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Rockies season in review: Reneging on promise

High hopes borne of World Series appearance come crashing down

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 28, 2008 at 8 a.m.

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Colorado Ryan Spilborghs exemplifies the Rockies' frustration this season as the Dodgers put the finishing touches on a win earlier this month at Coors Field.

Photo by David Zalubowski © AP

Colorado Ryan Spilborghs exemplifies the Rockies' frustration this season as the Dodgers put the finishing touches on a win earlier this month at Coors Field.

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In retrospect, the Rockies' failures in 2008 began before the season even started.

Coming off the first National League pennant in franchise history, the front office wanted to be careful not to disrupt the makeup of the team, and it took a passive approach to the offseason.

And nowhere was it more apparent than in the lack of success the Rockies had in their offseason acquisition of pitchers.

"We were a little less aggressive," general manager Dan O'Dowd admitted. "We tried to find someone who was more of a swing guy than a true starter. We felt after the way Franklin (Morales) pitched in the final two months, and with what we saw with Jason Hirsh, that we didn't want to take away any chance they had to flourish."

They didn't flourish. And when Ubaldo Jimenez struggled early and Jeff Francis battled left shoulder inflammation, the Rockies dug themselves an early-season hole they never climbed out of, even though the rest of the NL West gave them plenty chances.

Hirsh never got to the big leagues until September. He started the season on the disabled list because of a sprained right rotator cuff and spent the summer at Triple- A Colorado Springs trying to rebuild strength. Morales went 1-2 with a 6.39 ERA in five starts, allowing 28 hits and 17 walks in 25 1/3 innings before being sent down, and he wasn't even recalled in September. The three veterans the Rockies had as insurance - Mark Redman, Josh Towers and Kip Wells - cost them $5 million and combined for 11 ineffective starts.

And along with the rotation problems, the Rockies offense sputtered. Center fielder Willy Taveras and third baseman Garrett Atkins were the only members of the Opening Day lineup who didn't spend time on the disabled list, and Taveras missed the final week of the season because of a stress fracture in his right tibia. And there was an early-season bullpen malfunction that resulted in Brian Fuentes regaining the closer's role from Manny Corpas.

Added all together and it tells the story of why the Rockies suffered their ninth losing season in 11 years.

Nineteen games into the season they fell below .500 (9-10) and never got back to break even. They never spent a day in first place in the NL West.

"It was," manager Clint Hurdle said, "a challenging year, an emotional year."

In the end, it was a disappointing year.

OUCH

Injuries are a part of the game, but the Rockies had key players sidelined for extended periods of time.

* 1B Todd Helton will undergo surgery Tuesday for a bulging disk in his lower back that limited him to two pinch-hit appearances after July 3.

* SS Troy Tulowitzki was sidelined twice - April 30-June 20 because of a torn tendon in his left quadriceps and July 5-July 21 because of a right-hand laceration suffered when he slammed a bat and it cracked.

* LHP Jeff Francis was on the disabled list from June 29-Aug. 6 because of left shoulder inflammation.

* LF Matt Holliday was on the disabled list May 25-June 10 because of a strained left hamstring.

* RF Brad Hawpe was on the disabled list May 21-June 6 because of a strained right hamstring.

* 2B Clint Barmes was on the disabled list May 24-June 23 because of a sprained right knee.

QUICKLY

* At the plate: The Rockies offense never came alive. The team ranked 17th in majors with runners in scoring position, with a .255 average. Garrett Atkins led team in RBI but ranked 103rd out of 115 big-league hitters with at least 100 plate appearances with a .228 average with runners in scoring position. Leadoff hitter Willy Taveras ranked 110th, at .204. Chris Iannetta led the team at .323. Clint Barmes (.312) was only other Rockies player above .300.

* On the mound: The rotation that had the lowest ERA in the NL after the All-Star break a year ago ranked 15th in the NL in ERA this year, at 5.17, ahead of only Pittsburgh. Aaron Cook (3.96) and Ubaldo Jimenez (4.13) were the only starters who had ERAs below 5.00.

* In the field: After setting a major league record with a .98925 fielding percentage a year ago, committing only 68 errors, the Rockies had 96 this season.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Five players whose stock rose during the season:

RHP Ubaldo Jimenez

A season that began with doubts about Jimenez's readiness for the big leagues ended with him becoming a dominant pitcher and considered a key part of the Rockies rotation. He was 1-6 over his first 12 starts - and the Rockies were 1-11 - but in his next 21 starts he was 11-6 - and the Rockies were 14-7.

C Chris Iannetta

Not ready for the No. 1 job a year ago, and sent back to the minor leagues for a refresher course, Iannetta began the season as the backup but finished it having laid claim to the starting job. He ranks second on the franchise single-season list for home runs by a catcher (18) and has driven in a club-record 65 runs at the spot.

2B Clint Barmes

The Rockies' Opening Day shortstop in 2005, who spent most of 2007 in the minor leagues, made the roster out of spring training as a utility player. When Jayson Nix didn't pan out at second base, Barmes was part of a group of players who got playing time at second base, and by season's end, he was a starter again.

LHP Brian Fuentes

Fuentes is headed to free agency, but a year after losing the closer role, he got another shot. When the opportunity came in late April, the left-hander filled a void. Fuentes converted 30-of-32 saves after taking over as the closer, becoming the first pitcher in franchise history with four 20-save seasons.

RF Brad Hawpe

The left-handed hitter continued to show major league power and one of the strong outfield arms in the game. More important, he made a major step forward as a hitter, hitting left-handed pitchers almost as well as right-handed pitchers and assuming cleanup duties at times after Todd Helton was injured.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Five players who failed to meet expectations:

Jeff Francis

The scheduled Opening Day starter, who tied a franchise record with 17 wins in '07, failed to win at least 13 games for the first time in four full major league seasons. Struggling with command, he finally admitted in June that his shoulder was bothering him and he was put on the DL with left shoulder inflammation.

Franklin Morales

Morales, a lift to the rotation during the Rockies' stretch run a year ago, was given the No. 4 starter spot out of spring training. Not only did he give it back, but his minor league effort was so inconsistent, instead of being recalled in September, he was sent to the Arizona Instructional League to work on mechanics.

Manny Corpas

Corpas, assuming the closer's role at the end of July in 2007, handled the pressures of the postseason battle. He came to spring training with the edge missing, though. He had no consistency with his command, lost several miles per hour off his fastball and didn't have the snap on his slider, losing the job back to Fuentes.

Jayson Nix

Given the second base job to begin the season, Nix dazzled defensively but struggled with the bat. With the team in an offensive funk, Nix was the fall guy and was sent back to the minor leagues. He was called up briefly during the season but sent back down and not recalled when rosters expanded in September.

Kip Wells

Looking for another surprise from a pitcher looking to resurrect his career, the Rockies gave Wells a $3.5 million guarantee. They shot craps. Wells, released on Aug. 11, was 1-3 with a 6.21 ERA in 25 appearances, including two starts, and missed nearly 12 weeks because of a blood clot in his right hand.

REINFORCEMENTS

Five welcomed in-season additions:

LHP Jorge De La Rosa

The left-hander bounced from Arizona to Boston to Milwaukee and Kansas City, unable to deal with emotions and throw strikes. De La Rosa, acquired by the Rockies for RHP Ramon Ramirez, joined the Rockies in May, struggled early and finished strong. He was 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA over his last eight starts.

RHP Jason Grilli

Grilli, acquired from Detroit for RHP Zach Simons on April 30, became a mainstay in the Rockies' late-inning bullpen mix, appearing in a career-high 59 games. He was unscored on in 15 of the final 17, and he compiled a 1.99 ERA after the All-Star break. He stranded 17-of-24 inherited runners.

LHP Glendon Rusch

After missing last year because of medical reasons, then being released in May by San Diego, Rusch signed with the Rockies. After a brief stint with Triple-A Colorado Springs, he was called up on May 30. Rusch provided the Rockies with a versatile lefty who handled long relief and spot starts.

3B Ian Stewart

The former first-round draft pick struggled offensively in an early-season call-up, but when Todd Helton went on the disabled list in July, the Rockies gave Stewart an extended look, moving Garrett Atkins to first base. Stewart showed potential to be an elite defensive player and a bat with big power.

OF Seth Smith

Called up in early July and used almost exclusively as a pinch hitter for more than two months, Smith got playing time in September in center field and as a leadoff hitter. Now, he's being considered either a possible replacement for Matt Holliday in left field next year or a possible CF platoon with Ryan Spilborghs.

Comments

  • September 28, 2008

    8:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    GeeTee writes:

    Just who were these GREAT ARMS the Rockies were supposed to pursue last offseason? They had three 10-game winners -- when was the last time THAT happened in Denver? The problem wasn't who they didn't get, but who they DID get and who they didn't keep. They should have signed Josh Fogg. They should have kept Kerosene Man -- otherwise known as Jose Vizcaino -- unemployed. They should NOT have signed Hernandez late in the year. They should have established a regular 2B and stuck with the guy -- Clint Barmes looks good there.

    Mainly, they need to face some facts -- Jason Hirsch will never pitch a full season in the major leagues; Willie Taveras is a liability at the plate and makes easy plays look spectacular in the field; Morales and Reynolds are simply NOT ready for the majors; Todd Helton needs fewer walks and more hits in the clean-up spot; Vizcaino and Hernandez must not be issued a uniform for 2009. Hurdle must win in 2009 or go.

  • September 28, 2008

    10:39 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    fastnloose writes:

    Gee Tee,your a year late on the certain,that is Hurdle is not the answer,never was never will be.Why throw away another season finding out what we already know?

  • September 28, 2008

    12:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Darwin writes:

    O'Dowd and Hurdle, their opportunity for success has come and gone. Of course they will be back next year, and it will give me another opportunity to say "I told you so".

  • September 29, 2008

    10:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    RockiesWin writes:

    The facts are what they are:

    Year.....Wins.....Place in Division
    2008.....74.......3
    2007.....90.......2
    2006.....76.......5
    2005.....67.......5
    2004.....68.......5
    2003.....74.......4
    2002.....73.......4
    2001.....73.......5

    Ave......74.......4

    This is completely unacceptable! O'Dowd and Hurdle have had more than enough time to establish a consistent winner/competitive team. They have not!!! An average of 74 wins per season (just like this year) is the norm rather than the exception as they would have you believe. We fans waited for the "youth" to mature into a juggernaut, they haven't. Hitters, particularly in the outfield, should be a dime a dozen for this franchise. PITCHING, PITCHING, PITCHING!!! That is what wins games!!! They don't get it, and never will.

    These owners are as stubborn as the Detroit Lions owner, Mr. Ford. It's time for the Matt Millen of the Rockies to be fired! Eat his contract, along with Hurdle and move on!!! You will actually save money. It's time to get new management in place in the entire organization. We the fans have had ENOUGH!!!

  • September 29, 2008

    12:04 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    arvada_mark writes:

    A few quick points: Helton gets so many walks because he is flat out scary as a hitter. Pitchers are scared of him. He's the greatest hitter in baseball over the past 10 years (as of about 3 months ago anyway)...check the stats (Pujols hasn't been around that long).

    The 74 wins thing is interesting, not suprising, but interesting. The sad part is the 4th place average. That means we don't even compete.

    3rd: I still think we can get a #1 or #2 starter for Stewy. All he has is upside, & we already have a 3rd baseman who is as good as anybody this side of David Wright.

    Last:
    Adios B-Fuent...the greatest pitcher in Rockies history. I hope you sign with the Angels (hey, they were my team before we had the Rox so I'll still get to see you throw quite a bit over there).
    Goodbye Matt Holliday. How the Brothers Monfort can turn their back on a Hall-of-Fame calliber player & person, I will never know.

  • September 29, 2008

    12:53 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    FreeToChoose writes:

    Arvada_Mike:
    Your STILL high on Rocktober! Get over it! Helton is NOT a scary hitter anymore. He ranked near the bottom of MLB in SLG and OPS this year and his stats have been deteriorating for a few years now. The long-term answer at 1B is Koshansky. The long-term answer in CF is Dexter Fowler. Atkins and Holliday aren't part of the long-term success of this franchise so they should be moved for ready or close-to-ready live arms with potential 1-2-3 starter abilities. The core of the future is Hawpe, Iannetta, Stewart, Tulow, Fowler and Koshansky.

    The D-Backs played their youngsters this year and they will all be better next year. Now the Rockies need to do the same and take the plunge towards youth with an eye towards a solid nucleus in 2010-12. Maybe they'll make an early run next year like the D-backs did this year... but Atkins and Holliday can be parlayed into live arms and SHOULD be traded for live arms.

  • September 29, 2008

    4:52 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    arvada_mark writes:

    Dude, the Rox take the "youth plunge" every other year. You're not from here are you? And are you really going to judge H by this year? Man, lighten up. How about we judge Tulo by the year he had...it was even worse than Helton's. We don't do that because neither of them played enough to fairly judge. By those standards, Tom Brady is a horrible QB...his numbers will be that bad at the end of the year. And by "live arms," you mean guys like Kyle, Hampton, & Neagle...right? When you look up Helton's numbers compared to every other 1st baseman in the game over the last 10 years, then you can flap your jaws about him. But I'm sure you won't because you know that's where the truth lies. Joe Koshansky? Please...the guy is not a major league hitter, & well, nobody is Helton with the leather. We tried to trade Koshansky, nobody wanted him.

  • October 3, 2008

    10:33 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    NorCalGuy writes:

    Free2Choose makes a good point about Atkins and Holliday. Holliday has contract leverage and Atkins is getting close to having it. You either have to pay them big money and hope they produce for a long time (a big gamble), or be satisfied that you got some of their good years for cheap. The franchise just got out of Hampton's deal now that the season's over, and Helton's career is in jeopardy (and they owe him over $50 million, guaranteed through 2012). To get out of paying him $23 million in 2012 they have to execute a $4.6 million buyout. While I really like Big Daddy and Atkins I just think the greater need for the Rockies is pitching. Those two could probably get the team some outstanding arms. Or, they could sign both of them and CC Sabathia. To do so would probably require a bond issue...

  • October 4, 2008

    6:52 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    LockeRobster writes:

    a_m:

    What Helton did over the last 10 years is totally irrelevant, and only someone who cannot deal with reality would continue to hang on to that sort of argument. Todd Helton RIGHT NOW is NOT scary at the plate. He has averaged fewer than 15 HR's per season the last four years (20, 15, 17, 7), and hasn't had 100 RBI's since 2003 or 100 runs scored since 2004. He is still very good in the field, and he can still hit for average and draw his share of walks, but there are a dozen (or more) 1B who are far more productive for a fraction of the money.

    The past 10 years aren't doing a single thing to help the Rockies get ready to win games in 2009. It's a total straw argument, and I think you know it.