Thread: The Official Colorado Rockies thread--Now with extra awesome!!

They WIN the game last night, and they are COMPLAINING

http://twitter.com/thegarymiller/statuses/25534033668

Giants complain about Rockies use of humidor and baseball wants umpires more involved in overseeing how balls are used. Story on CBS4 AT 5.

It's a good thing that no one knows what I am thinking right about now

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16173855

Prior to the most important series of the season, the San Francisco Giants called Major League Baseball expressing, with questions and concerns, how the humidor baseballs at Coors Field were being used.

Following San Francisco general manager Brian Sabean's discussion with MLB offical Joe Garagiola Jr., procedures have been changed on how the baseballs are removed from the humidor.

MLB will now change the way the Rockies get baseballs into games to ensure that the bag storing game balls is visible to umpires at all times. According to umpire crew chief John Hirschbeck, the change was ordered Friday by MLB umpire supervisor Mike Port.

The new procedures — which begin today and likely will remain in place through he remainder of the season — are as follows: An umpire will physically see the baseballs used for the game being taken from the humidor, and will also carry the balls out of the humidor. He will follow the balls down to where they are placed in the dugout in a ball bag, and the ballbag must remain in the umpire's view during the game.

The fundamental change is seeing the baseballs removed from the humidor, which is located just down the hall from the Rockies' clubhouse. Before there was no supervision.

"They will monitor from the humidor to where the ball bag is positioned," Major League Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney told The Denver Post.

Courtney said that the Giants called Friday, which resulted in the first procedural change involving the humidor since its advent in 2002. The timing, however, was interesting, coming in the heat of a playoff hunt.

The Giants admit they had a telephone conversation with Garagiola about the matter.

However, Hirschbeck also said today that he is confident that nothing suspicious is happening with the balls, telling reporters: "There is nothing going on, really."

Giants's pitcher Tim Lincecum was caught on video in the sixth inning Friday night saying "juiced ball" when thrown a ball from the umpire. That was followed by expletives and Lincecum threw the baseball back to the umpire.

"There's speculation and I kind of verbalized it and that's it," said Lincecum today, admitting that the issue was in the back of his mind.

Asked if he can tell the difference between a regular baseball and a humidor ball, Lincecum said, "No, I don't know. Sometimes I get a ball that feels a little softer than others. I don't know if it's been in the humidor or not."

The Giants have alleged for the past two years, primarily through broadcaster Jon Miller, that the Rockies switch in non-humidor-stored baseballs to help them when they are on offense.

The Rockies denied Lincecum's accusation.

Manager Jim Tracy said he had "more important things to worry about than a ball bag."

Asked if it was a matter of the Giants practicing gamesmanship in the heat of a pennant race, "I'm not sure."

Tracy added, "Here's my take on it: I don't know a damn thing about it. First of all, I can't even tell you where the heck the humidor room is. That's their job. But I guarantee you this: Since I was asked to manage this club, nobody has come in and asked me to approve any baseballs, nobody has asked me to rub any of them up, nobody has asked me, "Have these been in the humidor or haven't they been in the humidor? It's none of my business. It's absolutely none of my business."

Rockies' spokesman Jay Alves issued a statement, reading, "As we have from the first day the humidor became a part of the ball storage process more than eight years ago here at Coors Field, we will continue to strictly follow any guidelines from the commissioner's office."

tulo!!!!!!!!

The Giants and every other team in the league should have a Humidor installed. It would mean that everyone has a standard baseball.

I FREAKING HATE THE GIANTS AS MUCH AS I HATE THE RAIDERS NOW.

I hope the Giants get swept by whoever they play in the first round, and then they spend the rest of eternity in the basement of the NL West.

Originally Posted by Thnikkaman

The Giants and every other team in the league should have a Humidor installed. It would mean that everyone has a standard baseball.

I FREAKING HATE THE GIANTS AS MUCH AS I HATE THE RAIDERS NOW.

I hope the Giants get swept by whoever they play in the first round, and then they spend the rest of eternity in the basement of the NL West.

I totally agree that every team should have a humidor installed. When the Rockies were playing in AZ the last time, Drew Goodman said that AZ was considering having one, and I don't remember if he said that it is being considered that all teams should have one, or if his opinion was that all teams should have one.

In regards to the Giants complaining - HOW could someone within the Rockies organization switch out the balls when they are up to bat, and then again when the visiting team is up to bat????? WOULD THAT NOT BE OBVIOUS TO THE UMPIRE??????

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

I totally agree that every team should have a humidor installed. When the Rockies were playing in AZ the last time, Drew Goodman said that AZ was considering having one, and I don't remember if he said that it is being considered that all teams should have one, or if his opinion was that all teams should have one.

In regards to the Giants complaining - HOW could someone within the Rockies organization switch out the balls when they are up to bat, and then again when the visiting team is up to bat????? WOULD THAT NOT BE OBVIOUS TO THE UMPIRE??????

I think the Giants are still butt hurt for being edged out of the playoffs last year. They are butt hurt. I hope that we can keep DLR or get another good arm for next year. With our Offense, we should be able to take command of the NL West from start to finish next season. I think our Rotation will be Ubaldo, Chacin, Cook (I predict he will return to greatness), Hammel, and a FA aquisition/DLR. That will be a scary rotation next year, and it should rival that of the Gnats.

Jeese I hate the Giants.

DANG - Ubaldo pitches 8 scoreless innings, BUT the Rockies also do not score. No 20 wins for Ubaldo this year - WHAT A SHAME

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16348829

ARLINGTON, TEXAS — After a difficult season offensively, particularly on the road, the Rockies will change hitting instructors, bringing in Carney Lansford to replace Don Baylor.

Lansford will focus less on mechanics and more on executing a game plan. The Rockies played 58 one-run games, and were the victims of 10 walk-off losses on the road. Manager Jim Tracy believes better situational hitting will help push the Rockies back to the playoffs.

The Rockies also think Lansford no-nonsense approach will be a plus.

"When they interviewed me, they said, 'We know that you're instense. That's why you are here,' " said Lansford, who spend last season doing pre- and postgame work for Comcast TV on Oakland A's broadcasts.

Lansford, 53, wants the Rockies to execute better on offense.

"I am really going to emphasize fundamental baseball," he said. "Moving runners over, being unselfish, using the entire field. And we are going to talk about the expectation of winning, of showing up that first day with the mindset of how are we going to win the World Series. I want the guys to get that winning attitude."

Regarding the Rockies' struggles on the road, Lansford said: "The first thing I will tell them is to forget about last year. What I look for is the effort. Are they preparing themselves and are they competing the same on the road as they do at home? If they aren't, I will let them know it. It's about getting across to them if you can't win on the road, forget about going to the postseason, it's not going to happen."

The Rockies also are tinkering with idea of using a curveball machine on the road during early batting practice next year, particularly on road.

All-star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki had mixed emotions about the coaching change.

"It's bittersweet," Tulowitzki said. "Groove (Baylor) helped me with so many things and we will remain close. I am thrilled Carney is the new coach. Growing up an A's fan, he was one of my favorite players. He definitely played with a chip on his shoulder and I am looking forward to him bringing a toughness to our team."

It will be a reunion of sorts for Lansford, who previously served as the Rockies' Triple-A hitting coach in 2007, serving under Sky Sox manager Tom Runnells. Runnells is now the Rockies' bench coach.

"Continuity is really important," Tracy said today. "Carney is well-known in the organization and has been hands-on with some of the guys we feel have a lot more to offer offensively than we saw the last year. I liked his intensity as a player and a coach."

Colorado hit a franchise-low .226 on the road last season, struggling consistently to win one-run games. Baylor, who is a candidate for the Blue Jays' managerial job, has not decided whether to accept a position as a special assistant to general manager Dan O'Dowd.

"We don't want Don to go away. We want him here where he can serve us well and maybe even better," Tracy said.

Tracy added that all of the Rockies' offensive woes shouldn't be blamed on Baylor.

"We also know that it solely doesn't fall on the lap of Don Baylor," Tracy said. "Sometimes it's a different voice. We want Don to stay in the organization."

Outfielder Seth Smith, who worked with Lansford while with the Sky Sox in 2007, was excited by the move.

"He's great, very intense," Smith said. "He's as hands-on or as hands-off as you want him to be."

Lansford is confident he can get more production out of players such Chris Iannetta, Ian Stewart and Smith.

"The biggest thing with these guys is getting them back to approach that got them to big leagues," he said. "They were outstanding because they were using the entire field. I understand that they got away from that. But they have the talent to do it again. I have confidence in them."

The rest of Tracy's coaching staff will return in tact: pitching coach Bob Apodaca, third base coach Rich Dauer, first base coach Glenallen Hill and bullpen coach Jim Wright.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/rockies/...by-peers/5092/

By now, it’s a long-established fact: The Coors Field factor usually precludes Rockies players from winning postseason awards. But there are exceptions, and this year, his name is Carlos Gonzalez.

CarGo today won the Players Choice Award as the outstanding player in the National League. The award is significant because it came via a vote from his fellow players.

It has been generally assumed that Cincinnati’s Joey Votto would win the N.L. MVP award, but maybe CarGo has a chance after all. Votto and St. Louis’ Albert Pujols were the other finalists for the outstanding player award.
Gonzalez also is a finalist for the Major League outstanding player award, along with Votto and Texas’ Josh Hamilton. CarGo won the National League batting title with a .336 average and also led the league with 197 hits and 351 total bases. He was second with 117 RBIs and a .598 slugging percentage,and finished fourth in home runs with 34.

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16467911

Professional athletes often say that the biggest honor is earning the respect of their fellow players.

By that measure, gifted Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is sitting on a mountain top today after his fellow major leaguers named him Player of the Year. Detroit Tigers infielder Brandon Inge was named the Marvin Miller Man of the Year.

The Major League Baseball Players Trust will honor Gonzalez and Inge, the top Players Choice Award winners, with donations of $50,000 each to the charities of their choice.

Gonzalez, just 25, helped keep the Rockies' in the playoff hunt with his bat and his glove. Playing in a career-high 145 games, he led the National League in batting average (.336), hits (197), and total bases (351).

Playing in just his third big-league season, Gonzalez finished second among National Leaguers in RBI (117) and slugging percentage (.598), third in runs (111) and fourth in homers (34).

Earlier this week, Gonzalez captured his first-ever Players Choice Award when he was named the 2010 National League Outstanding Player.

Inge was honored as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award, named for the founding executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association and awarded to the player whose on-field and off-field performances most inspire others to higher levels of achievement.

Inge, 33 and a 10-year veteran of the Detroit Tigers, works closely with C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Inge frequently visits C.S. Mott and other local hospitals to form lasting bonds with children and their families. In 2007, Inge and his wife, Shani, made a $100,000 donation to Mott Children's Hospital to help fund a pediatric cancer infusion center.

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16527358

The Rockies officially cut ties with catcher Miguel Olivo on Thursday night, exercising his 2011 option and trading him to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later.

What they didn't do was answer the question of who'll be their everyday catcher next season.

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd had three options with Olivo: decline his $2.6 million option and pay him a $500,000 buyout, exercise the option and trade him, or pick up the option and bring him back next season. By exercising the option and trading him, O'Dowd was able to save the $500,000.

"Hey, I'm great," Olivo said. "A little disappointed. I was looking forward to Colorado again. I love my teammates and the fans. Denver was great. Look for me next year. I'm ready to play now."

It probably won't be for Toronto. According to the Toronto Sun, the Blue Jays declined the 2011 option on Olivo, buying out his $500,000 contract in hopes of landing a compensatory draft pick. Olivo is now a free agent.

Olivo was signed before last season to share time behind the plate with Chris Iannetta, but wound up with the bulk of the playing time. He slumped in the second half, hitting .193 with three home runs and 15 RBIs after going into the all-star break at .325-11-42.

Olivo is gone, but there are no guarantees that Iannetta will be the starter. He, too, could be traded depending on how the offseason plays out.

The Rockies could explore trade talks for Angels catcher Mike Napoli or make a run at free agent-in-waiting Victor Martinez, who hit .302-20-79 for the Red Sox in 2010. If they acquire one of the two, Iannetta, who wants to play every day, likely would be dealt.

Iannetta's run production has slipped dramatically since 2008 when he hit .264 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. He hit .228-16-52 in 2009, then nosedived to .197-9-27 in 2010.

Neither Napoli nor Martinez is on par defensively with Iannetta, but both can play first base, which would provide Rockies manager Jim Tracy the flexibility to give Todd Helton more rest.

Napoli, who hit .238-26-68 last season, started 126 games for the Angels — 59 at catcher and 67 at first. Martinez, a switch-hitter who has had five .300-plus seasons, made 12 of his 118 starts at first base.

Footnotes.

The Rockies, who want to shore up their bullpen, could turn their attention to free agent Kevin Gregg. They also haven't closed the door on bringing back Octavio Dotel, whose 2011 option wasn't exercised. . . . Former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle is believed to be the leading candidate to manage the Pirates. He's a finalist, along with ex-Pittsburgh bench coach Jeff Banister.

http://www.dailycamera.com/sports/ci_16529089

DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies declined their $7 million option on left-hander Jeff Francis on Thursday and also traded catcher Miguel Olivo to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The dealing of Olivo once again makes Chris Iannetta the Rockies` clear No. 1 behind the plate.

Francis led the Rockies to their only World Series appearance in 2007 when he won a then-franchise record-tying 17 games.

But he missed 2009 after shoulder surgery and didn`t make his debut last season until May. The 29-year-old was 4-6 in 20 games last season, and it`s possible the Rockies will try to re-sign him at a reduced rate.

Francis was the ninth overall pick by Colorado in the 2002 amateur draft. He was 55-50 with a 4.77 ERA in his career with the Rockies.

The Rockies had until 10 p.m. to pick up Olivo`s $2.5 million option for 2011. About 10 minutes before the deadline, Toronto also declined the option, which had a $500,000 buyout. That made Olivo a free agent.

Iannetta had a solid showing in 2008, hitting .264 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. But he has struggled since, failing to lock down the No. 1 spot. He signed a three-year, $8.35 million contract last offseson, but spent part of the year at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

He finished 2010 with a .197 average, nine home runs and 27 RBIs in 61 games with the Rockies.

Olivo, 32, hit a career-best .269 with 14 homers and 58 RBIs as the Rockies` primary catcher last season, but he faded in the second half, when he hit just .193 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16574771

Rockies manager Jim Tracy, though biased, believes Troy Tulowitzki has no peer defensively. He has called Carlos Gonzalez the most graceful player he's ever seen running down flyballs.

Today, the Rockies' dynamic pair won national recognition for their dynamic fielding.

"Tulo should get it. The range he showed, and his arm, he deserves it," said former Red Sox all-star Nomar Garciaparra during the World Series. "But how'd he hit?"

Tulowitzki had a banner year offensively, batting .315 with 27 home runs and 95 RBIs, which should allow him to join Carlos Gonzalez as a Silver Slugger award winner when those are announced Thursday.

Garciapparra's remark is traced to the Gold Glove's recent history. It has become more of a popularity contest than a true measure of a player's defense. Rafael Palmeiro won the award once at first base while serving primarily as a designated hitter. The Gold Glove winners are determined by a vote of managers and coaches of each league. They can't vote for players on their teams.

With previous Gold Glove winners Jimmy Rollins and Rafael Furcal bothered by injuries this season, Tulowitzki was in position to be recognized. He took full advantage, committing just 10 errors in 609 chances.

Gonzalez excelled despite playing nearly equally in all three outfield positions. He had only one error. His selection was a bit of a surprise because 2010 was his first full year as a starter, but he made a huge impression on opposing managers.

"It would be a shame if he doesn't get the Gold Glove," Tracy said near the end of the season.

Before today, Colorado had only three Gold Glovers in franchise history - Larry Walker (five times), Todd Helton (three) and Neifi Perez (one) - and none since Helton trumped the competition in 2004.

Tulowitzki spoke about the Gold Glove prior to last season.

"Not winning it just builds that fire even more and provides motivation," he said. "You only play so many years and it's something I would definitely like to get."

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16586866

The hardware haul continued today for Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki.

After each won his first Gold Glove on Wednesday, Gonzalez and Tulowitzki won their first Silver Slugger awards today.

Gonzalez won the batting title at .336 and led the league in total bases (351) and hits (197). He finished second in slugging percentage at .598 and in RBIs with 117 despite hitting leadoff for the first one-third of the season.

Wait, there was more. Gonzalez was a serious candidate to win the major leagues' first Triple Crown since 1967 before a wrist injury curtailed his power in the final month of the season. He wound up with 34 homers, fourth in the league.

"You look at all the things he's done," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said late in the season. "If that's what you're doing in your first full season in the major leagues, you need to make sure your mantel piece gets a little big longer over the next few years."

CarGo's Gold Glove may have come as a surprise given some of the politics behind the award — usually, a player in his first full major-league season wouldn't figure to be a candidate — but the Silver Slugger is another matter. He was, bar none, the most productive outfielder in the National League.

"I don't think (the awards) will be the last thing he brings home to put on that mantel piece," Tracy said of Gonzalez. "He's just getting started."

So is Tulowitzki. At 26, he's a year older than Gonzalez. There are many within the game who believe he should have multiple Gold Gloves by now, but he figures to win several in the years to come. And he could collect his share of Silver Sluggers, too.

Tulo hit a career-high .315 with 27 home runs and 95 RBIs. He also compiled a career-best .568 slugging percentage and drove in a major league record 40 runs in September. If anything, his numbers should have been better. He missed 40 games with injuries, the most significant being a broken left wrist sustained in mid-June when he was hit by a pitch at Minnesota.

Managers and coaches vote for the Silver Slugger awards, and are asked to base their vote on a combination of offensive statistics, including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging, and their general impression of a player's overall offensive value. They cannot vote for their own players.






R

From article:

{Clint Barmes went through a season you wouldn't wish on anyone. He struggled offensively, lost his second base job, then his father passed away from cancer last month.

Though Barmes said as recently as Tuesday that he wanted to remain a Rockie, he received a fresh start today and was traded to Astros for right-handed starter Felipe Paulino.}

Full article at: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16648736