pitching in Colorado. So taking that into consideration, why not take another shot at landing some elite pitchers? Other team’s pitchers don’t seem to have a problem in Colorado.
— Brian C., Tustin, Calif.
Brian – Last time I was in Tustin, I was rescued by Red Bull. I drove up from San Diego after a night game in Petco Park and began to tire out until Red Bull gave me wings, er, caffeine.
The humidor has made Coors Field play fair. It is still a hitter’s park because it’s too big – a lot of cheap hits fall in. But the power numbers have decreased dramatically. Anybody who doesn’t believe in the humidor, just know this: The Rockies haven’t had a 40-home run hitter since its inception in 2002.
As for pursuing an elite pitcher, they would get an audience now because it’s no longer a pinball park. But it costs money to get an ace, and the Rockies have shown no appetite to eat a big contract since being burned by the Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle signings. Given their self-imposed salary cap, the most practical way for the Rockies to get an ace is through trade.
The Diamondbacks pulled off a blockbuster by dealing multiple prospects for Dan Haren, including pitcher Dana Eveland. The A’s wanted Ubaldo Jimenez in any deal with the Rockies. With Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes as possible trading chips – it will make the stomach churn to see established players get moved – the Rockies have enough to land a premium young pitcher.
Any update on Troy Tulowitzki? How is his rehab going? Is he still likely out until the all-star break or has the timetable changed?
— Jacyln, Littleton
Jacyln – Troy Tulowitzki continues to make steady progress with his torn left quadriceps tendon. He is taking batting practice and slow groundballs. Tulo just can’t put a timetable on his return until he does short bursts in the field and on the bases.
My educated guess is that he will be back in the last week of June. But that will happen only if there are no setbacks. And obviously, if the team is way out of the race, they are going to be extra cautious with Tulowitzki to avoid serious damage.
I will say this, if I was hurt I would want trainer Keith Dugger and assistant trainer Scott Gehret in charge of my rehab. I don’t know of anyone in any sport I have ever covered who does a better job with injured players.
Hi, Troy. I have not seen the Rockies wear their alternate purple jerseys so far in 2008. Will we see them on this year or have they been shelved?
— John C., Aurora
John – Up with Purple was replaced with Back in Black last season. Black was the Rockies’ color of choice in many of their famous fall victories. That said, I asked clubhouse manager Keith Schulz about the purple jerseys on opening day this year. He assured me that the team still has them, but he wasn’t sure when or if they would ever wear them again. I didn’t mind the purple cap. But that purple jersey burned retinas in person. And on TV, it looked blue.
By my count, the Rockies have nine major league-ready outfielders between Triple-A and the big show. This seems silly; Monty Python silly. I assume they are worried about another “Great Outfielder Shortage” such as was seen in 1894.
— “S”Andy, Denver
Sandy – The Monty Python reference is fantastic. The “Great Outfielder Surplus” became necessary last weekend with the “Great Injury Epidemic.” Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe landed on the disabled list with hamstring problems. That led to the promotion of Seth Smith and Cory Sullivan.
Seth Smith would make a valuable trading chip – Toronto, for one, would be interested. But the Rockies aren’t going to move Smith or third baseman Ian Stewart until they determine Holliday’s future. If they decide to trade him this season, then Stewart would likely become an outfielder and Smith would be a candidate to start at a corner outfield spot.
When will Clint Hurdle hand over the full-time catching duties to Chris Iannetta? He’s healthy, better at controlling the running game and really hitting the way he did throughout his minor league career. He looks like the cornerstone we were told he was.
— Matt, Denver
Matt – In my discussions with Hurdle, he has said that Iannetta’s play will determine his future playing time and role this season. Hurdle went to great lengths to remind folks that Yorvit Torrealba was his starting catcher a few weeks ago – even though Torrealba wasn’t starting anymore.
The playing time has evened out since Iannetta has hit his first slump offensively. Iannetta has a chance to be a solid everyday catcher: .275 average, 12 home runs, 65 RBIs. If the Rockies can’t shake their funk, I would expect Iannetta to see more time as the team looks to the future. At the end of the day, Torrealba and Iannetta have been a decent tandem this year, especially in light of the struggles in other places in the lineup.
Why did Todd Helton (a .331 career hitter) change his batting stance this year? Why argue with past success? He can’t seem to foul off as many pitches anymore, nor can he get around on pitches as quickly. He also doesn’t seem to be squaring up many balls because his hands are starting out way too high.
— Mark C., Parker
Mark – He began holding his hands higher to generate more power. The initial results were good, but his thump has since vanished.
As it stands, Helton’s best quality is the ability to get on base. Problem is, that leaves him relying on the rest of the lineup to amplify his strength. I contend that the Rockies should rest Helton once a week – that it would help his strength. That might not be possible for the time being with the spring-training, travel-squad lineup the Rockies currently feature. Helton is no longer a big power threat, but he needs to hit .320 with 18 home runs and 90 to 100 RBIs if the offense is going to reach its potential.
Hi, Troy. It seems like the Rockies do not honor their short history. Why isn’t there a flag or a pennant for their 1995 wild card anywhere in the stadium for the people to see?
— Dave, Denver
Dave – The Rockies caught a lot of grief for their display of the wild-card honor. There used to be a painted banner on the outfield wall that read wild-card champions. The rub was the word “Champions.”
You raise a good point, though. There should be something somewhere in the ballpark to signify the organization’s only other playoff berth. The banner could just read: 1995 NL Wild Card. Simple, accurate.
Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck is in his 13th season of covering the Colorado Rockies, his seventh for The Denver Post. To drop a question into his Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
