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Rockies Rotation In Shambles
The Rockies are five games out in the NL West and two out in the Wild Card. Baseball Prospectus sets their playoff odds at a healthy 22-27%. Their main strength has been team OBP (second best in the league). The Rockies' offense has dominated at Coors Field. They've also had some fine relief work from Manny Corpas, Jeremy Affeldt, and even Jorge Julio.
But to have a legitimate shot, the Rockies need to sort out their starting rotation. According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, injuries to Jason Hirsh, Rodrigo Lopez, and Aaron Cook have decimated the starting staff. The current five consists of Jeff Francis, Josh Fogg, Ubaldo Jimenez, Elmer Dessens, and maybe rookie Franklin Morales. Recently-acquired Ramon Ortiz will stay in the pen for now. There doesn't seem to be talk of using Taylor Buchholz in the rotation again.
While Jimenez was dominant yesterday against the Padres, control figures to remain a problem for him. Same deal with Morales. Cook should only miss three starts, and the Rockies desperately need him back. Lopez is out for the season and Hirsh's contribution will be minimal. Fogg and Dessens are mostly just filler.
Since it's August, the only real trade possibility is to acquire more filler. Renck specifically mentions Steve Trachsel and David Wells as pitchers on the radar. We've also seen the Rox linked to Josh Towers. Trachsel and Towers have already cleared waivers, and Wells probably will soon. As always, good starting pitching is hard to find.
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On Baseball Tonight, Peter Gammons said that David Wells would clear waiver today at 10 AM. So he already cleared...
Posted by: SoxFanatic456 | August 16, 2007 at 09:33 AM
beaten to the punch by SoxFanatic456
Posted by: Kramerica Industries | August 16, 2007 at 09:50 AM
I wonder if Julian Tavarez has been placed on waivers? If he cleared, I'm sure the Rox would still be interested in him. He's a sinker ball/slider groundball type pitcher who has shown he can have some success in the AL East. He could certainly slide in and be a solid #4/5 type on the Rockies. Boston sends Tavarez for a PTBNL (maybe from a group of prospects both teams agree on) and then Boston has room to bring up Buccholz for tomorrows start. Sure that leaves the team with 5 OF, but this would allow the Red Sox to hang onto WMP until the offseason, when he can become more valuable in a trade (maybe putting him in with a prospect or something to get a better player in return). The Sox could leave WMP off the playoff roster and replace him with Ellsbury or another pitcher.
Posted by: Papelboner | August 16, 2007 at 10:40 AM
A note here, the Red Sox have called up Buchholz and Ellsbury. WMP will likely be traded or DFA, most likely he will be DFA. Buchholz will start Game 1 on Friday, after that game he will be sent back down and Ellsbury will be called up for Game 2.
Posted by: SoxFanatic456 | August 16, 2007 at 10:44 AM
Rockies also got the kiss of death of Steve Phillips picking them for the WC. Claimed it was because their offense is second behind the Braves in the NL, which irks me as a Phillies fan.
Posted by: wayne gomes | August 16, 2007 at 11:17 AM
your ridiculous NY bias, thats what hurts the site more.
Posted by: themfightnwords | August 16, 2007 at 11:35 AM
nuts wrong thread lol.
by the way,I actually think that the sox may dfa snyder instead of pena. It sounds like Crisp is pretty banged up and the sox could use the outfield depth. Lopez could probably provide the same quality innings that Snyder could, atleast Pena still has upside and he would have more value in the offseason.
Posted by: themfightnwords | August 16, 2007 at 11:38 AM
JP Riccardi would be smart to unload Towers for anything at this point. Towers is currently blocking a spot in the Bluejays bullpen for a prospect of equal or more ability (Jordon DeJong-Jermey Vermilea) and someone has to come off the active roster when Brandon League comes back. I would give Towers away for cash if any player cannot be negotiated.
Posted by: BJays Fan! | August 16, 2007 at 11:46 AM
I'm really perplexed as to why the Phils aren't interested in Towers. Maybe they are, but haven't heard much about it
Posted by: wayne gomes | August 16, 2007 at 12:00 PM
If I remember correctly, they Phils were interested in Towers at the deadline, but the Blue Jays rejected their offer, and that ended the talks. They probably will have interest now that Eaton is on the DL.
Posted by: SoxFanatic456 | August 16, 2007 at 12:17 PM
hhhmmm Kyle Lohse or Josh Towers. pick your poison.
Posted by: themfightnwords | August 16, 2007 at 01:08 PM
"Rockies also got the kiss of death of Steve Phillips picking them for the WC. Claimed it was because their offense is second behind the Braves in the NL, which irks me as a Phillies fan. "
haha exactly. Phillips gave his weekly "im a bad and bitter ex GM and I am jaded against the Mets so theyre not going to make the playoffs speech. He is good for one of those like a week these days. He also said the Yankees would not make the playoffs either, I dont know what his exucse is there, maybe just being an idiot and a horrible analyst, who knows. About Ubaldo Jiminez, somebody should get this guy out of Colorado, he looks like he can really be dominant, reeally dominant, but if he stays in Coloraod he will probably just be Pedro Astacio again.
Posted by: nrmax88 | August 16, 2007 at 01:28 PM
when was the last time the mets had a good general manager?
Posted by: themfightnwords | August 16, 2007 at 02:24 PM
Its just a ghood thing we dont have your boy Dayton GMing the squad. Kyle Davies, thats they key to turning around the worst team in baseball good job.
Posted by: nrmax88 | August 16, 2007 at 02:31 PM
he gave up a crappy middle reliever with a guy who has the potential to be a 3 or 4 starter. i am not sure what is so bad about that. you are still mad because your amazing gm gave up Kazmir for zambrano.
Posted by: themfightnwords | August 16, 2007 at 03:23 PM
I would like to see if the red sox and rockies can work out a deal. The rockies need pitching and the Red Sox have it. Mabye this pitching NEED will have the Rox lower their asking price for helton. Lowell, Tavarez and a minor leaguer, like hansen. I would like to see the sox get rid of Dave Pauley. Mabye he would have a little value ( probably not).
Posted by: johnbuckformvp | August 16, 2007 at 03:42 PM
even though he makes almost the league minimum, i would think David Pauley has negative value.
Posted by: themfightnwords | August 16, 2007 at 03:45 PM
Kyle Davies sucks. Actually, I have been through this a lot before, but I have no problem with the Kazmir trade. If Duquette didnt get fired, Wright and Reyes would probably be playing somewhere else too. They tried to trade Wright for Jose Cruz in 2002. Lol. I like Minaya and it was worth giving up Kazmir to get him in here in my eyes. Oliver Perez has been our Kazmir anyway so it all good. Oliver Perez, theres another pitcher better then every pitcher on the Royals. Dont get me wrong, I think Kazmir is awesome and I would love to have him, but if losing him was the price at getting that madman Duquette out of here it was worth it to me. Its funny, the more I look at how you described John Maine, the more it looks like you are describing Brian Bannister.
Posted by: nrmax88 | August 16, 2007 at 03:57 PM
that makes sense because i would say they have somewhat similar "stuff" the difference being bannisters control is better.
And by the way i think your argument is kind of dumb. Duquette was inevitably going to get fired and you dont know that he would have traded wright or reyes. Kazmir is a FAR better player than Oliver Perez. Perez has pretty good upside but has not completely harnessed that yet. His numbers are similar to Kazmirs but he pitches in an extreme pitchers park in the NL and his history is much more troubling than Kazmirs. Kazmir would be the ace of the mets staff, no doubt about it.
Posted by: themfightnwords | August 16, 2007 at 04:48 PM
There is no gauruntee Duquette would have been fired if he didnt trade KAzmir. It is known that the Mets looked into trading Wright for Jose Cruz like 3 or 4 years ago and they got turned down.Oliver Perez is in a better pitchers park blah blah blah their numbers are similar you said it yourself the rest is just blah blah excuses blah blah blah. John Maines stuff is no match for Brian Bannisters.
Posted by: nrmax88 | August 16, 2007 at 09:39 PM