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 23.
To drop a Rockies- or MLB-related question into the Rockies Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Troy – What do Rockies fans have to look forward to? Who are some of the prospects set to be in the big leagues next year?
— Joey Sagel, Dixon, Ill.
Joey – It’s telling that even diehard fans are asking about next year – 12 weeks into the current season. That’s Chapter 1 in the church at Wrigleyville on Addison, I presume.
The Rockies have done a nice job of restocking their system over the last six years – good drafts complemented by the Latin impact of Manuel Corpas, Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales. The Rockies need Morales to steer back on track. Even if he’s limited to a September call-up this season, he must make strides to put himself in position to secure a rotation spot next spring.
Some of the new guys have already appeared on the radar: infielder Ian Stewart, outfielder Seth Smith, starting pitcher Greg Reynolds. Others to keep an eye on are Tulsa reliever Casey Weathers, last year’s top draft pick. He should make his big league debut this season. And Double-A’s Dexter Fowler remains an intriguing potential long-term solution in center field. Matt Miller continues to slug in Double-A, and Corey Wimberley could work himself into the big league, second-base mix with his nice combination of speed and athleticism.
Could you please explain why Dan O’Dowd would consider shopping Matt Holliday if the Rockies don’t improve, while his bat and leadership have been big reasons behind the Rockies’ success?
— Heather N., Denver
Heather – It’s not like O’Dowd put him on eBay and is waiting on bids. It’s an ugly byproduct of a franchise with a self-imposed salary cap. Like Minnesota with Johan Santana, and Texas with Mark Teixeira, the Rockies are confronting a challenge with Holliday.
Can they get Holliday to take less to stay – let’s say $120 million over six years, given that on the open market he’s likely a $150 million player – without breaking their budget so they can surround him with talent to make his presence matter? If they can’t get into an acceptable range that recognizes the player’s market value, a hard decision will be made to find the best deal available before the player becomes a free agent. If the player leaves them, the team only receives compensatory draft picks.
The kind of deal the Rockies would be looking for would be similar to the Teixeira blockbuster with the Braves – a five-for-two that includes three frontline, near big league-ready prospects, including a pitcher.
It would be a huge loss. Holliday’s influence in the clubhouse is significant. He’s not the rah-rah type, but he’s made a difference with several young players, particularly in his hitting advice. That he doesn’t play the role of a diva also helps the clubhouse chemistry. When the rules apply to the best player, it makes everything work more smoothly.
Troy – I was sitting outside a cabin in Denali National Park with my dad. Somehow our conversations have turned into “City Slickers” territory – only about baseball. Basically, I was saying the Rockies have gone back to their old ways – blown saves, weak starting pitching, no good situational hitting. Someone needs to sit down with these guys and tell them to relax and enjoy the games. When hitters are at the plate looking like they are constipated, you know they aren’t going to get the job done. This has to happen soon, because I am going to have a rough time sitting through another decade or more of this type of baseball.
— Chris, Anchorage, Alaska
Chris – Perhaps a hike or some fresh mountain air could help?
Hitting in the clutch is hard to teach. I remember doing a story on the topic in the postseason a few years back. Derek Jeter gave me a great answer on how he defines a clutch player: “A clutch player doesn’t do more in the clutch, he simply hits the same.”
Save for the few aberrational players, he’s right. It’s why Garrett Atkins’ season has been so perplexing. I’d take his bat over 90 percent of the players in the National League. And yet for reasons he can’t put a finger on, he’s hit more than 100 points lower with runners on base.
To your point, the Rockies have tried different methods to kick-start the offense. Manager Clint Hurdle has put runners in motion, told his hitters to exercise more patience, and more than anything, to focus on having a quality at-bat. That means don’t worry about driving in the run as much as moving a guy over, setting up teammates. It can be understandably frustrating for fans. This Rockies team, at some point, is going to get hot offensively. They are too good not to shake this funk. If they don’t, it only lends credence to critics who believe last fall was a fluke.
I am a huge Rockies and Cubs fan and have noticed that the Cubs recently sent Rich Hill to the minors. Is there any scenario where you could see both sides working out a deal which involved Rich Hill? I would love to see him behind Jeff Francis, Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez. If not, can you see the Rockies going after any top-tier pitcher this year?
— Elaine, Bayfield
Elaine – All those stories about Lou Piniella calming in his old age lost their edge when the Cubs’ boss pulled the plug on Hill. The Rockies asked for Hill in trade talks last winter when Chicago inquired about outfielder Ryan Spilborghs. I am not convinced that the Rockies would move Spilborghs at this point. He could wind up taking over the center field spot and acting as the unconventional leadoff hitter.
Hill is the kind of pitcher the Rockies would need to get in return if they moved Holliday or Atkins. That’s why, when Holliday’s name surfaces with Cleveland, names like Cliff Lee, Aaron Laffey and infielder Josh Barfield immediately follow. Hill could become a valuable chip for the Cubs if they keep searching for another left-handed bat.
Are the Rockies still interested in bringing back the “Dragon Slayer” (a.k.a. Josh Fogg) to Colorado? I read a while ago that we’re waiting for the Reds to put him on waivers – and get him that way. Is that still the plan?
— Bryan, Seattle
Bryan – Fogg became Poof the Magic Dragon, gone by the sea of free agency last spring. It’s unfortunate the way that played out – Fogg could have helped solidify the back end of the rotation (Mark Redman and Franklin Morales were both shipped to the minors) and remained a valuable thread in the clubhouse fabric.
Fogg is currently on the disabled list with a back injury. He’s basically the 25th man on the Reds’ roster, a reflection of his struggles, so it’s possible he could still be traded or cut this summer. Right now, there’s nothing in the works. That could change once Fogg gets healthy.
Troy – Given the fact that the Rockies have several of their younger players under contract for the next few years, does that make any of them more appealing in trades?
— Greg Beme, Denver
Greg – As a blanket statement, the contracts generally help facilitate a deal because the acquiring team has cost certainty. Those long-term deals also are club friendly. At least they were.
Nobody is lining up to land Manuel Corpas. If he gets right and becomes a closer or a top setup man again, that would change. A guy like Brad Hawpe suddenly has more value – a power hitter with a ceiling on his contract through arbitration years. Same goes for Aaron Cook, though it would be difficult to see the Rockies even listening on the right-hander given his current value to the rotation.
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 .
