KRIEGER: Rockies earn their misery
By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published July 21, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.
Photo by Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky
Rockies pitcher Kip Wells shows his frustration before leaving the game after giving up seven runs and seven hits while getting only one out in the first inning against the Dodgers at Coors Field on Monday. The Dodgers scored another run in the inning that was charged to Wells.
Video: After Kip Wells' disastrous start in the first game of the series against the Dodgers, the Rockies turn to Ubaldo Jimenez, who was been one of two reliable starters for the Rockies. Watch »
Admit it: For a minute there, you thought your miracle Rockies were starting their long-awaited charge to the top of the National League Worst. After all, they roared out of the All-Star break by sweeping the Pirates, catapulting from 18 games below .500 to 14 games below .500.
True, the Bucs are the only team in the National League with starting pitching worse than the Rocks, but this is no time for discouraging factoids. Was it over when the Etruscans bombed Valley Forge? Heck, no. And it ain't over now.
Unfortunately, with the Dodgers in town and a chance to gain ground on a division rival, the Rocks had to come up with a starting pitcher not named Cook or Jimenez. All season, this has been a challenging task, which might explain a composite ERA of 5.30 for their starting pitchers.
The suspect Monday night was Kip Wells, who gave up eight runs, seven earned, in one-third of an inning. That might sound bad, but Mark Redman gave up 10 in the first at Dodger Stadium earlier this year and rookie Greg Reynolds gave up seven to Florida in an inning and a third. The Rocks' ERA is no fluke.
"We're looking for somebody to help us solidify the starting rotation," manager Clint Hurdle said before the game.
"(Wells) is going to get the first shot at that. This is not going to be eight, 10 starts to figure it out. This needs to be something you come in, you embrace, you make pitches, you keep the ball down, you throw strikes and we'll go from there."
OK, so Wells was 0-for-4. Anybody seen Elmer Dessens lately?
You might remember we had a little contest earlier in the year to localize the old Boston Braves slogan, "Spahn, Sain and pray for rain."
The winning entry was "Cook, Francis, then take your chances." I preferred "Cook and then some schnook." Francis later vindicated my choice.
More recently, a column correspondent suggested an update: "Cook and Jimenez, then it doesn't matter who he says." This might need a little work, but at least it's on the right track.
Anyway, the charming thing about the NL Worst is no matter how bad you are, you're never really out of it. The Rocks may be 15 games below .500, but they're right there. And with Troy Tulowitzki returning to action with a career-best five hits Monday, who knows? Maybe they can slug their way back to the top. All they need is a starting pitcher or two who can get out of the first inning.
Their fans certainly still seem to believe. They drew 38,291 for Monday night's game.
Still, it's hard to believe a division that gave us four teams over .500 last year can be as bad as its five sub-.500 records this year.
"When you say, 'Is it as bad,' it's evenly matched at this point in time," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "To me, I think all the clubs are going to get a little better in the second half. I don't believe this division will stay under .500. That was really a surprise to me, that everybody was under .500, even though it was my first year here, just knowing what went on last year with San Diego, with Arizona, with, of course, the Rockies."
Somehow, it feels sort of perverse discussing the postseason chances of a team now 43-58, no matter how many games out of first place they are. What is this, the NBA?
"I don't ignore the record but I don't ignore the situation, either," Hurdle said. "There's a lot of things that happen in life that sometimes logically don't make sense. But then, when you look at the way it's played out, you look at the other teams, their records, OK, it makes sense. Nobody's run away with it. Nobody's done that well."
It is clear by now that the Rocks badly miscalculated their starting pitching. Franklin Morales and Jason Hirsh were supposed to be ready and weren't, which is how the club ends up relying on suspects like Wells and Redman and Glendon Rusch and Jorge De La Rosa.
Even if the standings say they're very much in the race, Bill Parcells' dictum still applies: You are what your record says you are.
"I put a lot of weight into that," Hurdle said. "We've got a lot of holes this year. A lot of things haven't worked the way that people thought they were going to work."
"Bill Parcells is a friend of mine and I certainly respect the way he thinks and the way he does his job," Torre said. "But this is a little different situation, when you play 162 games as opposed to 16. I certainly believe we're better than our record."
They might be, I suppose, but as for the Rocks, they've made their record the old-fashioned way. They've earned it.
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July 22, 2008
6:28 a.m.
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dbworks69 writes:
I'm not sure why Hurdle thought that Kip Wells was the guy to put back in the starting rotation, especially given that he got killed in his rehabilitation stint in Colo Springs, not to mention his last few appereances before going on the DL. We'd have been better off bringing up Morales. Not one of Hrudles more shinning moments.
July 22, 2008
7:51 a.m.
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RDenver writes:
Way to go, Clintster. Loved the comment in the paper this morning...'we need to find a way to get people out'! You must think Denver is full of people who have no clue about baseball. Have gone to games here since we had the Denver Bears and you are , by far, the most arrogant and unqualified managers I have ever seen. You are slowly but surely alienating the baseball fans of Denver. Monforts better wake up soon and see the handwriting on the wall.
July 22, 2008
8:24 a.m.
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Scootie writes:
No True RDenver;
Hurdle's style is just what the Rockies need. He's direct without being arrogant. In this case, as in most cases, the decision to start a pitcher (Wells) is not solely the manager's; read: O'Dowd's finger prints are all over this one.
It's clear the Rockies need to try something. At 15 (or so) games under .500, why not give anybody and everybody a shot. Wells had a decent game or two before being sidelined earlier in the year; what the heck - give him the ball. What are their other choices?
My take? Hurdle's a pretty good baseball man that appropriately mixes in sound by the book strategies with a "gut feel" decision or two. I think, if the Monforts and O'Dowd gave him anything to work with, he'd be at the top of the heap. Depth is the key and the Rocks tried to acquire it through the signing of hurlers who's best days are long behind them.
Cmon....the Rocks are in this position b/c they bet on the come; Jiminez (good call); Morrales and Hirsch - neither one of which has shown they can get the job done. Their backup plan didn't pan out. Hurdle just works with what he's got....the Monforts are cheap and O'Dowd's creativity has been a bust.
July 22, 2008
8:24 a.m.
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sersam writes:
I understand the piling onto Kip but we scored enough runs to overcome Kip's work. The relievers contributed just as much as Kip to the loss.
July 22, 2008
9:31 a.m.
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weasely27 writes:
Say what you want about Kip Wells, it's amazing to me that Willy Taveras gets a hall pass for everything he does. Since I was two, I've known that a leadoff hitter should carry an OBP of about 400...yet they continue to roll Willy and his .280 OBP out game after game. Scott Podsednik goes 4-4 on Saturday...gets benched the following two nights. Willy goes hitless in both while the team racks up 38. Ryan Spilborghs was the leadoff hitter when this team made its magical run. Willy was re-inserted in the NLCS and the bats haven't been the same. He swings and balls in the dirt on 2-0 and takes strike 3 right down the middle more than any player I know. He comes up with a runner in scoring position and two outs because the pitcher's just bunted a guy over all the time..and you can count on one hand the times he's come through. Aaron Cook has a better chance at an RBI in that situation, and I'm not being fecicious...I'm looking at the stats.
They take way too much stock in his speed...considering how little of the time he actually gets himself on base.
July 22, 2008
10:58 a.m.
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fjv1026 writes:
I don't agree with you Scootie. Clint waited until the score was 7-0 before he took Wells out. I do agree that Hurdle AND O'Dowd were responsible for this one but I also agree with sersam that the horrible bullpen was just as responsible. If we are to seriously make a run at the division (and it's pretty much now or never time) we must acquire a decent #3, 4, or 5 starter and shore up our relief corps NOW. Or, lets just wave the white flag because that's what O'Dowd and Hurdle seem to want.
July 22, 2008
11:17 a.m.
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arvada_mark writes:
"We're looking for somebody to help us solidify the starting rotation..."
This may be the funniest thing I've read all morning (and work is verrrrry slow today). I mean honestly, this rotation needs more help than that. Who do these guys think Kip Wells is, the incarnation of Cy Young himself? Only 8 runs on 1 out. I thought the Dodgers were better than that.
My vote goes for either Morales or Reynolds, or both...Rusch (???spelling) hasn't done much a rookie couldn't do. I got it, trade Holliday & Fuentes (the greatest pitcher in Rockies history, BTW) for 3 minor league pitching prospects (because they are cheap) & a hot dog (excuse me, Rockie Dog) to be named later.
July 22, 2008
12:26 p.m.
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pj48b writes:
Hurdle is the worst manager/coach I have ever seen. He takes a lot of credit for the run last year and he was not even a part of it. O'Dowd is an idiot and had been for years. The Monforts are cheap, cheap , cheap. They want the easy buck and although they appear to be willing to spend some money ( Holiday , Hawpe, Akins, Fuentes ) to make the team great, they are actually just pacifying the fans. If the Rockies are to ever make a legit run for and win the WS,, they need a new general manager, manager/coach and the Monforts need to be willing to spend some money to keep the team together. And what's with this changing the lineup every day, Clint? Winning teams don't do that. And new players every year. Winning teams don't do that. The Rockies have done that for years and it hasn't worked. Isn't it time for new leadership?
July 22, 2008
12:50 p.m.
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wilburM writes:
it is laughable that Clint is talking about Wells as if he's going to get another shot. Why???!!!
What he did last night is just what he did in his rehab starts and pretty much what he's done lately. How much worse could Morales and/or Hirsh be? Really.
I foresee that the Rocks will bring up the kids just after a losing streak that guts their chances at the division and just before the bloodletting begins with trades. The kids will be decent and everybody besides Rockies' ownership & management will think: if only we'd played the kids at the major league level instead of depending on retread never-wases, we might have had a chance at this thing.
Mark Redmond, Kip Wells, De la Rosa, Nix, Taveras,.. just taking playing time away from other guys who deserve it more and have at least some upside.
July 22, 2008
2:15 p.m.
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fjv1026 writes:
Well said wilburM!
July 22, 2008
4:51 p.m.
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craig7078 writes:
Anyone who thinks Hurdle is a good manager, I want some of what you're smoking. This guy gives up more outs than anyone in baseball. He's terrible at managing pitchers and he consistently changes the lineup. As soon as someone gets hot he benches them. His obsession with matchups is ridiculous. Then there's the old favorite let the pitcher hit and then take him out which is one of his trademarks. If anyone has the audacity to question any of his moves he becomes the arrogant know it all. Name one other city where he would still have a job. The Mets stopped him from managing in their minor league system because he was bad and made him a hitting instructor.