Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck posts his Rockies Mailbag every other Monday during the 2011 MLB season. The next installment is slated for Aug. 29.
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On Wednesday, : “Everyone (on the Phillies) seems focused on winning. We have outside distractions. Guys are worried about arbitration, and other things that are important to them, but don’t necessarily help us.” Who is he talking about, and how prevalent is that attitude in the Rockies’ clubhouse? The Rockies seem to have lost their mojo.
— Vicki H., Colorado Springs
Vicki – It’s part of a bigger issue regarding the team’s mental toughness. If the Rockies are to improve, they have to get better in bigger situations.
Troy Tulowitzki, as one of the club’s leaders, has grown frustrated. He’s not going to call out individual guys in the press. That’s best left behind closed doors. He’s only been on one other team in his life with a losing record: the Rockies in 2008. The Rockies’ clubhouse is full of good guys, both on and off the field. There is some concern that the closeness of the group has prevented guys from holding each other accountable.
Perhaps. But in multiple players-only meetings, guys didn’t hold back. They reminded each other the importance of doing the little things if they wanted to win big — like moving runners over, scoring with two outs, throwing first-pitch strikes, hitting cutoff men. It hasn’t played out. Part of the problem has been a lack of focus at times — with too much attention devoted to personal stats instead of winning. The other issue is that some of the players are showing that they might not be as good as expected.
Teams lack energy when they don’t hit. So what looks like lethargy is a reflection of a lack offense. Even with all the injuries, both sobering (Juan Nicasio) and unexpected (Jorge De La Rosa), the Rockies’ lineup has been a disappointment.
Why should I continue to follow Colorado sports teams? Every team continues to trade away its best players. I’m surprised that the Avs still have Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny. Unless there is something wrong with Ubaldo Jimenez heath-wise, why on earth would we trade an ace who we control for a reasonable price?
— Adam, Denver
Adam – I wasn’t in favor of the deal for two reasons: The Rockies have never had an ace, and he was under team control for a total of $17.95 million through 2014. A miss on top draft picks and Jimenez’s declining performance motivated the deal.
The Rockies had a lot of other players they would have rather traded, but none was coveted by other teams. Jimenez was 10-16 with a 4.19 ERA since starting the 2010 MLB All-Star Game. With 600-plus innings logged in Denver, there was a feeling the Rockies might have seen his best. No pitcher has survived that heavy workload in Denver without a precipitous decline, injury or both.
Landing Drew Pomeranz and Alex White was lauded by executives across the game. I love their potential. The problem, again, is Denver. It’s hard to project since there is very little predictability of performance at altitude — humidor or no humidor.
After the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, the team seems to have begun the rebuilding process whether the GM wants to admit it or not. There have been few bright spots this year to go along with the major disappointments of Ian Stewart, Dexter Fowler, Aaron Cook, Jose Lopez and Ty Wigginton. The list goes on and on. At the end of the day the players have to perform; but after a decline in wins every year under Jim Tracy, is it time to let him go?
— Daniel, Farmington, N.M.
Daniel – In , general manager Dan O’Dowd pointed the finger at himself for many of the mistakes. He missed on some key players, Jose Lopez, Felipe Paulino, and some young guys didn’t perform (Fowler early in the season, Ian Stewart). Owner Dick Monfort and O’Dowd said no firings are planned. Manager Jim Tracy will be back next year, and my guess is that he will receive a one-year extension prior to the 2012 season. The Rockies rarely let a manager go into the last year of his deal.
As O’Dowd said, better is needed across the board — from drafting to developing to executing. When an organization centers on the “build from within” philosophy, the weight must be shared or the season — as seen this year — can collapse quickly.
Wanted to see if you have read the book “Moneyball.” If so, what is your take on Billy Beane?
— Steve, Brighton
Steve – I read “Moneyball.” It was well-written and a fascinating, if not different, look at the sport. I have always had a good relationship with Billy Beane. I felt the portrayal of Beane in the book was a little over the top. He’s confident, no doubt. But he doesn’t act like he invented the sport. At least not in my conversations with him.
When folks first read “Moneyball,” the prevailing opinion was that other GMs would never trade with him again. The reality is that Beane gives up good players in trades. That’s how the Rockies landed Carlos Gonzalez in the Matt Holliday deal.
Rex Brothers seems ineffective when asked to pitch two games in a row. Will that keep him from being a closer in the future? Or is it something he can learn to do?
— Jon, Louisville
Jon – He’s just dealing with the learning curve. The big leagues are about making adjustments. Now that Brothers has been up for awhile, the scouting report has made the rounds. Teams are exercising more patience against him.
He needs to get ahead in counts, and not rely on his fastball in every count. He has a wipeout slider that can be used in a lot of situations. As that pitch gets better, Brothers will profile as a closer.
With new additions to next year’s rotation, Drew Pomeranz and Alex White (hopefully), why not package Aaron Cook and Rafael Betancourt in a deal for a third baseman or a catcher who can hit? The front office has to believe that either one or both will be capable starters after trading their homegrown ace. Jorge De La Rosa will hopefully come back strong and our lineup is in need of more than one consistent bat.
— Sam Shelburne, Aurora
Sam – The Rockies’ lineup needs caffeine. I advocated in that Colorado should target Michael Cuddyer. He already has a two-year deal on the table from the Twins. The Rockies should pay him market value on a three-year deal. He’s a veteran with power. Playing in Coors Field, the Rockies have to get more thump in the lineup. They will also be looking to address third base through a trade, though I expect Ty Wigginton to return in a super-utility role.
Denver Post sports writer Troy E. Renck is in his 16th season of covering the Colorado Rockies, his 10th for The Denver Post. for the Rockies Mailbag.
