Rockies look for fresh start

Can team pull off another run?

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 16, 2008 at 2:34 p.m.

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Rockies pitcher Brian Fuentes has attracted a lot of interest from teams in playoff contention, including the Phillies, Rays, Mets, Yankees and Red Sox. The trading deadline is July 31.

Photo by Associated Press

The Rockies could get some help soon from minor-leauge outfielder Dexter Fower (bottom left) and injured Rockies Troy Tulowitzki (top center), Todd Helton (top right) and Jeff Francis (bottom center). But Brian Fuentes (top left) and Matt Holliday (bottom right) could be on the trading block.

The Rockies are past being concerned about defending the National League pennant.

They can put thoughts of an NL West title on the back burner.

They resume play Thursday night looking to rebuild their confidence.

It might not have been shattered, but it certainly has been shaken.

The three-day All-Star break wasn't long enough to cure all that has ailed the Rockies, but it at least gave them a respite from the grind of a season that has left them with a 39-57 record, in fourth place in the NL West and at the top of the list of this season's biggest disappointments in baseball.

"We need to come back and play with some energy," manager Clint Hurdle said.

Sixty-two of the Rockies' remaining 66 games are against teams that currently have losing records.

And the offense gets a chance to recharge after scoring only two runs in losing the final four games before the break. The Rockies resume play with a week at home, where they have won 16 of their past 22 games.

Pittsburgh arrives tonight for a four-game series, and the Los Angeles Dodgers open a three- game series Monday.

By the time the Rockies embark on a 10-game challenge of heat and humidity that takes them to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh for three games each, then to Florida, they also figure to have reworked their rotation.

But will they still have closer Brian Fuentes, whose pending free agency has made him the most likely Rockies player to be traded? And can they fix an ailing rotation?

Kip Wells made his final rehabilitation start Wednesday and will move into the rotation Monday against the Dodgers, most likely in place of Jorge De La Rosa.

The hope is that by the time the Rockies need a fifth starter for a second time - July 29 at Pittsburgh - left-hander Jeff Francis, the Opening Day starter after tying a franchise record with 17 wins last year, will be ready to be activated from the disabled list, which puts veteran left-hander Mark Redman in jeopardy.

The Rockies have had only 35 quality starts - a starter working six innings or more and allowing three earned runs or fewer - in 96 games. But they have won 26 of those games.

The rotation problems began before the season started. Jason Hirsh, expected to be one of the season-opening five, managed to work two innings in his spring training debut, then went on the disabled list, eventually being activated but optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs because of continuing problems with his command.

Hard-throwing left-hander Franklin Morales survived the spring, but five starts later, he was back with the Sky Sox, his 17 walks and nine strikeouts in 251/3 innings as alarming as the 1-2 record and 6.39 ERA.

Then, on July 3, after a 3-7 start, Francis admitted left shoulder inflammation was a problem and he went on the disabled list.

The lineup could be back in place in another week or so. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki had stitches removed from the gash in his right hand Monday and began a rehabilitation assignment at Tulsa on Wednesday, putting him in line for a return to the active roster during the homestand.

A second epidural given to first baseman Todd Helton relieved the symptoms of his lower back problems, creating the hope he could go on a rehabilitation assignments soon.

The Rockies also want to see how Willy Taveras' achy quadriceps responded to rest and whether he will need to join the list of disabled.

"It was a good time (for the break)," Hurdle said. "We've got guys who have been hurt that aren't on the DL, and we have our fair share that are on the DL. Three days now, it will give us a chance to look around and

recollect our thoughts."

• July 16, 2008

  3:12 p.m.

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  fjv1026 writes:

  Thank goodness Kip Wells is on the way!!! NL West title here we come!

• July 16, 2008

  4:06 p.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  Jason Hirsch???? I sure wish I could see him play sometime. From all the hype, he must be the reincarnation of Cy Young himself. He's been with us for what 2, 3 years now? I'm sure he has more than 100 innings with us, but it sure doesn't seem like it. The Rox could hire a freakin' monkey to do what he's done for us. Now let's trade Holliday for 1 middle of the road reliever, a centerfielder who plays every 3rd day (or is it every 4th day?), & 1 starter who we'll just have to take O'Dowd's word on because he can't stay off of the DL long enough for us to make up our own minds. Oh yeah, and raise ticket prices too...you know to offset the loss they'll take at the gate due to the trade of the city's favorite player.

• July 16, 2008

  5:32 p.m.

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  fjv1026 writes:

  I'm not fond of paying ballplayers (of any sport) $20 million or more per season but here's the thing with Holliday: he's immensely talented, a local fan favorite and an identifiable face for the Rockies franchise. These days, when people think of the Rockies, they think Matt Holliday. Having said that, why not pay Matt what he wants? It's obvious to me that management is not going to improve the other positions as evidenced by their fascination with patchwork line-ups and pitching rotations. So why not pay Matt? We could help pay his contract by firing O'Dowd, Hurdle and Apodaca and pay some of the monkeys that arvada_mark wrote about to run the team. It would probably be a slight improvement.

• July 16, 2008

  6 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Tracy Ringolsby writes:

  fjv1026, you make some valid points but the question is what does he want? What has become clear is that $100 million for five years -- that's $20 million a year -- is not enough.

• July 16, 2008

  6:40 p.m.

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  fjv1026 writes:

  And you, Mr. Ringolsby, make a great point too. Money? Longevity? A chance to win? What does Holliday want? Any player would be lucky to get all three from any team out there (including the Yankees and Red Sox). In my opinion, it is ownership who needs to figure out what THEY want. Winning team, semi-expensive payroll or small budget with a team that might finish .500 year after year? Ownership and management used to boast about "building from within". Well, the Rockies are built but all we seem to hear about are these guys talking about trading our homegrown talent. Once the Monforts figure that out, the Holliday question might answer itself.

• July 16, 2008

  6:55 p.m.

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  fastnloose writes:

  Heck,a small budget team that plays .500 ball sounds pretty good to me at this stage.How many times have we played .500 ball? ANSWER: Not many!

• July 16, 2008

  10:45 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  RDenver writes:

  “We need to come back and play with some energy,” manager Clint Hurdle said. HUH??? How about you manage with some energy? You got a hitting coach managing a team that under achieves...is at best a AA pitching staff...and isn't a very good team fundamentally. Your arrogance is wearing thin Clinster. And, as a matter of fact, I don't like the product and we will stay away.

• July 17, 2008

  7:07 a.m.

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  toetap writes:

  If Kip Wells is the answer, the question could only be: "Where can we find a warm body?"

• July 17, 2008

  7:44 a.m.

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  piaresquared writes:

  If anything, the All-Star game proved that even with a lineup full of stars Clint Hurdle STILL can't win.

• July 17, 2008

  9:31 a.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  Funny, toetap, funny.

  I still go to games on a regular basis (2 games for Pirates series), but the Brothers Monfort are not really leaving much for me to cheer for. You know they desperately want to get rid of Helton, & probably have wanted to for the past 4 or 5 years. That is insulting enough. He is, after all, the greatest Rockies player ever...hands down, without a doubt. So it's not suprising they want to send Matty packing, but at the same time, IT IS INSULTING as a fan to think that they sit there & lie to us about the direction they want to take with the club. At least the Brothers Monfort stay in the public eye so they can be accountable to their actions, or lack there of. Somebody should remind them that the Expos tried to run their team without spending money, & well, now they are a horrible team in another city. They need to give up on the notion that they can make a substantial profit owning a pro sports team. Then they need to sell...Uncle Stan Kronks, you interested?

• July 17, 2008

  9:54 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  arvada_mark writes:

  I want to make one last point in regards to how I feel I am being cheated by this franchise. I'm a lifelong fan of Denver pro ball, & will be 'till I pass on, but this city supports the Rox with little to no return. Without giving away too many details, when I go to a game, & considering my wages at work, 1 game costs me anywhere from 4-8 hours at my wages. That does include a 1st level seat ($40 on average), 3 beers...who are we kidding, 5 beers ($30, conservative) & some sort of food (say $10). Throw in a trip to the team store, & that's what I worked all day Monday for...to pay for a game in which the owners want to get rid of all worthy talent in favor of unworthly talent. I'll be the guy cheering the Rockies all the while booing the Brothers Monfort.

• July 17, 2008

  10:34 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  fjv1026 writes:

  Arvada_mark...I feel your pain. I am a Denver native but am active duty military stationed in WA state. I spend $149 per season on DirectTV to get MLB Extra Innings so I can watch the Rockies (I missed last season due to deployment and unfortunately did not see their tremendous run). So I pay $149 a month to see my hometown get embarrassed nearly every night because Hurdle takes out an effective starter at the beginning of the 6th and he puts in a reliever with a 14.00 ERA. For the great price of $100, I could take my family of four to a Tacoma Rainiers (AAA) game, get front row seats, eat and drink merrily and watch some quality baseball. Can someone please buy the Monforts out? Elway? Bowlen? Kroenke? Hell, is Jake Jabs still alive?

• July 17, 2008

  11:56 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  fastnloose writes:

  Uncle Stan Kronks,has some real issues with his own teams.The Monforts are damned if they do damned if they don't.Hard place to be in,and no I am not related yo them.

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