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Losses haven't fazed Rockies

Team seems to be at peace where it's at for next season

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published December 10, 2008 at 10:16 p.m.

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The Rockies lost left-handed closer Brian Fuentes as a free agent. Left fielder Matt Holliday was dealt to Oakland. Center fielder Willy Taveras most likely will be cut loose Friday night, the deadline for tendering players on the 40-man roster contracts for 2009.

But confidence is not lacking.

The Rockies will leave the winter meetings this afternoon, their most significant move likely agreeing to terms on a contract with left-handed setup man Alan Embree, but they seem at peace with their situation.

"We have people internally we can go to," manager Clint Hurdle said. "We added (Huston) Street, a closer, (Greg) Smith, a starter, and a highly touted outfielder in Carlos Gonzalez (as part of the package for Holliday from Oakland).

"We have some people internally that add value to our lineup - Seth Smith, Ryan Spilborghs. We're not forcing anything."

General manager Dan O'Dowd admits he would like to do a few more things before spring training starts, such as add a proven starting pitcher to give Hurdle more depth to work with, come up with another left-handed reliever and most likely bring in a fifth outfielder who can play center field, such Scott Podsednik.

But nothing is urgent.

"I feel it shows how far we have come as an organization," O'Dowd said. "We used to come to these meetings and we'd have to find 10 or 15 guys for our 25-man roster. Our club today, we could open up (the season) right now and be OK.

"Would it be a perfect club? No. But we would feel good about where we are, and I don't know that a lot of other teams can say that."

So while the Dodgers shop for a shortstop and two starting pitchers; Arizona looks for a closer as well as a middle-of-the-lineup bat; San Francisco pursues a cleanup hitter, shortstop and bullpen depth; and San Diego continues to look for ways to whittle $30 million off last season's $70 million payroll, the Rockies are juggling the players they have to see where they might fit.

That doesn't mean they closed up shop. But their efforts to acquire right-hander Aaron Heilman from the Mets ended when they refused to part with Street or prospect Dexter Fowler. And the Mets instead sent Heilman to Seattle for reliever J.J. Putz.

And they remain interested in Washington right-hander Tim Redding, a likely nontender candidate Friday, after having the Nationals turn down a deal when the Rockies proposed Taveras after refusing Washington's request for Gonzalez.

"We've got depth at each position," O'Dowd said.

If Todd Helton continues to make progress in his rehabilitation from back surgery, the Rockies seem set with Chris Iannetta at catcher, Helton at first, Clint Barmes at second, Troy Tulowitzki at short, Garrett Atkins at third and Brad Hawpe in left.

That will leave Seth Smith and Ian Stewart to decide left field, with a center field battle that has Ryan Spilborghs the projected starter. But Hurdle committed to getting a good spring training look at Gonzalez and Fowler.

Stewart also could play his natural position, third, if Helton's back flares up and Atkins fills in at first. And Stewart, along with Jeff Baker, will get time at second to protect Barmes.

Out of nine in-house rotation candidates, right-handers Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez and left-handers Jeff Francis and Jorge De La Rosa have claims to four spots. That leaves a fifth-starter battle that will feature Smith, left-hander Franklin Morales, whose winter effort in Venezuela will end Monday, and right-handers Jason Hirsh and Greg Reynolds.

And while the bullpen doesn't have the left-handed depth the Rockies want, the closer situation should be interesting with Manny Corpas trying to reclaim the job he lost in April but Street having a track record that gives the Rockies reason to feel he will step into the role.

"He has pitched meaningful innings," Hurdle said of Street, who will pitch at age 26 in 2009.

That is a big part of why they so far have ignored trade overtures for Street from a group of teams that includes Milwaukee, the Mets, St. Louis, Minnesota, Detroit, Cleveland and the Yankees.

"We lost a guy who struck people out in Brian, but we have added one who has a track record of doing that in Street," O'Dowd said. "We figured he would get a lot of attention (from other teams), but we just believe he can help this team."

A key will be Street winning the ongoing battle he has had with hip flexor and groin injuries.

"He has an unorthodox delivery, so that has been a problem, but it is something he is trying to address (with a different offseason workout) this winter," O'Dowd said.

Comments

  • December 11, 2008

    7:33 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    roxtalk writes:

    If the Rockies are in such great shape after going to a meeting, that they did nothing, why go to the meetings at all? If you quoted Dan correctly "we could start the season today and be ok", what a sad declaration.

  • December 11, 2008

    9:32 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hayduke1 writes:

    Interesting to watch a team operate on the cheap. Not that it can't be done, but the bottom line with the Rockies is the bottom line. The Monforts own this cash cow and they intend to keep it that way. That is their prerogative, not every franchise can afford to lose money the way some other owners can and do.

    I don't begrudge the Monforts their profits, just the size of them. That and of course the fact that they keep bringing back Hurdle.

  • December 11, 2008

    10:28 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    erniedog writes:

    garland is available, lowe is available, as are others yet the rockies sign alan embree. lowe has never been on the disabled list and is a sinkerballer. in the nl worst he could easily net the rockies 55-60 wins over the next 4 years. the angels having lost out on cc and soon to be national or red sock Texiera will set their sights on g atkins. knowing our rockies and their strong negotiating skills expect them to get a bunch of radishes as well as a sack of potatoes for garret atkins and a playor to be named later. leave it to our hall of fame shill to put a positive spin on the rockies and their off-season moves though. somebody please buy the rockies dump o'dowd, hurdle and eliminate the tired excuses (over and over again on hampton & neagle) for not fielding a good product for the best sports fans in this country.

  • December 11, 2008

    11:07 a.m.

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    MVP5 writes:

    "Our club today, we could open up (the season) right now and be OK."

    This is the problem with O'Dud and the Beef Bros. Being "OK" is great for them. "OK" means signing another castoff like Embree. What a joke. The changes that Rockies have made are not "OK" and they will be worse than they were last year. But that is "OK" for O'Dud and everyone else at Cheap Field.

  • December 11, 2008

    11:12 a.m.

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    wharfratg writes:

    Yeah, I can't believe how cheap the Rockies are. I mean, they didn't even make a run at Sabathia or ManRam. I'm sure ownership could've ponied up a couple extra hundred million to be competitive with the big market teams. They also should have waterboarded Holliday and Fuentes to make them stay. How could they have possibly failed to turn Holliday against Boras like the Yankees did with A-Rod? Matt obviously wanted to stay--that's why he switched agents to Boras in the first place. Come on, Rockies, get with the program!

  • December 11, 2008

    11:19 a.m.

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    Willy writes:

    The only hope is if Francis rebounds and Morales and Hirsch suddenly blossom into stars.

  • December 11, 2008

    1:18 p.m.

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    denverjohn writes:

    Whatever…that’s it, whatever. Does anyone really believe (except the Rocks delusional brass and Tracy Ringolsby) the Rockies will be ANYTHING but mediocre? If the stars align, if Helton’s healthy, if Spillborghs in center, if Stewart in left, if Petrick err Iannetta can catch everyday, if Francis can pitch again, if Street isn’t traded, if Barmes avoids deer meat. Sure, let’s hope the rest of the West stinks just a little more than we do then we might have something. “If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas” Merry Christmas from the Monforts…..what a sad state of baseball we must endure in this dusty old GREAT baseball town. Whatever!

  • December 11, 2008

    3:10 p.m.

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    TheSlinger writes:

    cheap owners. mediocre coach, scared gm. sounds like an equation for greatness! i don't know why anyone is surprised by any of this. holliday was the only star on the roster and now he's gone. they can try and convince us that stewart and smith and atkins are all top knotch players as much as they want but the results on the field just aren't there. tulo will be the next rockie to grow old and forget what the playoffs smell like then be shipped out for the next group of less than great prospects who will play for cheap and just be happy to be in the show, heaven forbid they make a mistake and draft an actual stand out talent who can actually make money somewhere else because that is exactly what he will do. helton is great but washed up and should hit 6th or 7th. but he will hit 3rd or 4th and leave a ridiculous amount of runners on base as he swings for the fences and just doesn't have the pop any more. the lineup this year will be terrible without the threat of a POWER hitter in the middle. hawpe? please....

  • December 11, 2008

    3:40 p.m.

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    Eggleston writes:

    100 losses next year. Bet on it

  • December 12, 2008

    12:30 p.m.

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    salidakid writes:

    I agree with the idea of new owners for the Rockies, the Monforts,do not know how to win, and o'dowd and hurdle are just kiss as---, please someone buy our rockies.

  • December 12, 2008

    2:06 p.m.

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    Colorado4ever writes:

    Wow, everyone has forgotten what the Rox did in 2007 haven't they. I don't mean to give them a pass for a disappointing 2008 (anybody get injured- Holiday? Helton? Francis? Tulo?). We had to get SOMETHING for Holliday. $100M+ for an athlete is TOO MUCH no matter who and look at Atkins numbers versus Holidays last three years. KEEP ATKINS and watch Stewart turn into a MAN this year in LF and with Helton back (no pun), Hawpe still on the rise and pitching getting better (watch what we got in Holiday trade not be soooo bad). I would still like to add a quality starter for the right $$$ but we have to keep bringing up kids too- Morales WILL be ready to have a solid year, watch.

  • December 12, 2008

    3:06 p.m.

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    denverjohn writes:

    Flash in the pan, FOOLS GOLD is what happened in 2007. COLORADO4EVER you’re welcome to give the Rockies the benefit of the doubt but my thimble of good will has long since run dry. The Rockies caught lightning in a bottle and it was wonderful. Since, they’ve demonstrated nothing but cheapness. If you recall prior to the miraculous run they were just like they are now, reliving the bad contracts of Hampton, Neagle and crying POOR. Blah blah blah…..it’s be the big leagues boys, you have to get back on the horse. Fans want a winner, we want to get back into the playoffs so we have a chance at the World Series. This team has no legitimate shot because Ownership is concerned with one thing primarily, making money! Sure they are desirous of fielding a contender if it doesn’t interfere with their primary goal. Just keep bringing up kids and hope they can play and are mediocre because if their better than mediocre and can command top dollar they’ll be traded for .50 cents on the dollar like Holliday.

  • December 13, 2008

    10:34 a.m.

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    ColoradoSpringsFan writes:

    I am so tired of the whining. First off, we lost a hitter with barely a .300 OBP, which you cannot pay $2mill plus for, unless you are the Yankees. We aren't, and it doesn't matter if the Monforts were billionaires, because you cannot just toss good money after bad. Yes, like all small market teams, we are depending on some "ifs" - but lets look at them - Helton to be healthy and an early 1990s version of Don Mattingly. Helton's still a great hitter, so I would say probable. Francis to return to health. He avg 15 wins the prior two years. If we can get 15 this year, that is already a +11, which puts us over .500, which might win the West. Yes, losing Holiday is big, but we did get the best player from Oakland (and Azs the year before) system, whom most think is going to be a star, a solid strikeout arm, and genuine young end of the rotation starter. Compared to the rest of the West, we are not looking bad. Every team has holes, we have holes. If Stewart, Gonzalez, and Jiminez continue to make just basic improvement (none has his their ceiling yet), then yes, we have a chance for the playoffs. If that is too much for you, please join Red Sox nation, Cubville, or Yankee Town. We have what we have, and it will not matter who the owner is. We could be SF right now, with age, low ceiling position players, and facing a serious loss of season ticket holders due to the financial mess in banking. Or AZ who have three pieces (Drew, Harden, and Webb) and a lot of mismatched pieces, SD who will make the Marlins look like big spenders, or LA, which right now has no rotation left. Yes, I am a half full person, but that is the great thing about now. If the Rocks are 20 below 500 in July, Iwill call for O'Dowd's head, Hurdle's job, and trades to start over. Right now, we are not looking great...but not bad either. Lets see how are pieces (and honestly, a healthy Francis, Cook, Jiminez front three is pretty good) come together.