This is NOT how the Rockies drew it up

Remember the Colorado Rockies?
They were that team that won the National League pennant out of nowhere a few years ago.
They were also the team in 2009 that looked like the smartest kids in the room.
They didn't make the playoffs in 2010 but made a big charge for it and looked like contenders for years to come.

They traded Matt Holliday and managed to steal Carlos Gonzalez in the deal. And they kept him and Troy Tulowitzki in town for long term deals and had a great pipeline of solid talent coming into Denver.

Remember how they were going to have a homegrown team winning a vulnerable division year in and year out with a core of players that the fans could relate to?

And on May 5 of 2011, the Rockies had a 4 game lead in the NL West.
Everything was working perfectly.

They are 70-104 since then.

And the Denver fans not trading in their Tebow jerseys for Manning shirts are calling for manager Jim Tracy's head. They are falling like a rock and only the Twins and Cubs are keeping them from being the worst team in baseball.

Michael Cuddyer isn't hitting as advertised, Todd Helton looks done and the pitching looks like someone has shut off the humidor.

Call me crazy, but I don't think the Rockies should do anything drastic. And that includes keeping Jim Tracy in his job.

First of all, there is hope for this team. They could do a patented Colorado run for the Wild Card. Plus the Dodgers (while I did indeed pick them) are a super hot team that could go super cold. And who knows what the Diamondbacks, Giants and Padres are going to be at the end of the season.

The West is a wildly unpredictable division. In 2006, it looked like the Padres were going to win it for the foreseeable future. Then in 2007 it looked like the Diamondbacks had it figured out. Then in 2008 it was the Dodgers for years and years. Then in 2010 the Giants staked a claim. A turn around isn't too crazy of an idea.

Gonzalez is still hitting and Tulowitzki should turn around soon. Plus there are many young players like Wilin Rosario, Alex White, Jhoulys Chacin and Drew Pomeranz who could make their mark. Third baseman Nolan Arenado could be up in Denver before the season is over.

There is no reason to scrap the team or change course because of a bad 365 days. The best thing the Rockies can do is provide some consistency and that includes management. Very few people picked the Rockies to win the 2012 NL West, so they should use that to their advantage.

What they were creating was a stable franchise with an identity and a certain kind of player wearing a Rockies uniform. And of course a few stars that the fans can call their own.

Trust me, the NL West changes power from year to year. Be prepared when it is the Rockies turn.

Don't fire the guy.
Something good is going to happen.



   

Stumbled across a factoid while writing another post...

Building up for the post season, I was planning on writing a series of obsessive lists about players and coaches who are looking to win their first World Series ring.

I have a fixation with people getting their World Series ring as I can only imagine it would be the apex of anyone's career... and NOT winning one must be a never ending source of frustration.

So I was looking up info on the coaching staffs of the teams that have either clinched a spot in the post season (Yankees, Cardinals, Dodgers, Angels) those who will clinch in the next day or so (Red Sox, Phillies) and those still fighting for a spot (Tigers, Twins, Rockies, Braves) to see which  coaches are looking for THEIR first ever World Series ring.

And the bit of trivia I have discovered was this...

All the managers of the teams still with October aspirations already have a World Series ring... except for Rockies manager Jim Tracy.

Joe Girardi of the the Yankees won as a player during the Joe Torre era.

Terry Francona of the Red Sox managed the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox teams.

Mike Scioscia of the Angels won as a player with the 1981 and 1988 Dodgers and as a manager with the 2002 Angels.

Jim Leyland of the Tigers managed the 1997 Marlins.

Ron Gardenhire of the Twins earned a ring as a coach for the 1991 Twins.

Charlie Manuel of the Phillies managed the 2008 World Champion Phillies.

Tony LaRussa of the Cardinals managed the 1989 A's and the 2006 Cardinals.

Joe Torre of the Dodgers managed the 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Yankees.

Bobby Cox of the Braves managed the 1995 Braves.

Which means Tracy stands alone as a ringless manager.

And if the Braves pass the Rockies for the Wild Card, then this whole "winning a ring" would be old hat for ALL the managers.

A strange thing happened at the Dodger game the other day

I'm talking about the August 27th game between the Dodgers and the Rockies.

I was listening to the game in my car and there was a managerial decision that has been bugging me because it made no sense to me.

In this critical game, the Dodgers had a 3-2 lead in the 9th. Torre had already brought in Jonathan Broxton to escape an 8th inning jam. Broxton was in the #5 hole because of a previous double switch.

In the top of the 9th, Franklin Morales was pitching for Colorado. He had thrown a 1-2-3 8th inning and got the first two out in the 9th when Andre Ethier reached on an error. 

Manny Ramirez was up next followed by Broxton.

Rockies manager Jim Tracy walked Ramirez. A no brainer. Who would you rather face in Coors Field? A Hall of Famer or a reliever with 4 career plate appearances?

So Ramirez is put on... and remember Morales has pitched well thus far... and should have been out of the inning because of the error... and now is pitching against a reliever.

And Jim Tracy makes a pitching change.

And more than that... a double switch.

He removed Brad Hawpe from the lineup, brought in Ryan Spilborghs to play the outfield and put Rafael Betancourt on the hill.

Am I missing something?

I checked the Rockies websites, and Morales wasn't injured.

Why the heck did Jim Tracy not trust Morales against a reliever who has only 3 more plate appearances than Eddie Gaedel? 

Did Morales plead his case?

"Skip! This guy is 0-4 lifetime and doesn't participate in batting practice. I have a plan on how to get him out!"

"What is it?"

"I am going to throw the ball towards the plate and he won't hit it."

He had no problem having him throw to Andre Ethier but was there a scouting report saying "Broxton kills Morales. He takes him deep!"

Maybe he thought Broxton was due.

Rolling Rockies

Well, it looks like getting rid of Clint Hurdle was the right move for the Rockies.

Jim Tracy has been the manager for 15 games and they've won 11 of them, including the last 9.

I bet you didn't know the Rockies just won 9 in a row. I bet there are people in Denver who didn't know that.

But Ubaldo Jimenez threw a complete game in Coors (humidor or not, that is quite an accomplishment) and the Rockies are playing like it is late September/early October 2007.

Before you say it's too late, keep in mind they are 3 1/2 games back of the wild card with 101 to play.

They were 4 1/2 out of the wild card with 13 to play in 2007.

Let's start seeing a full Coors Field, Denver fans.