SB Nation - Ricardo Rincon

Sunday Rockpile: So... the Rockies bullpen... uhm... yeah...

Rox Girl — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:54:04 -0000

We need to see these kinds of celebrations when the Rockies beat the Dodgers.

The Boulder

Yesterday's bullpen collapse, because you're a masochist and want to relive it, recapped at the DP and Inside the Rockies. David Martin blogs about his thoughts on the Rox pen here, including the painful truth that we've been neglecting ourselves at the Row that Matt Daley should be included in the list of relievers who are just not cutting it right now. In a post below, RockiesMagicNumber said to take a look at Herges for a minor league contract which I'm okay with.

I know that guys like Matt Herges and Ricardo Rincon and Joel Peralta have value, but this issue is deeper than that, as there is a definite need for a premium arm besides Street in this pen and none of these guys qualify in that regard. The Rockies have a pretty substantial need to get a guy like Heath Bell, Chad Qualls or Matt Capps to be an effective set-up man.

They have a pretty deep need to get an LHP more consistent and effective than Randy Flores and Alan Embree. The costs of these upgrades are going to be a pain in our minor league depth (sorry David, these teams selling arms aren't going to take Atkins' salary) there's not much getting around this, but if the benefit's another playoff run, I think the team may have to get it done.

Other Big Rocks:

Denver Post

Troy Renck argues for Brad Hawpe's inclusion in the All-Star game and has his usual chunky (in a good way, like ice cream or peanut butter) Sunday column of notes and thoughts from around the majors.

Dave Krieger uses the Moe Index, invented by the former Denver Nuggets coach, Doug, to determine that the Rockies are not as far back of the Dodgers as they appear. I have my own look at the schedules of eleven of the NL's conteding teams (not the Dodgers, the Rockies really need to close the gap before taking the NL West becomes a serious possibility) ready to post right after this once I decide on a picture to go with it.

Patrick Saunders notes that Aaron Cook's okay after getting the wind knocked out of him. The health state of his sinker is still unclear.

Jason Marquis is also looking like an All Star possibility, the teams get announced in just a little bit. I have a feeling that Marquis might be one of those final fan vote candidates.

Pebbles:

Tracy Ringolsby's connections with Baseball America allow him to post more of their scouting reports on Rosel Herrera an Johendi Jiminian than you'll see at other places without paying for a BA subscription. Be sure to read about the talented young players the Rockies are adding to the system if you haven't already.

The article I've been waiting to see on Kyle Hancock, the Casper Ghosts right-hander that mysteriously disappeared from our Rockies lives shortly after signing in 2005 has appeared. The Star-Tribune gives us many reasons to be rooting for him, not the least of which is a 94-mph fastball.

Crazy Flatlanders:

Arizona and Colorado apparently still have some bragging rights to play for this season:

But Byrnes also looks at the big picture: Over the past three seasons, the Diamondbacks have the sixth-best winning percentage in the National League. They won a division title in 2007 and led most of the 2008 season before the Dodgers said hooray to Mannywood.

I don't know if it's Byrnes that believes this or a lazy reporter, but in terms of 2007-2009, the top of the NL standings would look like this:

Philadelphia 222-180 .552
Chicago 221-180 .551
Los Angeles 217-188 .536
New York 216-188 .535
Milwaukee 216-189 .533
St. Louis 208-199 .511
Colorado 206-199 .509
Arizona 204-201 .504

Call it a hunch, but something tells me that the two teams ahead of the D-backs that were forgotten were not the Dodgers, not the Mets, not the Phillies or Cubs or even Brewers. At any rate, having said this, Dan O'Dowd, I'm sure you know this, but I just want to point out that even though neither we nor the Diamondbacks have it, "the sixth-best winning percentage in the National League" over the last three seasons is not exactly a goal we're looking for as Rockies fans.

Poll

Which of these rumored to be potentially available pitchers would you most like to see pitching out of the Rockies bullpen?

Chad Qualls, Arizona

9 votes

Matt Capps, Pittsburgh

11 votes

John Grabow, Pittsburgh

6 votes

Heath Bell, San Diego

46 votes

LaTroy Hawkins, Houston

14 votes

Jose Valverde, Houston

11 votes

97 votes | Poll has closed

Monday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:43:11 -0000

Some things to read while acknowledging that these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies may be the greatest ever.

Today's collection of links is actually the largest since the end of the season, so let's get right to it.

If you've been reading the site over the weekend you likely know all of this news, but in case you've been away all weekend, here's what you missed:

Dale Sveum will be back for 2009 after all, as hitting coach. (as noted in this FanShot)
Craig Counsell's option for 2009 was declined. He could still return as a free agent, of course.
Mike Maddux won't be back either, after being "overwhelmed by a huge deal" to take over as pitching coach in Texas. The Brewers reportedly offered him a multi-year deal. (Noted in this FanShot) The Newberg Report has a story from the Rangers' side.
Joe Dillon also won't be back. The A's claimed him off waivers after the Brewers DFA'd him last week.
Ken Rosenthal is reporting the Brewers' offer to CC Sabathia was in fact for $100 million, but the contract was for five years, not four. For me, this removes any possibility Sabathia will return. (noted in this FanShot)
The Brewers have until tomorrow to decide if Mike Cameron will return in 2009.

Now, other stuff. The Fall GM meetings begin today, giving Doug Melvin the first chance to sit across the table from new Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik. Murray Chass seems to think hiring Zduriencik was the wrong decision, mainly because he had a profile of Kim Ng all ready to go. Of course, everyone expects most of the conversation at the meetings to be about Jake Peavy, but it sounds like Hank Blalock's name will come up as well.

One would assume Doug Melvin is at least listening to offers for J.J. Hardy. The Junkball Blues, meanwhile, crunched the numbers to figure out what kind of production would be needed from Hardy and Alcides Escobar to justify moving Hardy to third and Bill Hall out of the lineup.

Planning on making a trip to Vegas? Current odds have the Brewers at 15-to-1 to win the 2009 World Series. The odds would have to get a lot better before I'd be interested. Right now, 15-to-1 is a better shot than 19 other teams have, and tied with the Dodgers and Twins. (h/t Redleg Nation)

Tim Kurkijian says the Sabathia Sweepstakes is the third most interesting story of the offseason. With Sabathia the Brewers had the sixth best starting rotation in all of baseball, according to Beyond the Box Score.

Sabathia, Ray Durham and Russell Branyan all filed for free agency over the weekend, joining these players:

Angels Darren Oliver, Juan Rivera
Athletic Alan Embree
Cub Kerry Wood and also Henry Blanco,
Mariners Raul Ibanez, Willie Bloomquist, Miguel Cairo
Marlins Mark Hendrickson, Arthur Rhodes
Mets Pedro Martinez, Luis Ayala, Tony Armas, Moises Alou, Ricardo Rincon, Ramon Martinez and also Orlando Hernandez
Phillies So Taguchi, Tom Gordon
Pirates Doug Mientkiewicz, Chris Gomez, Jason Michaels, Luis Rivas
Rockies Brian Fuentes, Matt Herges, Livan Hernandez, Adam Melhuse, Scott Podsednik

At this point I feel obligated to remind you that Orlando Hernandez is free to throw the banana for other teams.

FanGraphs has built the All Free Agent Bargain Team. There are some decent players on there, but that team would lose most of the time.

As we look into the future, few things are abolutely certain, but we can say this: despite boatloads of other teams making the exodus from spring training sites in Florida to Arizona, the Red Sox are committed to training in Florida through 2038.

It's a good thing we'll probably have some time to learn to say his name: The Pirates have signed an 18-year-old shortstop from South Africa named Mpho Ngoepe. There has never been a South African player in the major leagues. Have there been any from anywhere in Africa? I do not know.

Indians minor leaguer Randy Newsom's blogs from Venezuela are really making me want to go see a game there.

Finally, let's say you're the Washington Nationals. You lost 102 games in 2008, the franchise's first 100 loss season since 1976. You set a modern era single season record for lowest attendance in a new ballpark. You could count the number of fans listening to your games on the radio or watching them on TV on your fingers and toes. Do you honestly believe people are going to come out in hordes to buy your new jerseys? You're invited to join them at the unveiling Thursday. Bring a friend, otherwise you might be there all alone.

Drink up.

Only After The Rain: Mets 7, Cubs 6

Eric Simon — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:54:31 -0000

I think if you take a step back and look at this game objectively, you'll find that it*(&@#*($ WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! CLUTCH-TRON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big winners: Carlos Beltran, +37.0% WPA, Robinson Cancel, +32.9% WPA, Ryan Church, +31.6% WPA
Big losers: Ricardo Rincon, -25.5% WPA, Carlos Delgado, -24.7% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Voltron!!!, +38.6% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Ugh, Rincon, -24.6% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -16.5%
Total batter WPA: +66.5%
GWRBI: Carlos Beltran

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by BobbyV_Incognito; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.

Name	# of Posts
BobbyV_Incognito	138
LOUtheMETSfan	137
Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright	111
Prince	90
itsmetsforme	86
losangelesmets	62
pingel	55
JoshNY	49
JohnPeterson	36
kendynamo	34
jrs1940	27
MetsfaninVA	16
Rod Gaspar Fan Club	8
mmxii	6
anonymous	4
Squeaky	3
Fucilli5	2
goth brooks	2
ZaBlanc	1
englishgrey	1