SB Nation - Michael McKenry

NL West in Review: Catchers

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

Only two NL West catchers were above league average with the bat in 2009 (by wOBA). Neither played on the Pacific coast.

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Each of the past three years, the NL West has been home to an emerging and promising young catcher. In 2007, it was Russell Martin. In 2008 - it was Chris Iannetta's time to shine, and this season brought the surprising leap to prominence for Miguel Montero.

With Bengie Molina leaving in free agency, youth is served. Montero, Iannetta, Martin and Nick Hundley were all born the year before George Orwell's nightmare, and 22yo Buster Posey is waiting in the wings to take over soon. Of course, this article is meant to focus on 2009 though.

In past installments, the limitations of UZR have been illuminated, casting doubt on these numbers. So what could be worse than an inconsistent/inaccurate defensive metric? How about eliminating defense from consideration altogether. Fangraphs' WAR does just that for catchers, and given that I have been using their methodology, I was forced to as well. THT's Jeremy Greenhouse warns:

Do not place undue trust in WAR for catchers. How much of a catcher's value do you think is in his defense? I'll give you a hint: it's a lot. FanGraphs has unfortunately yet to give an effort to quantifying this vital aspect of the game, other than with the positional adjustment. In fact, catchers should possibly be considered a separate group of players with a separate replacement level and therefore be treated as different from all other position players.

Now, given that I have ruined the legitimacy of all ensuing data, let's look at the numbers.


Teams	Players	Avg	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA*	WAR
1. Arizona	4	.266	22	79	.352	.437	.342	4.09
2. Colorado	4	.255	18	89	.343	.415	.329	3.28
3. Los Angeles	3	.259	8	69	.342	.338	.314	2.46
4. San Francisco	5	.257	21	89	.280	.409	.301	1.72
5. San Diego	4	.225	16	52	.293	.367	.299	1.56

The Diamondbacks rode the transformation of Montero from backup to cleanup hitter to the top of the division behind the dish. As noted above, defense is ignored in catcher WAR. With team replacement values and positional value essentially equivalent, offense is the only determining factor:

For the full rankings and team rundowns, click the words below.

As noted in the photo caption, only two of the 20 catchers (with 10+ PA) hit above the major league average wOBA.

Rank	Player	Team	PA	GS	Avg	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA*	WAR
1	Miguel Montero	AZ	441	101	.295	16	55	.353	.483	.361	3.12
2	Russell Martin	LAD	568	133	.252	7	43	.349	.333	.318	2.42
3	Bengie Molina	SFG	505	120	.268	19	74	.287	.441	.313	1.98
4	Chris Iannetta	COL	345	87	.225	15	50	.340	.449	.333	1.85
5	Yorvit Torrealba	COL	242	61	.290	2	31	.351	.379	.328	1.22
~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~	~
14	Buster Posey	SFG	16	4	.125	0	0	.125	.125	.226	-0.03
15	Luke Carlin	AZ	15	4	.200	0	1	.200	.200	.179	-0.07
16	A.J. Ellis	LAD	9	2	.111	0	1	.111	.111	.103	-0.09
17	Jose Lobaton	SDP	17	5	.176	0	0	.176	.176	.160	-0.10
18	Eliezer Alfonzo	SDP	110	28	.178	2	8	.200	.262	.201	-0.37

For a the full spreadsheet of the players rankings, team rankings and raw data, check this Google Docs link.

Arizona

2009 in Review

Miguel Montero had seemingly improved from 2007 to 2008, yet the franchise still saw him as a backup prior to the season. Six months later, he finished second only to Brian McCann in wOBA amongst NL Catchers. What's more impressive than that the 26-year old left-handed hitter posted better numbers against LHP than RHP.

2010 in Preview

Chris Snyder was supposed to be the franchise's cornerstone behind the dish, as they signed him to a 3-year, $18.25mil contract last offseason, but an inconsistent year marked by injuries in addition to Montero's breakout has placed Snyder on the chopping block. The Venezuelan is eligible for an arbitration raise from his $425k 2008 salary.

Colorado

2009 in Review

Chris Iannetta was supposed to be a budding star for Colorado in 2009 - after all, he had a higher wOBA in 2008 than any MLB catcher with 300+PA. Greater than Brain McCann. Better than Joe Mauer. But any way you slice it, 2009 was a great disappointment for CDI. He trapped himself with an uppercut swing (his flyball %age was greater than 50%) and saw his batting average plummet. Yorvit Torrealba relieved him down the stretch and his bat lit fire in all the right times. Even with Iannetta's fall from grace, the duo were still one of the National League's best. Now if only they could throw out baserunners...

2010 in Preview

Iannetta will be the starter next season to begin with - even in a disappointing year, he posted the second best wOBA among NL West catchers, even considering park adjustments. Unless Torrealba takes a pay cut, he will be gone. It's doubtful the club would pursue anyone outside of recently re-signed Paul Phillips to be #20's backup, though AA catcher Michael McKenry, who was just protected from the Rule 5 draft, could take that role at some point this season.

Los Angeles

2009 in Review

Russell Martin was both the NL Silver Slugger and Gold Glover just two years ago at the age of 24. Two years later, his power has disappeared and his middle-of-the-order bat has dropped to well below league average. He didn't hit a home run until June 20 this year. His IsoP has dropped about 60 points in each of the last two years. What's the cause of this? My first guess is overuse, as he also has a notable drop in first half/second half IsoP in his career. Still, by logging 568 PA behind the dish, Martin accrued far more positional and replacement RAR than any catcher in the division, giving him a second place showing this season.

2010 in Preview

Los Angeles avoided arbitration with Martin last year by signing him to a one-year $3.5mil contract, a 780% increase from 2008. Even after by far the worst season of his career, he could earn up to $6mil in arbitration. Buster Olney has suggested that might make the Dodgers consider trading Martin in a sell-low move, but if Toronto bites for Martin in a Halladay package, it would be worth it. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, there wouldn't be much in terms of in house replacements for Martin. I doubt he will be traded, although the McCourt divorce wild card does a fair job of complicating things.

San Diego

2009 in Review

The Padres were the only team not to appear in the top five, though Nick Hundley and Henry Blanco finished sixth and seventh respectively. The two were essentially the same players offensively in 2009, with an average near .240, OBP in the .310's and slugging percentage at about .400. Eliezer Alfonzo was a complete deadweight replacement in his 107 PA though, and the team fell to the bottom of the pack.

2010 in Preview

San Diego is fine with their cheap youth movement, so the 26-year old Nick Hundley's job should be safe - he is under complete team control financially. Blanco, who I like a lot as a backup, is a free agent, as is Alfonzo.

San Francisco

2009 in Review

Bengie Molina was one of the worst cleanup hitters in the past half milennium. His .287 OBP is painful to see in print, and his slugging percentage didn't even best Chris Iannetta. But given the 2nd most PA in the division, he cracked the top three. Eli Whiteside had an even worse OBP in 133 PA.

2010 in Preview

The franchise hasn't been shy about suggesting the Buster Posey might start the season at AAA. With Bengie Molina expected to leave in free agency, San Francisco will have to add a catcher in free agency if they want to keep Posey's seat warm. Troy Renck wrote last night to keep an eye on Yorvit Torrealba for that role. It makes a lot of sense from both sides. However, even starting Posey Opening Day might not be a bad idea. CHONE projects him to post a .325 wOBA next season, compared to Molina's .308 performance in 2009.

Poll

Considering all we know financially, who should be the Rockies' backup catcher to start the 2010 season?

Yorvit Torrealba

32 votes

Paul Phillips

107 votes

Michael McKenry

39 votes

Brian Schneider

10 votes

A different low level free agent

7 votes

A different non-roster invitee

4 votes

Chris Iannetta

25 votes

224 votes | Poll has closed

Saturday Rockpile: Rockies retain Phillips, protect five prospects by adding to 40-man roster

theoldgrizzlybear — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:02:47 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

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Phillips is in the fold - The Denver Post
The Rox signed Paul Phillips to a hefty $13,000/month contract yesterday, which gives the Rockies a contingency plan in the event that Yorvit Torrealba is lost to free agency and Michael McKenry doesn't become superman in Spring Training (which I have a good feeling he won't do, although I'm definitely rooting for it).

McKenry among those added to 40-man roster | All Things Rockies
Speaking of Michael McKenry, the Rox protected five prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. It's good to know that McKenry, Al Alburquerque, Edgmer Escalona, Juan Nicasio, and Chaz Roe won't be leaving the organization without a return. The club still has two open spots to play with.

White Sox add five to 40-man roster | MLB.com: News
Former Colorado farmhand Brandon Hynick was among Chicago's additions.

Law: Ranking the top 50 MLB free agents - ESPN (Insider Only)
Keith Law lists his top free agents, from Matt Holliday at No. 1 to Adam Everett at No. 50. In between, two Rockies players are included - the soon-to-be-gone Jason Marquis (#32) and Rafael Betancourt (#33). Here's what Law had to say about Raffy:

Betancourt throws a lot of fastballs and throws them for strikes. He's at 89-94 mph, mostly 91-93, with a short arm action and good deception because of it, and his stinginess with the walk -- only 85 unintentionals in 435 career innings -- should keep him employed for a while. He'll get ahead with the fastball, and he primarily uses his slider when he's ahead, especially with two strikes, although he's just as likely to keep pumping heat. His 2008 season, whether bad luck or a carryover from the way manager Eric Wedge overused him in 2007, now looks like a fluke, and Betancourt is the rare middle reliever who's worth a multiyear contract.

Final notes from Arizona Fall League - ESPN (Insider Only)
No mention of any Rockies, but there is a story about a bat boy-turned-criminal from ESPN.com's Jason Grey:

Stuff had been disappearing from one of the team's clubhouses for a period of a couple weeks. This situation was apparently resolved when police offers literally went into the dugout during the game and took the team's batboy away in handcuffs. Did I mention this happened during the game? The look on the manager's face was priceless, as in "What the heck are you doing in my dugout?" Lacking a batboy, the club plucked a lucky fan out of the stands to fill the role for the rest of the contest.

The State of the Rockies: A Sane Free Agency Preview

Jabberwocky — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:18:36 -0000

Ladies and Gentlemen, the siren of the MLB free agency period once again beckons, luring unsuspecting baseball fans into wrecking their ships against the sharp jagged rocks--in this case dreams of big-ticket free agents for even the smallest markets, ill-conceived trade schemes, and long soliloquies about why the owner/GM/beat writer is a complete and utter moron. This column, my dear friends, is the beeswax to put in your ears to defend you from those beautiful seductresses (and their horrible ideas) as you look forward to the 2010 Rockies.

Yes, that's right. A few minutes ago, the floodgates officially opened for major league free agency. In addition, all MLB teams are required to set their 40 man rosters in advance of the December 8th Rule 5 draft. I've written about all three subjects in Purple Row Academy before, so for those of you who are curious about how those processes are carried out, check out these primers:

Free Agency (the dates listed therein are from last offseason)

40 Man Roster

Rule 5 Draft

All three of these articles have supporting links that clarify the issues even further.

In this installment of the State of the Rockies, I opine about the puzzling Garrett Atkins decision, revisit Rafael Betancourt's situation, examine the Rockies' current 40 man roster status, and look some free agent targets that I'd like the Rockies to consider (plus, how they would fit into the budget that I've outlined over the last two weeks).

Join me after the jump if you value your sanity.

Why didn't the Rockies non-tender Garrett Atkins before the 40 man roster had to be set?

Good question. There's one main reason for doing this, and that's to extend the window of time that the Rockies have to trade the underperforming third baseman for another few weeks--until the December 12th deadline for tendering contracts for players under team control. Unfortunately for Colorado and Dan O'Dowd, the chances of such a deal being consummated reside squarely between slim and none.

It's not that Atkins isn't drawing interest from other teams. Just three years ago he was a player worth 6.4 WAR, he can play both corner infield positions somewhat passably, and he is theoretically in his prime (he'll turn 30 on the date that the Rockies will probably non-tender him). The problem is, Atkins' value as a trade asset to the Rockies is basically nil. Because by rule Atkins' salary next year unless he is a free agent can be no less than 80% of last year's total ($7.05 million), teams that would trade for Garrett would at a minimum be paying $5.64 million for a player that was flat out awful in 2009. The point is that I can't fathom another team trading the Rockies anything (and I mean anything) for him when he'd come much more cheaply once he's been non-tendered.

However, since the Rockies have seven slots open on the 40 man roster as of today (more on that later), it appears that Colorado has enough room to protect the prospects they want from the Rule 5 draft without removing Atkins from it. I'm hoping against hope that O'Dowd can finagle a deal for Atkins, but let's just say that I'm not holding my breath.

What's up with Rafael Betancourt?

From the poll results of last week's column, it appears that the vast majority of you want Betancourt back next year, preferably on a multi-year deal with less of a hit on a per-annum basis. Since the Rockies did decline his option, which was the right call in my opinion, they face a further decision with the soon to be 35 year old reliever--whether to offer him salary arbitration or not by the December 8th deadline.

It is my opinion that if he were offered arbitration, Betancourt would be crazy not to accept it. His status as a Type A free agent severely pollutes his value on the free agent market, chasing away a number of potentially interested teams that don't want to give the Rockies their first round pick for a solid set-up man. Considering Betancourt's age and the relatively high volatility of relief pitching performance, the risk for another team is particularly acute. I believe that as a result Betancourt would be very fortunate indeed to receive an offer that approaches what he would get in arbitration.

And what would that be? Let's look at some precedent--a tale of two relievers, if you will.

Last year two veteran relief pitchers (Darren Oliver and David Weathers) accepted arbitration from their clubs. Oliver was a Type A free agent while Weathers was a former closer who had once been perceived as being productive. Oliver was coming off of a 1.0 WAR season in which he was very effective, while Weathers had produced 0.2 WAR.

Oliver, who was going to be 38 in 2009, got his salary increased through arbitration from $2 million to $3.665 million, while Weathers, who was going to be 39, went up from $3.3 to $3.5 million. Those are 83.3% and 6% raises respectively, as would befit their recent performance levels. In 2009, Oliver continued to defy science and produced an even better, 1.5 WAR year at age 38, while Weathers was DFA'd and ended up with -0.8 WAR--while being paid $3.5 million. That's the risk inherent with offering arbitration--some decisions pan out and some fail.

Given that Betancourt is likely better than both of the pitchers above and a little younger (35 compared to 38-39), he’ll get a slightly higher raise, closer to Oliver's 83% raise and maybe larger. In 2009 Betacourt was making $3.5 million—which means that I’m estimating an increase of 2.9 million (or 83%) to $6.4 million—in other words, more than the option the Rockies just declined should he accept arbitration. Who knows though…arbitrators work in mysterious ways.

The draft picks should Betancourt not accept arbitration and sign with another team would be worth about $5 million, so the Rockies are gambling that they can either re-sign Betancourt for a lower price tag or that another team would be willing to offer him a crazy contract despite his free agency status. If it works, O'Dowd is a genius--but I just have serious doubts that everything will work out. Bottom line though, the worst case scenario is that the Rockies pay Betancourt well over $6 million next year--which is pretty palatable as far as worst case scenarios go.

Who is worth protecting from the Rule 5 draft?

As I mentioned above, the Rockies have only 33 spots filled on their 40 man roster, meaning that they technically have room to protect up to seven prospects from the Rule 5 draft. Of course, that's not really realistic. As I've outlined previously, the Rockies have holes on the major league roster that need to be filled--namely replacements for their ten free agents and Atkins--so in effect they can protect only a few players.

Hat tip to WolfMarauder on this, but going strictly by the Purple Row PuRP list, the Rockies have four prospects that would need to be protected from the draft: Michael McKenry (C), Cole Garner (OF), Chaz Roe (RHP), and Edgmer Escalona (RHP)--plus Alberto Alberquerque (RHP), who the Rockies received in exchange for Jeff Baker.

Now admittedly the minor league system isn't my area of expertise, but if I were to hazard a guess, the Rockies will likely protect McKenry, Garner, and Roe--leaving both Escalona and Alberquerque (among other lesser prospects) eligible for the draft. They simply won't be able to protect more than that--not if the Rockies plan to field a complete roster come Opening Day 2010. We'll see soon enough.

Who should the Rockies be looking at in free agency?

Given that, by my calculations, the Rockies currently have 23 players under contract for next year (22 if you allow that Buchholz will start on the DL), they will need to fill those holes. This might be through re-signing free agents such as Yorvit Torrealba at back-up catcher, Rafael Betancourt as a set-up man, and Joe Beimel as a lefty out of the pen. Or they could go by the cheap youth method, promoting McKenry to the big leagues come Opening Day while using Deduno and Chacin in the bullpen. Or they could make a foray into the free agent market. Finally, the Rockies could explore the trade market both as a buyer and a seller. To that end, Baseball Prospectus has a few tips for those interested in making up interesting trade rumors.

My prediction is that the Rockies will explore a little of each, signing at least one of their free agents (my guess is that they do get Betancourt back one way or another) and maybe two (Torrealba seems somewhat likely as well), while should Torrealba fall through McKenry seems to be the most cost-effective candidate. I think that the Rockies are likely to trade one of their outfielders (and I've recommended Hawpe many many times), maybe two--and O'Dowd could perform a miracle and trade Atkins. Either way, I think the Rockies will be looking for one of two things in free agency: a back-up corner infielder/veteran and a relief pitcher, preferably a lefty.

Given this and the fact that the Rockies' budget is undeniably tight, here are a few players that I would recommend at least kicking the tires on that are within the Rockies price range. By no means is this list exhaustive, but these players would fill a need for Colorado.

Free Agency Targets

Pedro Feliz: Yes, he's a pretty bad hitter and yes, he's old, but Feliz fields his position very well (he could likely play first base at a high level too) and has shown at least some power--two important characteristics for a NL bench player. He's sufficiently veteranny (he'll be 34 years old), he's right-handed, and would likely cost around $3-5 million to sign. Ultimately, he's injury insurance that gives the Rockies a lot of flexibility in later innings. Obviously, Feliz will be looking for a starting situation before he would choose to come to the Rockies, which is a big stumbling block.

Jamey Carroll: He has already been awesome for the Rockies before (3.1 WAR in 2006), plus he can play almost anywhere on the diamond (and do it well). The fans and players love him already, and he's willing to come off the bench. The problem is that the competition for the utilityman will be fierce this offseason, and he might be snapped up for close to $3 million.

Felipe Lopez: He represents an upgrade at second base, plus he has defensive versatility. His excellent year last year could price him out of Colorado's range, though in my opinion he is being severely undervalued by many. This is a pipe dream that RMN and I share.

Juan Uribe: He's another former Rockie, one who has excelled in this type of role already on the Giants. Unfortunately for Colorado, he may have performed too well for the Giants, who really want him back. My prediction is that San Francisco gets their man.

Joe Crede: He's great with the leather and serviceable with the bat. The problem is that he's looking for a starting job and he's had three back surgeries already. Give him an incentive laden salary with a low base and he's your man--but Crede's probably not coming to Colorado in a part-time role (especially since he's a Boras client).

Eric Hinske: The last three years, the teams that Hinske has been on have made the World Series, winning it twice. How much more of a veteran winner can you be? Plus he's good with the bat and is versatile (though not particularly competent) defensively.

Jose Contreras: More than any other Rockies free agents, I want Contreras back next year as rotation insurance and as a swing man with excellent stuff in the bullpen--heck, I'd like to see the Rockies pay up to $3 million for his services. Whether that would be enough is another matter.

John Smoltz: If he'd deign to sign with the Rockies, Colorado would be glad to have his power arm in the bullpen or even in the fifth starter's role.

Rodrigo Lopez: He has found success in Colorado before and would serve as rotation depth.

Mark Hendrickson and Scott Eyre (Type B): Serviceable veteran left-handed relievers that would cost around $2-3 million each.

To that effect, there are many relievers or failed starters that O'Dowd could pick up cheaply off the scrap heap that would perform at a decent level for this team--I'm not really as worried about the bullpen.

The bottom line is that I think the Rockies should sign Feliz or a similar player to replace Atkins while inking a veteran starter/reliever for the bullpen. If Colorado does move Hawpe, they'll likely receive a bullpen arm in return that could fill the void as well. Either way, I'm expecting free agency to cost the Rockies around $8-10 million, bringing their ODP to around $87 million.

Tuesday Rockpile: Firin' up the hot....plate

Poseidon's Fist — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:28:16 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

It's okay, Bradley, you do a lot of little things well.

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All (Relatively) Quiet on the Colorado Front

The Sporting News' choice for Executive of the Year has a lot of pans to juggle in the fire at this year's GM meetings, not that it is unusual. At least he won't be working out a blockbuster trade this year. In fact, O'Dowd figures to be far from the limelight as the Rockies, along with most other teams, deal with economics in free-agency market, writes Patrick Saunders.

The only probable trade of a prominent Rockie at this point is RF Brad Hawpe. When trying to raise Bradley's value, perhaps O'Dowd should read Beyond the Boxscore - Hawpe grades out at 2nd best in the major leagues since 2007 at some new-fangled stat called "Little Things" (defined as wRAA dividied by WPA/LI). Apparently Hawpe does those "little things" well that commentators love to mention, while Brian Roberts and Derek Jeter are terrible. Hmm...

Even though Rockies fans with a vague recollection of who Seth Smith is will be pining for O'Dowd to bring back Matt Holliday, the Rockies don't figure to fish in the big free agent pond. In fact, in MLBTradeRumor's Top 50 Free Agents, only one current Rockie or projected signee appears - at no. 50. For what it's worth, I agree with Tim Dierkes that No. 50 will wear purple pinstripes and sign on the dotted line rather soon.

Thomas Harding reported yesterday that Jose Contreras and Joe Beimel filed for free agency. Neither are favorites to return to Colorado, though Contreras is an intriguing wild card.

The Elias Free Agent rankings were released yesterday, and Tracy Ringolsby notes that Marquis, Beimel, and Torrealba are Type B Free Agents. Nothing surprising there. In light of the list's publication, Fangraphs notes the Elias rankings is Where Darren Oliver = Matt Holliday Happens. R.J. Anderson uses two former Rockies to illustrate the painfully incongruent draft pick compensation system.

If you missed it yesterday, Rowbot deacs posted a link in the Joel Sherman Fanshot that Torrealba turned down a 2yr/$4.5mil contract, according to Jon Heyman tweeter. I'm just fine with Paul Phillips being the backup to start the season, and I'm very intrigued to see what Michael McKenry could offer the big club eventually in 2010.

Arizona Fall League, and Dreams

Dan O'Dowd wasn't the only Rockie to be honored yesterday. After going 6-for-11 with 3 HR, 4 RBI, 6 runs and a stolen base last week for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the AFL, Wilin Rosario was named AFL Player of the Week. It's good to see the kid raking once again after he struggled with the large jump to Modesto to start the summer.

Another Rockies prospect has had more of a Greg Smith time in the AFL. Chaz Roe is dealing with the flu, part of his disappointing showing thus far. He is a candidate for Rule 5 protection, as he was drafted in 2005, with the Rockies next pick after Troy Tulowitzki.

PizzaCutter wrote a How To piece at BtB for anyone who wants to visit all 30 parks in a summer - on a budget.

Monday Rockpile: Contract Watch for Dan O'Dowd and Jim Tracy

Russ Oates — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:14:05 -0000

Saunders: Rockies' offseason has numerous numbers challenges - The Denver Post
Patrick Saunders believes Dan O'Dowd and Jim Tracy will receive new contracts this week, and then he provides them three numbers to work on: RISP, # of K's, and team ERA. One needs to go up, one needs to go down, and the last one can hopefully stay in the same ballpark.

Answers?

Inside the Colorado Rockies " Time To Look Ahead | Major League Baseball in Denver
The coaching staff will return.

Inside the Colorado Rockies " Hawpe Not On Market | Major League Baseball in Denver

Winter League Updates

AFL
Darin Holcomb: .455/.500/.727, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K
Wilin Rosario: 1 HR, 5K

Dominican Baseball League
Michael McKenry (Leones del Escogido): 2-for-8, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Shane Lindsay (Leones del Escogido): 0-1, 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 2 R/ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Al Albuquerque (Aguilas Cibaenas): 1 IP, 1 K

Venezuela Baseball League
Daniel Mayora (Leones del Caracas): 6-for-30, 6 R, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 3 BB
Jonathan Herrera (Caribes de Anzoategui): 3-for-25, 8 K

Sunday Pebble Report: Sky Sox relinquish first place, McKenry hits walk-off home run, more

theoldgrizzlybear — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:00:47 -0000

Tacoma 6, Colorado Springs 4
Adam Eaton allowed four runs on six hits and three walks in six innings, and Scott Munter failed to minimize the damage in just under two innings of work and as a result, the Sky Sox fell to Tacoma and also fell into a tie with the Rainiers for first place in the Pacific Coast League's Pacific North division. Eaton struck out six batters in the game, but allowed a big two run homer in a rough first inning, making things tough on himself. Dan Ortmeier had three hits for the Springs in the losing effort.

Tulsa 4, NW Arkansas 3
Michael McKenry hit a walk-off three run home run for the Drillers, who struggled all day offensively and were trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth despite good pitching from the starter and bullpen. Andy Graham lasted five innings and was pretty solid, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out six batters. Shane Lindsay was terrific out of the pen, striking out three in two innings. Al Alburquerque followed Lindsay's success with some of his own, as he struck out a batter in a scoreless eighth. Matt Reynolds allowed a home run in the top of the ninth, but recovered to retire the Naturals without any further damage and picked up the win.

High Desert 9, Modesto 8
The Nuts received multi-hit games from Charlie Blackmon, Maikol Gonzalez, and Jeff Cunningham, and Cunningham and Scott Beerer each went yard but none of that was enough to earn Modesto a victory. Kenneth Durst got roughed up a bit, allowing six runs on eight hits and four walks in six innings, and the bullpen was unable to hold a slim lead.

Greenville 9, Asheville 1
The Tourists managed only four hits, one of which was a solo home run by David Christensen. Meanwhile, Greenville had nine hits and had two guys with a multi-hit game. Jonnathan Aristil had another head-scratching outing, as he struck out eight batters in just four innings, but allowed five runs on four hits and a walk. He also allowed two long balls, which produced four of the runs. The good news from this one? Rex Brothers struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Tri-City 3, Boise 2
The Dust Devils scored all three of their runs via the long ball, as Tim Wheeler connected on a solo shot in the first inning, and three batters later Kevin Clark hit a two-run blast to put Tri-City up 3-0. Boise tacked on two more against starter Rob Scahill, who lasted five innings and gave up two runs on five hits and struck out six, but Scahill was able to stay out of trouble. The bullpen pitched four scoreless innings, including Aaron Weatherford's two-inning, four-strikeout effort.

Casper 4, Idaho Falls 3 (Game 1)
Ricardo Ferrer threw four innings of baseball and gave up two runs on seven hits. He struck out six. Avery Barnes had a couple of hits and a run scored for the Ghosts. Nolan Arenado went 0-for-2 with two walks.

Idaho Falls 2, Casper 0 (Game 2)
The Ghosts were held to just three hits in the second game of the doubleheader, and one of them was by the suddenly-hot Avery Barnes. Juan Gonzalez struck out seven batters in four innings, but also walked three and gave up four hits. Ricky Testa struck out three batters in two innings, as well.

Thursday Pebble Report: Cory Riordan and Brandon Durden dealing again, Joe Mikulik instituting Grand Theft Baseball

Poseidon's Fist — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:09:40 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Dex is fast, but he hasn't tried to steal home yet. Two Tourists technically attempted last night. One of them was successful. One of them was a catcher. Joe Mikulik - you're crazy, man.

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AAA Colorado Springs, L 4-5 - (56-48, 1st)

Brandon Hynick (8-7, 3.68) worked a semi-quality start, allowing four runs (three earned) in six innings, striking out four and walking one against the Fresno Grizzlies (Giants). The unearned run was due to Eric Young Jr's 14th error, an errant throw. Hynick was outdueled by Joe Martinez, who allowed two runs, neither earned on just four hits and no walks in seven innings.

Trailing 4-2 in the eighth, the Sox strung together singles by EY2 and Mike McCoy, a double by Matt Miller and a sac fly from Daniel Ortmeier to tie the game. The score remained even until Ryan Rohlinger notched his third RBI by getting hit by a 2-out pitch with the bases loaded by Scott Munter (4-3, 3.79) Mc Coy had three singles on the night, while Miller, Matt Murton and Jonathan Herrera doubled. Matt Herges, Randy Flores and Joel Peralta combined for 3 scoreless innings.

The Sky Sox take on the Grizz again tonight at 7:00MDT.

AA Tulsa, W 2-1 & L 1-5 - (19-13, 2 GB)

NW Arkansas (Royals) locked up the Drillers' bats, allowing just 3 runs in the doubleheader. Luckily for Tulsa, they managed to win one.

Game 1: Brandon Durden (4-2, 3.31) outdueled lefty Everett Teaford (3-4, 4.99) by yielding just one run on three hits in six-plus innings. Andrew Johnston worked through a nervous final seventh for his 27th save but allowed an inherited runner to score and required a Jeff Kindel assist at home to protect the lead. Cole Garner's 2-run HR in the second provided all the necessary offense. Daniel Mayora doubled, while Michael McKenry and Jeff Kindel notched singles. Durden is now 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA in his last five starts since being promoted to Tulsa. He has 7 solid starts out of 9 total in AA for the season

Game 2: The Naturals ambushed Andy Graham (2-4, 5.40) for three runs in the first inning on two home runs, and the stagnant Drillers' offense couldn't catch up. Adam Bright allowed two runs in his inning to faciliate the loss, and Tommy Baumgardner worked two trafficked yet scoreless innings. An RBI single by Jeff Kindel in the 7th was all the scoring Tulsa could do. Moyora collected another double in addition to a single.

Chaz Roe (3-2, 3.50 ERA) will face Matt Kniginyzky (4-7, 5.20 ERA) in the final game of the series tonight at 6:05MDT.

High-A Modesto, W 6-3 - (17-17, 9 GB)

The first seven Nuts that came up in the first reached on a hit, and the eighth man was hit by a pitch. Charles Blackmon, Hector Gomez, Jay Cox and Scott Beerer singled before a Jeffrey Cunningham double and Jason van Kooten home run (8) to give Cory Riordan (7-6, 4.16) a five run lead before even stepping on the field. Blackmon also hit his sixth HR later in the game.

Riordan allowed just two runs in 7 innings, striking out nine of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels) he faced. After three rough starts earlier this month, he is 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA over 32 IP in his last four starts.

The teams square off again tonight at 8:05 MDT.

Low-A Asheville, W 7-5 & W 5-4 - (20-12, 1st)

The Tourists claimed the best record in the Sally League with two come-from-behing wins, sweeping double header from the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles).

Game 1: Jonathan Aristil allowed the Shorebirds to score one run each in all five of his innings, but his ability to limit the damage was critical to the Tourist comeback. Trailing 5-1 in the 6th, Asheville posted a 6-run rally, highlighted by three doubles (David Christensen, Kiel Roling and Jordan Pacheco) and three stolen bases (Christensen, Scott Robinson and Delta Cleary). Christensen and Robinson's thefts came on a double steal, with Christensen stealing home, one of two bases he swiped in the game. The Tourists had five doubles and six stolen bases total. Even Mike Zuanich stole third.

Game 2: Michael Marbry blew a 3-2 lead in the 7th for a blown save, then proceeded to give Delmarva a 4-3 lead in the eighth. Beau Seabury was caught attempting to steal home for a walk off win - geeze, what was in Joe Mikulik's breakfast? Tyler Massey tripled in Scott Robinson with two outs in the eighth to stave off defeat and Jimmy Cesario sealed the win with a walk-off single in the tenth. Alan Deratt allowed two runs on four innings in his start.

Asheville travels to Rome to open a series with the Braves tonight at 5:00 MDT.

SS A Tri-City, L 3-4 - (20-12, 1st)

The Dust Devils lost a game they shouldn't have to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants). Carlos Luna allowed three runs in relief without getting an out that facilitated the game going to extras, and Ryan Bargas allowed the winning run to score in the tenth despite striking out the side and allowing no hits or walks. A two base error by Kent Matthes and two wild pitches, all with two outs, was the losing recipe. Daniel Perkins pitched six scoreless innings, and Kyle Walker tossed three of his own without allowing a hit.

Kent Matthes doubled and tripled. Tim Wheeler, Ben Paulsen, Leonardo Reyes, Joseph Sanders and Alexander Feinberg each singled once.

Tri-City plays the middle game of their five gme set with the Volcanoes tonight at 8:15MDT.

Rookie Casper, Rain Out - (9-22, 11 GB)

Last night's game vs the Ogden Raptors (Dodgers) was postponed. It will be made up as a double-header today with the first game a t 4:35 MDT in Casper.

Wednesday Pebble Report: Samuel Deduno does mostly good things

Russ Oates — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:31:43 -0000

Colorado Springs, L 3-4
Matt Wilhite was unable to hold things down in the bottom of the ninth, allowing a Joe Borchard walk-off three-run homer. Adam Eaton turned in a good start after pitching 5 2.3 innings, allowing only a run, and striking out four. Matt Belisle struck out four in two innings.

Chris Frey hit a sac fly and Sal Fasano had an RBI single in the second. Matt Miller singled in a run in the seventh.

Tulsa, W 3-2
The offense came from the back of the lineup as the first four batters combined for no hits in 14 AB's. Well, Anthony Jackson did drive in a run despite not recording a hit. Ryan Harvey drove in the other two runs on a two-out double in the fourth, and Michael McKenry collected three hits and threw out two runners.

Samuel Deduno picked up his 10th win of the season, though he walked five. Other than those five walks, he performed quite well: 6 IP, 1 R/ER, 8 K. Edgmer Escalona struck out five in two innings of work before Andrew Johnston recorded his 26th save.

Modesto, L 1-5
Hector Gomez hit fifth homer of the season in the ninth inning to score the only run for the Nuts. Kenny Durst pitched solidly for 7 1/3 innings. having allowed only two runs (one earned). Chris Malone, on the other hand, allowed three runs in the bottom of the eighth (and the Durst's second run).

Asheville was postponed due to rain. Double header today.

Tri-City, W 3-1
Rex Brothers picked up his second win after pitching two innings of relief and striking out four. Josh Hungerman started and allowed a solo homer in 4 2/3 innings. Charlie Ruiz struck out two on the way to his ninth save.

Ben Paulsen went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a triple, and an RBI. Kent Matthes and Joe Sanders drove in the other runs. Tim Wheeler had two singles.

Casper, L 5-8
Chris Balcom-Miller continues his strong performance in the Pioneer League, pitching six innings, allowing no runs on three hits, and striking out five. His GO-FO was 9-4. Edwar Cabrera struck out two in the seventh before giving way to the collapse of the bullpen in the eighth. Alejandro Barraza and Leuris Gomez allowed eight runs in the eighth on five hits and two errors.

Avery Barnes went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI (Casper Star-Tribune story on him); Jared Clark had two hits and an RBI; Chandler Laurent struck out four times; and Angelys Nina collected two singles and an RBI.

2009 Trade Deadline Preview: Colorado Rockies

Brendan Scolari — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:05:16 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

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Buyers or sellers?

The Rockies looked like they were destined to be sellers when they were struggling earlier in the season. But since the firing of Clint Hurdle the team has turned things around and they are now tied with the GIants for the Wildcard lead at 52-44. The Rockies will be buyers at the deadline if they make any more moves, although they have already traded for Rafael Betancourt to try to upgrade their bullpen.

Short-term need

The Rockies have gotten fairly solid production around the diamond. Their outfield hasn't been great but given th Rockies reliance on young, homegrown players they don't figure to trade for an upgrade there. The infield has been good enough that they don't need trade for another infielder.

The rotation has been fantastic, ranking tops in the National League in WAR (wins above replacement). The bullpen has been solid too but it seems that management still wants to add more arms there. They traded for Rafael Betancourt and called up top prospect Jhoulys Chacin to help the 'pen, but another trade or two would really make it a team strength. Manny Corpas is out until at least September, but he hasn't been very effective anyways. The team also signed reliever Matt Herges a week or so ago. Herges was great for the team in '07 but hasn't been good since.

Long-term need

Most of the Rockies position players are young and under team control for years to come so they don't have too many positional needs. Clint Barmes could be replaced at second base but the Rockies do have a few quality prospects who could take over there in the next few years. Eventually Todd Helton will need to be replaced but there's no telling when that will be. The young outfield of Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez, and Seth Smith should be quite good a couple years from now.

Aaron Cook, Jason Marquis and Jorge de la Rosa are all near free agency and may need to be replaced. Luckily, the team has Jhoulys Chacin and Franklin Morales among a bundle of possible replacements to fill in. Their rotation should have no shortage of candidates for quite some time. The only impact reliever near free agency is Houston Street, whose contract is up after 2010. The club should look for possible late inning relievers in the meantime.

Big leaguers on the market?

Because the Rockies are still contending they don't figure to trade many players currently in the big leagues. Their top prospects should be strictly off limits unless they change their minds and decide they can add a Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee. The one player who the club would willingly get rid of is Garrett Atkins, whose $7 million salary doesn't match his meager production. Unless they take on another bad contract though there shouldn't be any takers for him.

Minor league strength

The Rockies farm system is unheralded but actually fairly deep. It really needs to be because of the organizational philosophy to test their young players and give them important roles with the big club. However, now that Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez are both in the majors the club lacks impact position players. They do have catching depth (Wilin Rosario and Michael McKenry) and some talented middle infielders, but luckily they have good starters at the up-the-middle positions so impact players aren't really needed.

The pitching has lots of right-handers who should fill roles for the team in the near future. The previously mentioned Jhoulys Chacin has a chance to be a top-of-the-rotation arm but most of the rest of the group's ceiling isn't as high. One arm to watch is Christian Friedrich, who is at the High-A level but could rise quickly.

Take on short-term money to win?

The Rockies don't figure to be able to add any huge contracts to their team. General manager Dan O'Dowd said adding Roy Halladay would be "financially devastating" so a player of his caliber is mostly out of the question. They should be able to take on a lesser player or two if need be.

For more coverage of the Rockies, check out Purple Row.

Saturday Pebble Report: Jhoulys Chacin does that thing . . . again

Russ Oates — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:47:43 -0000

Colorado Springs, L 2-7
Esmil Rogers is still adjusting to Triple A, allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings. That's pretty much it from this game.

Tulsa, W 9-0
Michael McKenry and Cole Garner each hit their ninth home run of the season, and Jeff Kindel his fifth. None of the three came in five-run seventh inning. In that inning, Kindel and Daniel Mayora had back-to-back RBI singles; Mike Paulk hit a two-run triple and then scored on a throwing error. McKenry then was thrown out at home on a Cole Garner single to left field.

Jhoulys Chacin twirled eight great innings, allowing no runs on three hits and three walks. He struck out six and had a GO-FO of 11-7.

Modesto, L 7-17
No Modesto pitcher came out of this game clean. Starter Kenny Durst allowed seven runs (three on a homer) in three innings. Ching-Lung Lo allowed only two in three innings, but Chris Malone allowed four in the seventh and Randall Taylor allowed as many in the eighth.

Scott Beerer went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, his first two homers for Modesto, and two RBI.

Asheville, W 2-1
Jimmy Cesario's homer in the seventh tied the game, and a throwing error and a wild pitch allowed Scott Robinson to score the go-ahead and winning runs. Jonnathan Aristil allowed a run in six innings before Kurt Yacko pitched two scoreless innings and Adam Jorgenson closed things out for his 19th save.

Tri-City, L 8-12
Matt Baugh didn't have his best stuff last night, allowing nine runs on eight hits (one a three-run homer) in two inning. After Baugh left the game, three relievers each pitched two innings to finish the game.

Bo Bowman (4) and Kevin Clark (2) each hit a two-run homer as part of their six total RBI. Tim Wheeler went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI, two walks, and his fourth stolen base. Joey Wong swiped his third base of the season to go along with his single and run scored.

Casper, W 8-5
Chris Balcom-Miller turned in a good start, lasting five innings, allowing two runs on three hits (one a solo homer), and striking out seven. Alejandro Barraza allowed a run over two innings but picked up a hold, along with Tyler Gagnon. Coty Woods recorded his first save.

Chad Jacobsen went 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBI. David DiNatale also hit a triple and a drove in a run. David Kandilas went 0-for-3 but drove in his second run.

The Casper Star-Tribune has a piece on Nathan Hines.