They are a batting practice fastball, an easy and frequent target.
They are the Brothers Monfort, owners of the Rockies. Everyone from fans to columnists love to take aim at Dick and Charlie. They are too cheap. Too loyal. Too patient. You name it.
Those criticisms, at times, have been valid. But let’s make one thing clear: If the Rockies reach the playoffs this season, the ownership deserves a chunk of credit.
If you haven’t noticed recently, the Rockies’ bullpen has been hemorrhaging. Alan Embree suffered a broken leg, Joel Peralta lost command of his fastball and Manuel Corpas hopes the bone chips in his elbow aren’t the size of Fritos or he’s done for the season.
So, Thursday, the Monforts signed off on a deal to acquire Cleveland’s Rafael Betancourt. He’s exactly the type of reliever who can maximize the strategic brilliance of manager Jim Tracy, a guy capable of creating a sturdy bridge to closer Huston Street.
To get Betancourt, the Rockies surrendered a decent prospect — Single-A pitcher Connor Graham, who may or may not be a successful big-leaguer someday. Colorado also picked up the remaining $1.32 million on Betancourt’s salary this season.
Trust me, this was not an easy decision, not when the country’s in the middle of one of the worst financial nose dives in history. Dick Monfort told me recently the team would be open to bringing on salary, but it had to be the right guy. Betancourt was considered worthy of prying open the wallet.
I don’t expect anyone to have sympathy for owners. You should save that for more worthy causes.
But, despite the swelling crowds recently, the Rockies entered the weekend as one of 19 teams whose attendance had declined this season.
The Rockies were down 3,095 per game. Combine that with the fact that Monfort told me that they lost 20 percent of their season-ticket base from last year, and it’s obvious this was a tough call. For Colorado, taking on Betancourt’s money was the equivalent of the Cardinals eating $4.5 million of Matt Holliday’s contract.
As a self-defined small-market team, the Rockies are vulnerable to market conditions. Unlike the Yankees or Red Sox, bad decisions set them back years, not months.
But for a club often ripped for being too frugal, this was a wise investment. Even if Betancourt fails, this type of move resonates in the clubhouse, tells players that ownership believes in them. That alone can make the difference in one or two wins, which could be the difference in a playoff berth.
You can’t put a price on that.
Hall of Class.
Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice will enter the Hall of Fame today. Rice’s election was long overdue. The steroid era actually helped writers gain a greater appreciation for the Red Sox slugger’s numbers. Henderson is the best leadoff hitter of all time. No discussion. No one had a quicker first step or the power to change the game in his first at-bat. Henderson, however, will be remembered as much for his Rickey-isms as his accomplishments.
“I remember when I played with Rickey in New York, and Ken Griffey (Sr.) asked him where he lived. He said, ‘I don’t know, but I can see the entire State Building,’ ” said Don Baylor with a chuckle. “That’s a true story. That was Rickey. But I tell you what, there was nobody like him on the field.”
Footnotes.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella has been telling anyone who would listen that he needs more offense. There are signs Chicago might be able to land an upgrade if the pieces fall into place this week. Opposing executives told me the Tigers have interest in Milton Bradley, whom they could use as a DH. The Cubs would have to eat a large chunk of money to move the slugger, but it would be addition by subtraction given how poorly his first season in Chicago has gone. That would leave a void in right field, where there’s an obvious guy that could put a smile on Piniella’s face: Washington’s Adam Dunn. Again, there are a lot of moving parts to this, but don’t dismiss it out of hand. The Cubs would be terrible defensively in the outfield if this goes through, but they would have a proven run producer in Dunn. . . . Keep an eye on the White Sox. Despite speculation they won’t do anything, opposing executives believe general manager Kenny Williams will try to make a splash and possibly make a late play for Roy Halladay. He tried to acquire Jake Peavy this year, so it’s out not of the question. . . . Don’t sleep on the Rangers. They are hanging around in the AL West because of, um, good pitching. A key has been the setup work of former Rockie Jason Jennings. “He’s been pitching multiple innings in winning situations,” assistant GM Thad Levine said.
Eye on …
Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies
Background: Spend any time with the Phillies and it’s obvious Jimmy Rollins is the special sauce in their Big Mac. He makes everything work. But for two months he was a ghost, bottoming out with a three-game benching at the end of June.
What’s up: Rollins has emerged from an offensive hibernation, leaving the Phillies a growing favorite to repeat as National League champions. Since July 1, he’s hit .341 with three home runs and 16 RBIs. His on-base percentage has been well over .400 this month, compared with .250 prior to July. Slugger Ryan Howard told me at the All-Star Game that Rollins would get it going again. He had no doubt. When Rollins is right, the Phillies’ offense has no weakness. No team can match their speed and versatility at the top of the order with Rollins and all-star Shane Victorino.
Renck’s take: Rollins is the player I hope Troy Tulowitzki grows into — a leader so good, so talented, he isn’t afraid of anyone, or any team. Rollins oozes confidence. And until the first three months of this season, he had backed up every boast. While the Gucci knockoff Mets try to make sense of their latest meltdown, Rollins is driving the Phillies back to the playoffs again. This guy is tough, durable and cocky. I wouldn’t be surprised if he finishes the season at .275 with 20 home runs. It seems like yesterday Rollins was at Pueblo’s Runyon Field starring in a youth tournament. He was a catalytic force as a 12-year-old. Nothing has changed except his profile and paycheck.
At issue
It’s time to expand the use of replay
What: Major League Baseball successfully implemented instant replay last season on boundary and fair-or-foul home run calls. Given the growing number of blown calls on the bases, is it time to broaden the use of the technology?
When: Monday, the Twins’ Michael Cuddyer came barreling around second against Oakland, trying to score on a wild pitch with two out in the ninth inning. Delmon Young stood outside the batter’s box motioning for him to get down. Cuddyer did just that, and appeared to slide under Michael Wuertz’s tag to score the tying run. Problem was, the call was made by fill-in umpire Mike Muchlinski, not by replay. So Cuddyer was punched out, ending the game.
Background: Listen, the Twins deserved to lose. Anytime you squander a 12-2 lead, it makes no sense to whine about how an umpire cost you the game. Still, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire correctly suggested baseball should expand the use of replay by allowing managers to throw a red flag to challenge a call.
Renck’s take: Gardenhire, a friend of Clint Hurdle, is late to this party. The Rockies’ former boss suggested that baseball implement such a system in 2007 when the Rockies were robbed of two home runs in the same week. Commissioner Bud Selig said during the All-Star Game there are no plans to expand the use of replay. Baseball is already too slow, and this would drag it through molasses, he explained. Not necessarily. The solution is available: If a manager throws the flag, he can’t argue. A ruling is made, and there’s no rebuttal. So the time issue becomes irrelevant because the time yelling at umpires would not be spent reviewing the play.
In a Twitterized world, it seems silly when a sport doesn’t embrace technology to get the call right.
Ups and downs
THREE UP
1. Phillies: Jimmy Rollins, welcome to the 2009 season. We missed you.
2. Yankees: Have been virtually unbeatable for a month, blending power with pitching.
3. Angels: Is there a more versatile, dynamic player in baseball than Chone Figgins?
THREE DOWN
1. Mets: Celibate offense is threatening to set record for fewest home runs.
2. Royals: So bad fans in K.C. are actually looking forward to Chiefs’ training camp
3. Red Sox: Starting to feel loss of Daisuke Matsuzaka with John Smoltz fizzling out.
