SB Nation - Jason Giambi

New York Yankees Team of the Decade

Ed Valentine — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:34:39 -0000

'Tis the season for teams of the decade. Fans around baseball, except maybe in Boston where you know they would put up a fight, have to concede that the New York Yankees are the team of the decade.

But, looking specifically at the Yankees themselves, what is THEIR Team of the Decade? Some positions, like shortstop, catcher and closer, are obvious. Others, less so.

Here is my stab at naming the New York Yankee Team of the Decade.

C -- Jorge Posada. Duh! Sorry, Francisco Cervelli fans. This one, of course, is easy.

1B -- Jason Giambi. This position presents a real conundrum. The first name that leaps to mind is Giambi, but in his seven seasons with the Yankees he played more than half the team's games at first base just twice. And, he played more than 100 games there only one. He averaged 76.8 games per season at first base as a Yankee. Tino Martinez played just three seasons, but was the full-time first baseman each of those years playing 147 games per season. Tino averaged 22 homers and 83 RBI in his three seasons. Giambi averaged 32 home runs and 94 RBI, splitting his time between first base and designated hitter. Honestly, I hate doing it, but In the end I have to go with Giambi, especially since his pair of 41-home run seasons as a Yankee came when he was the primary first baseman in 2002 and 2003.

2B -- Robinson Cano. A close call here over Alfonso Soriano, based largely on Cano having five seasons (yes, five, can you believe it?) as the starting second baseman. Soriano was terrific, averaging 32 homers, 89 RBI and 39.6 stolen bases, but was a Yankee for just three seasons before being dealt away. Cano has averaged 17 home runs, 79 RBI and has a career average of .306 in five seasons. He is also a better defender. Again, I think length of service gives this one to Cano.

SS -- Derek Jeter. Umm, who else? If I was naming one, Jeter would also be Yankee Player of the Decade. Gee, maybe I just did name one.

3B -- Alex Rodriguez. Again, a no-brainer. Gotta at least give Aaron Boone an honorable mention, though, for his 2003 home run that propelled the Yankees to the World Series.

LF -- Johnny Damon. This is, obviously, between Damon and Hideki Matsui. And, in my opinion, not a choice between which one belongs on the Team of the Decade. Rather, a choice between which one is the left fielder and which one is the designated hitter. In four New York seasons, Damon has been the primary left fielder for just two years. He has DH'ed just 29 times in those two years, however. Matsui has DH'ed 250 times in six productive New York seasons. So, he gets the left field nod.

CF -- Bernie Williams. Bern, baby, Bern! Was a fixture with the Yankees for seven of the decade's 10 seasons, and was an integral part of the lineup. Hit 136 of 287 career home runs this decade. I know many of you are still irritated by how the Yankees treated Bernie at the end, but that's done with. Let's just give him his due.

RF -- Bobby Abreu. This is another excruciatingly tough call. First, it was difficult to rule out fan favorite Paul O'Neill, whom I think with our hearts we would all probably like to give this spot to. O'Neill, though, played just two seasons this decade and in the second was a shell of himself. So, this choice is really between Abreu and Gary Sheffield. Sheffield had two dominant seasons (.290, 36, 121 and .291, 34, 123), but only played 39 games in his third season due to injury. Abreu had two excellent full seasons (.283, 16, 101, 25 steals and .296, 20, 100, 22 steals). I think Abreu gets the nod because of his impact in 2006, when he was traded to the Yankees to replace the injured Sheffield and hit .330 with 7 home runs and 42 RBI in 58 games, helping the Yankees reach the playoffs.

DH -- Hideki Matsui. The World Series MVP absolutely has to have a place on this team. In six Yankee seasons Matsui has been nothing but productive, hitting .292 and averaging 22 home runs and 99.5 RBI per season.

SP -- Andy Pettitte. Whew! Another really difficult call between Pettitte and Mike Mussina. I know 'wins' is not the only way to measure a pitcher, but for the purpose of this argument it shows how close these two are. Mussina won 123 regular-season games, including 20 at the age of 39, in seven Yankee seasons this decade. Pettitte won 111 regular-season games despite spending three wayward seasons in Houston. The real difference between Pettitte and Mussina is post-season success. 'Moose' was 5-7 in Yankee post-season career. Pettitte, this decade, is 11-5 with a World-Series clinching victory fresh in my mind. I could easily name them both, but if I had to take one it would still be Pettitte.

CL -- Mariano Rivera. The best of all time. Period.

Manager -- Joe Torre. What choice do you have here? Joe Girardi has a World Series title in his two seasons, and he will likely be around for a long time. Hopefully, one day his resume will match what Torre did in New York, but not yet. This decade may not have matched the 1990s for Torre in terms of World Series titles, but one championship, two AL pennants, and playoff appearances all eight seasons he managed the team is pretty darn impressive.

So, what do you guys think? Tell me where I'm right. And wrong. And tell me why.

The State of the Rockies (Post GM Meetings Edition)

Jabberwocky — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:55:40 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Chris Iannetta got his. Will Clint Barmes be next?

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Well, the 2009 Winter Meetings could have gone two ways for the Rockies. One, Dan O'Dowd could have dangled Brad Hawpe, the Rockies could have made overtures to well...anyone of significance. This was unlikely, and did not come to pass. Instead, Rafael Betancourt did the smart thing and accepted arbitration from the Rockies while Jason Marquis made an equally good business decision and declined. The Rockies didn't select anyone in the Rule 5 draft, nor did they have anyone selected. Pretty ho hum to be sure.

However, some significant events did take place regarding the Rockies during the Winter Meetings, giving fans an even clearer picture of the way the roster will shake out. Betancourt's acceptance of arbitration was obviously the most significant, as the Rockies were prepared to bring back LaTroy Hawkins for two years, $7.5 million--a move that for some reason screamed Luiz Vizcaino 2.0 to me--if he had declined. So I'm glad that the Rockies will have an accomplished 8th inning man next year so long as they can fit it into their budget.

As I've said before, if there's a year to spend a little for an extra marginal win or two, it's this one. The NL West crown has never seemed more up for grabs for the Rockies than it appears this year, especially with the Dodgers shuffling through a bizarre offseason, the Giants yet to secure a big bat, and the Padres nickeling and diming their roster. Meanwhile, it was the Diamondbacks who were the big movers of the NL West at the GM meetings in trading away high-upside Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth to Detroit as part of a three team deal that netted them All-Star pitcher Edwin Jackson as well as Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy to solidify their rotation for at least 2010. Should Brandon Webb come back strong from surgery, that is one scary rotation developing in Arizona for 2010--and a reason why they will be overrated by about 10 wins in preseason predictions by pundits everywhere. At least, that's my prediction--the Diamondbacks coming in at around 78 wins next year because I'm not sold on their hitting nor their health.

In any case, the Rockies made a move over the winter meetings in locking up Chris Iannetta through his arbitration years (three years, $8.3 million) plus a cheap club option ($5 million) for his first year of free agency. Rob Neyer applauded the move and I agree with him. Love him or like him, this is a solid move for the Rockies, and here's why...

The Rockies are paying Iannetta roughly market value for a player of his stature...if he repeats his 2009 season for four more years. Many people, myself included, seem to believe that Iannetta will perform a bit better than that. Fangraphs' Matt Klaassen projects Iannetta for 2.5 WAR in 2010 (assuming only 100 games played) and explains that he's being paid to be a 1.5 win player this year when you adjust for the fact that the contract is buying out his first arbitration year and not a free agency year. The fans on FanGraphs who have projected Iannetta seem to believe that he will be a 4 WAR player in 2010--which is a little optimistic for me (I see him in the 2.5-3 WAR range next year given adequate playing time), but Iannetta is entering his baseball prime and I wouldn't rule the upper range out.

In return for the security of having a guaranteed paycheck for the next three years (something the soon to be non-tendered Garrett Atkins might be wishing for right now), Iannetta has given up potentially larger arbitration salaries over the next few years--and if he plays as well as Klaassen and myself have predicted he will, CDI will ultimately be a large bargain (to the tune of $30-40 million in net value) for the Rockies over the life of his contract.

The Rockies are busy negotiating multi-year deals with Huston Street and Clint Barmes, but it is unlikely that either of those deals, if signed, will be as team friendly or have a comparable net value (especially in Street's case due to his 3 year, $30 million demands).

The Torrealba Situation

In his Iannetta article, Klaassen bemoaned the handing out of multi-year contracts to aging, marginal at best catchers like Ivan Rodriguez and Jason Kendall. While Yorvit Torrealba is only 31 and has definitely shown that his bat has some life last year, he's far closer to those catchers in value added than he is to Iannetta. Meanwhile, he has seen that Rodriguez got 2 years, $6 million and wants the Rockies to match this number. The Rockies have countered with $5.6 million. Either contract will give Torrealba way more money than he's worth in tangible on the field value. At most he's worth $4 million over two years. At most. Any more is, quite frankly, ludicrous. Just because the market for aging backup catchers who can't hit or field particularly well but can "handle a pitching staff well" has gone crazy doesn't mean that the Rockies need to succumb to it. In all honesty Torrealba should be happy that he has garnered as much interest in his modest skill set as he has.

Look, it's no secret that I'm neither a fan of Torrealba as a player nor am I convinced of the importance (or tangible benefit) of the attributes for which he is valued. So take my advice how you will. But the only way that makes sense to me is to evaluate a player based largely on his quantifiable production (I'm not advocating that this is the correct way to do so, just that it is the way that I do it), and the numbers that I value rate Torrealba at a very low level. He has been an important part of the Rockies' Rocktober runs as an emotional leader and as someone who has produced well in high leverage situations, and for that I thank him sincerely. However, it's just time for both parties to move on.

Free Agency Update

For the Rockies, moving on from Torrealba could land Miguel Olivo, formerly of the Royals, in their laps for a similar 2 year deal. Olivo, who is four days older than Torrealba, is famously lacking in patience (BB rate of 4.6% in 2009) but he does have some pop in his bat (23 HRs) and he did produce 2.2 WAR for the woeful Royals last year. You could call him a Chris Iannetta without patience. Looking at his career numbers, Olivo's 2009 stands out as a clear career year at the plate, so he could be due for some regression that could be mitigated somewhat by moving to the NL and a hitter-friendly park. If he can be had for 2 years, $4-5 million, the Rockies could certainly do worse than Olivo as a back-up.

As for other previous targets, the Winter Meetings saw prospective utilitymen Pedro Feliz and Bobby Crosby got snapped up. Orlando Hudson remains a possibility, albeit one that would only be consummated very late in the offseason at a discounted price. Meanwhile, the Rockies appear to have shied away from several other potential players to fill the Garrett Atkins role. However, there are a few that I haven't gone over yet that have been linked to the Rockies:

Fernando Tatis: The utilityman will be 35 on Opening Day, has been bumming around the majors since 1997 for five teams but has accrued only 7.105 years of service time, a testament to his journeyman status. However, in 2009 Tatis was quite good in part time status, producing 1.5 WAR in 340 PAs with positive value in both hitting and fielding. He can probably be had cheaply (around $2.25 million), can provide depth at several positions, and has demonstrated his ability as a pinch hitter (as Franklin Morales can attest). I'm putting him at the top of my revised wish list.

Melvin Mora: The 37 year old Mora has been at least a league average player as recently as 2008 (and much better than that in the recent past), but does he have anything left in the tank and would he accept a part-time slot? That and his likely $4-5 million asking price is enough to scare me away.

Rob Quinlan: Quinlan is a 32 year old AAAA player who has spent parts of the last seven years with the Angels as a reserve corner infielder. At this point it's clear to me that he's pretty much a replacement player and I wouldn't advocate signing him to a major league deal.

The Rockies have talked with Jose Contreras about him returning, though the Rockies want to pay him as a reliever while Contreras wants starter money. Quite frankly, he should be paid as a starter given his FIP (4.11) last year. Colorado has also approached Jason Giambi about returning to fill Atkins' spot, though he is searching for a DH job that will give him more PAs next year. If Giambi does become available, having his bat on the bench definitely provides the Rockies with an intimidating edge for opposing managers to worry about.

Roster and Payroll 2010 Update

There has been some discussion by some that I've projected Betancourt's arbitration award too high at $6.4 million, and they do certainly have a point. Betancourt does not measure up well in saves, the traditional reliever stat valued highly by arbitrators, and the Darren Oliver case that I've cited in projecting Betancourt's salary does seem like an outlier. In any case, when I was projecting Betancourt's salary (indeed, any salary in this projection) I have been erring on the high side, being conservative on the amount of money the Rockies have to spend.

For this projection, I'm going to switch gears a little bit and reduce Betancourt's salary to that of his $5 million option that the Rockies declined. Plus, I'm adding Iannetta's salary (represented as $2 million, which is what I've heard) into the players under contract category. Outside of the Rockies selling the rights of OF Matt Murton to Japan's Hanshin Tigers, the Rockies made no 40 man roster moves at the Winter Meetings--and since Murton wasn't projected to be on the 25 man roster not much has changed on that front (though the Rockies do now have three open 40 man roster slots).

Players Under Contract (Torrealba and Embree are team option buyouts)

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary	Add. Min. Obligation	Years After 2010
Todd Helton	12.059	$16,600,000	$23,700,000	1
Aaron Cook	7.02	$9,833,000	$10,583,000	1
Brad Hawpe	5.058	$7,500,000	$500,000	0
Jeff Francis	5.04	$5,875,000	$0	0
Troy Tulowitzki	3.033	$3,500,000	$25,750,000	3
Manuel Corpas	3.076	$2,750,000	$3,750,000	1
Ubaldo Jimenez	2.087	$1,250,000	$8,000,000	2
Yorvit Torrealba	8.03	$500,000	$0	0
Alan Embree	15.059	$250,000	$0	0
Matt Belisle	4.02	$850,000	$0	0
Randy Flores	5.061	$650,000	$0	0
Chris Iannetta	3.029	$2,000,000	$6,300,000	2

Total		$51,558,000	$78,583,000

Pre-Arbitration Players: While I'm still projecting Phillips as the back-up catcher for now, I'm not holding my breath on that one and am expecting an expenditure of roughly $2.7 million in 2010 on the back-up catcher's roster spot.

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary
Eric Young Jr.	0.042	$412,000
Dexter Fowler	1.027	$413,030
Franklin Morales	2.01	$414,060
Ian Stewart	1.154	$416,120
Carlos Gonzalez	1.06	$415,090
Seth Smith	1.119	$415,090
Matt Daley	0.155	$412,000
Paul Phillips	2.06	$427,450

Total		$3,324,840

Arbitration Players: With the subtraction of Iannetta from the ranks of the arbitration eligible, the Rockies now have seven potential arbitration cases this winter counting Betancourt.

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary	Difference from 2009
Huston Street	5	$8,775,000	95.00%
Jorge De La Rosa	5.015	$5,600,000	180.00%
Clint Barmes	4.122	$4,225,000	160.00%
Taylor Buchholz	3.14	$1,055,000	0.00%
Jason Hammel	2.153	$2,026,560	380.00%
Rafael Betancourt	6.079	$5,000,000	50%
Ryan Spilborghs	3.072	$788,500	90.00%

Total		$27,470,060	136.29%

Grand Total Payroll: $82,352,900

Remember, this roster has only 24 players on it (with Buchholz starting the year on the DL)--it still requires a replacement for Garrett Atkins. In other words, it will likely end up around $84.5 million--by far the highest in Rockies history. The increase from last week's projection is due to the fact that Iannetta's salary increased by larger than the 350% I had projected (actually it is a 482% raise from 2009).

Well, that's it until next time (TBD). I'd love to hear any and all thoughts, Rowbots--just please try to keep it civil.

Poll

Who would you rather have as the backup catcher for the Rockies in 2010?

Oakland A's 2000-2009: All-Decade Team and Best Moments

baseballgirl — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:16 -0000

Interested in the Warriors? Golden State of Mind is holding one of their huge events on Friday January 8th. There's a rumor of a great special guest. Thought I'd pass it along...

via farm1.static.flickr.com

Decade posts are all the rage lately, so we're going to do our own. You may have seen this post from Big League Stew on Yahoo, naming their MLB All-Decade team. It is pretty much what one would expect; Posada (C), Pujols (1B), Kent (2B), Jeter (SS), A-Rod (3B), Bonds (LF), Ichiro (CF), Vlad (RF), Manny (DH), Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson (SP), Rivera (Closer). I can't really argue those names, but I thought we could make up an all-decade A's team, and share favorite moments of 2000-2009.

To refresh your memory:

2000 Roster
2001 Roster
2002 Roster
2003 Roster
2004 Roster
2005 Roster
2006 Roster
2007 Roster
2008 Roster
2009 Roster

My Picks:

Catcher:

Ramon Hernandez - He was the catcher during the A's golden years of 2000-2004; he caught Mulder, Hudson, and Zito, and was a big part of getting the A's to the playoffs.

First Base:

Jason Giambi - Need I say more? Not only was Giambi one of the best players in the league during his heyday, but he has had less than zero competition the in years since he left.

Second Base:

Mark Ellis - Ellis started in 2002 for the A's, and played the rest of the decade, with the exception of 2004. A tremendous defensive player, with some good offensive years, Ellis is the only player to really choose in this category.

Shortstop:

Miguel Tejada - Tejada, like Hernandez, played for the teams of 2000 to 2004, and his position on the A's has never been successfully replaced. This is a no-brainer call as well.

Third Base:

Eric Chavez - Like Ellis, Chavez has been the name filling the position for the entire decade, but over the last few years, it has literally been in name only. Still, when he was good, he was good, and a big part of the A's early 2000 playoff runs.

Outfield:

This was where my little experiment got really fun. Can you think of outfield stars on the Oakland A's from 2000-2009? Are we left with Terrence Long? Did Jermaine Dye play long enough--and was healthy enough--to count? What about Mark Kotsay? This was a struggle.

I've narrowed it down to: Mark Kotsay and Nick Swisher for sure. The third spot could go to either Jack Cust or Jermaine Dye, with an honorable mention to Eric Byrnes. What do you think?

Designated Hitter:

Frank Thomas - Yes, Thomas played one year of the 2000's with the A's. It was an awesome year. He wins my vote.

Starting Pitchers:

RHP: Tim Hudson - Hudson takes this for his years with the A's early in the decade. Honorable mention to Dan Haren.

LHP: Barry Zito - His Cy award and his victory against Johan Santana in 2006 seal this spot for me. Honorable mention to Mark Mulder.

Closer: Huston Street. I'll save Andrew Bailey for the next decade.

Manager:

Can I abstain from a vote? Of course I think Ken Macha made his share of mistakes, but Art Howe certainly made some questionable decisions (with much better teams) as well. To paraphrase a player on the Twins in 2002; "We (the Twins) couldn't beat lefties this year, why did Hudson start twice, when Mulder and Zito were in the series as well?" Match that series fail against Ken Macha's use of Mecir/Rincon in the infamous Zito game to lose the AL West to the Angels and Macha hitting Melhuse/Long against the Red Sox with the tying run on third and less than two outs, and it's a tough call. I pick...Stomper?

Worst Moment of the Decade:

I know there will be probably be votes for the Jeter flip, but on some level, I figure that was a one-in-a-million baseball play; it didn't make or break the series itself, and the run in question would have only tied the game. Far worse to me was watching Jermaine Dye break his leg, or Mecir and Rincon being chosen to relieve Zito, with Hudson waiting in the wings for a one-game winner-takes-all start. But the very worst back-to-back at-bats were turned in by Long and Melhuse against Derek Lowe and I pick those combined at-bats as the worst moment of the decade. I was there in person for all of the above events, and that one definitely hurt the most.

Best Moment of the Decade:

This was a really, really tough call. Apparently, I attended a lot of A's playoff games in this decade, since I was also there in person for both of these picks too. My runner-up award goes to the Ramon Hernandez two-out, bases-loaded bunt against the Red Sox in extra innings. Not only was it a complete surprise to everyone on the Red Sox and the fans in the park, but it won the first game of the series for the A's, and may have given them the momentum to take the subsequent day game, as well.

However, considering that the A's could not close out the series, it takes a little luster out of the moment looking back. Which is why my number one moment is this, which needs no introduction:

Strange, since this wasn't even a game-winning hit, but somehow it captured the moment when all of the A's fans in the park realized that this wasn't going to be another ALDS ending in heartbreak; that the A's were going to the ALCS for the first time in a decade and a half. Coupled with the goosebump-inducing cheer of "Marco" "Scutaro" from the entire stadium, this moment elicites warm and fuzzy feelings that can still be regenerated in the current tough times.

We continue the winter meetings all this week, but I thought we could share some A's moments of the decade as well. Best? Worst? What/who am I missing? What would you change?

Take the Braves out of the running for these free agents

gondeee — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:28:22 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

Was it Divine intervention that prevented the Atlanta Braves from signing Rafael Furcal... or just his agents.

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Last off-season the Atlanta Braves announced they had come to terms with free agent Rafael Furcal on a three-year contract... but less than 24-hours later Furcal had signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the aftermath of that episode, Braves President John Schuerholtz stated that the Braves would never again do business with Furcal's agents, the Wasserman Group, headed by super-agent Arn Tellem.

As a side note to this, if we had signed Furcal, then we would have moved Kelly Johnson to left field, we never would have signed Garret Anderson, and Martin Prado may never have emerged as a bona fide major league starter at second base. And we might have traded Yunel Escobar somewhere. Things tend to work out for the best sometimes, as Furcal layed an egg in 2009.

Here are the free agents this off-season who are represented by the Wasserman Group, and are therefore off-limits to the Braves (courtesy of MLBTR):

Wilson Betemit
Aaron Boone
Nomar Garciaparra
Jason Giambi
John Grabow
Rich Harden
Shawn Hill
Reed Johnson
Jason Kendall
Hideki Matsui
Jason Michaels
Guillermo Mota
Vicente Padilla
Wily Mo Pena
Joel Pineiro
Matt Treanor
Randy Wolf
Omar Vizquel

I must say that there's no one I really want on that list, so for this year at least, no harm, no foul.

Cashman's moves

Travis G — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:40 -0000

More photos » by Paul J. Bereswill - AP

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Can we finally give some credit to Brian Cashman? After an eight year drought, he finally put the Yankees back on top of the baseball world.

After acquiring underachiever after underachiever, Cash built a team based on healthy and dependable stars. In years past, we'd seen the likes of Jaret Wright, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi, Jeff Weaver and Carl Pavano don the pinstripes, only to watch them either underperform or not perform at all. None of the aforementioned lived up to their billing, either through injury or ineffectiveness.

Carl Pavano started 26 games for the Yankees over four seasons. A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia started 67 games this season alone. Mark Teixeira played 156 games, only sitting out a few times to 'freshen up.'

Not to denigrate George III, but his 'interference' only seemed to hurt the club. He's better when he stands back and lets his 'baseball people' run the team. The last dynasty began when he was barred from baseball. The one that is (hopefully) beginning now began when he ceded control to his sons (about 2007), who were far less 'hands on' than their dad. They in turn handed control over to Brian Cashman, a smart move considering he is the general manager.

Since the change in management, we've seen a marked improvement in the farm system: the '09 bullpen consisted almost entirely of former-Yankee farmhands: Rivera, Hughes, Joba, Coke, Robertson, Aceves. In fact, 13 of the 25 players (more than half) on the World Series roster were from the Yanks farm system.

Next year we're going to see the likely addition of several more: Frankie Cervelli looks to be the BUC, Mark Melancon and Austin Jackson may join the team around mid-season, Jesus Montero has an outside chance at playing a contributing role, as does Zach McAllister.

The money the Yankees save by using the likes of Hughes and Joba instead of Kyle Farnsworth and Tom Gordon can be used to acquire elite free agents (Tex, CC), not just good or over-the-hill ones (RJ, Sheff). Hughes and Joba were worth $17 million combined this year. They were paid about $1 million. Think about it this way: that $16 million difference basically paid for A.J. Burnett's whole season.

Instead of Big Stein forcing Cash to go after the likes of Sheffield and RJ (by all accounts, Cash wanted Beltran and/or Vlad Guerrero), he was able to sign quality in-their-prime players like CC and Tex.

Cashman was against trading for Johan Santana (at the price the Twins were asking), despite the apparent pressure put on him by other members of the front office. Future injuries and ineffectiveness were suspected, and he asked the most vital of questions: why pay twice for one player? Why give up prospects and money when, if the Yankees could be patient, a pitcher at least as good would be available for just money? (Imagine if this had happened when the Yanks were preparing for the stretch run, or if Phil Hughes and Melky Cabrera had been traded.)

I was admittedly against the Nady/Marte trade. Nady was coming off a career half-year while Cashman sold low on high-ceiling prospect Jose Tabata. To add injury to insult, both Nady and Marte missed the majority of 2009 (they combined to play only 28 games). Well, whatever happens with Tabata in the future, we'll know that that trade helped us win a World Series. Marte was essential to the playoff run, summoning the spirit of Graeme Lloyd: 4 ip, 0.00 ERA, 5 k, 0 bb, 2 h (and both hits were in one game!).

I'll talk about one more move: Nick Swisher. Any team could've had this guy, but that the Yanks got him for almost nothing (Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez, are you kidding me?), and that he was superior to not only Bobby Abreu but to every other Yankee OFer made the trade even more extraordinary.

Some skeptics will say Cashman is only a product of the highest payroll in MLB. But as we've learned first-hand this decade, spending the most money is anything but a sure way to win the World Series. Not only has Brian Cashman given the Yankees their 27th title, but has put them in a position to continue supplying the club with good, cheap talent.

PS: To the fans/readers of PA - thank you for an incredible season. The four of us fed off your incredible energy and enthusiasm. We hope to see you all throughout the off-season and 2010.

"Long is the way...

Travis G — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:15:14 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

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And hard, that out of hell leads up to light."

That's how it felt in 2001 and 2004. The way those seasons ended were the equivalent of baseball hell. An error and bloop single in the ninth inning of game seven in 2001... and of course the (in)famous and unprecedented collapse in 2004.

Because of those tragedies, the recently ended drought (eight years to the day, in fact, since game seven in 2001) seemed about twice as long.

Even the additions of Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Hideki Matsui, Gary Sheffield and Alex Rodriguez weren't enough. We had the best player in baseball and couldn't get it done. He couldn't get it done.

Then it got even worse for Alex. He had a messy divorce, hooked up with a crazy woman, and got exposed as a cheater. On top of all that, he received news that he might miss the whole 2009 season with a hip injury. It was his own personal hell.

No one could have predicted at the time, but that sequence of events was probably the best thing to ever happen to him.

When his PED usage came out and hip surgery sidelined him for a month, it seemingly allowed him to become 'care-free.' An A-Rod that once seemed to care what the fans and media thought of him all of a sudden didn't. Frankly, he seemed happier and more comfortable with himself. Whether that actually made him a better ballplayer is debatable, but from my own experience, I always work better when I feel comfortable - don't you?

As far as Kate Hudson goes, she seems like a sane, down-to-earth woman. A far cry from Madonna. (Quick aside: how cool would it be to have Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn as parents-in-law?)

The hip surgery went far better than anyone could have expected. A-Rod missed one month and was still able to compile 30 homers and 100 RBI. He even stole 14 bases! In fact, the surgery went so well that the additional surgery that was to happen this off-season may not be needed at all.

So thank you Selena Roberts, thank you Kate Hudson, and thank you Dr. Marc Philippon. We now live in a world where Alex Rodriguez has won the World Series.

The State of the Colorado Rockies (Pre-Free Agency)

Jabberwocky — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:38:04 -0000

While Major League Baseball has yet to crown a champion, the Rockies' season is (unfortunately) over and it is time to look forward towards the swiftly oncoming offseason. The Rockies have quite a to-do list this year.

The clock for Colorado and the rest of MLB starts ticking when the Fall (Winter?) Classic concludes, as teams have 15 days to exclusively negotiate with their prospective free agents. After that time (let's say November 20th), free agents are, well, free to go where their services are most sought after. The original team has until December 12th to tender 2010 contracts to their free agents.

For those players (like Garrett Atkins) who have less than six years of MLB service time, their teams control their rights, but must tender the player a contract offer or salary arbitration, by December 1st--with the player needing to make a decision by the 7th. As a result, at baseball's Winter Meetings from December 7-10, teams will have some idea as to where the market stands.

Finally, December 8th is a very important deadline, as it is the day in which MLB clubs must set their 40 man rosters in preparation for the Rule 5 Draft, which occurs on the 10th.

These dates and other offseason deadlines are explained in more detail here.

To learn a little bit more about some of the topics I just touched upon, please check out these previous sessions of Purple Row Academy, which I'll be updating over the offseason:

Trades and Contract Tenders

Rule 5 Draft

Now that you understand a little better the timeline that Dan O'Dowd and the Rockies are working with, I'll break down the Rockies' contract situations (and the decisions to be made therein) extensively after the jump.

Before I begin, let me first note that this analysis will be limited to what I can project the 25 man roster to be, since I'm forecasting the 2010 ODP (which only includes the active roster and DL). For most of the players not on the 25 man roster but who are on the 40 man, they will be paid the prorated minimum should they make the Show and considerably less in the minor leagues.

What the Rockies Already Owe in 2010

This category is for money that the Rockies have already committed to the 2010 roster. Note that this only includes players who are under contract with the Rockies (not just under team control), giving management concrete salary obligations to work around. This data, as well as much of the data for the rest of this study, was contributed by the incomparable Jeff Euston at Cot's Contracts.

For each player I'll give their name, approximate ML service time, 2010 salary, and minimum future salary obligations. This means that I assume that the Rockies decline every club option.

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary	Additional Minimum Obligation	Years After 2010

Todd Helton	12.059	$16,600,000	$23,700,000	1
Aaron Cook	7.02	$9,833,000	$10,583,000	1
Brad Hawpe	5.058	$7,500,000	$500,000	0
Jeff Francis	5.04	$5,875,000	$0	0
Troy Tulowitzki	3.033	$3,500,000	$25,750,000	3
Manuel Corpas	3.076	$2,750,000	$3,750,000	1
Ubaldo Jimenez	2.087	$1,250,000	$8,000,000	2
Yorvit Torrealba	8.03	$500,000	$0	0
Alan Embree	15.059	$250,000	$0	0

Total		$48,058,000	$72,283,000

This chart shows that the Rockies, even if they do not re-sign Torrealba or Embree, have committed over $48 million to seven players on the 2010 roster. And these are only the players who the Rockies know how much they have to pay. Again, this is if the Rockies don't pick up any club options on these players.

Pre-Arbitration Players

For the players listed below, the Rockies have the option of keeping them under control for several more years and can do so cheaply in 2010 (for a price between $400,000 and $460,000). For the purposes of this exercise I'm assuming a 3% raise over 2009 salary. This is assuming that the Rockies let Embree and Torrealba walk and find internal replacements. The pre-arbitration players:

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary
Eric Young Jr.	0.042	$412,000
Dexter Fowler	1.027	$413,030
Franklin Morales	2.01	$414,060
Paul Phillips	2.06	$427,450
Ian Stewart	1.154	$416,120
Carlos Gonzalez	1.06	$415,090
Seth Smith	1.119	$415,090
Matt Daley	0.155	$412,000

Total		$3,324,840

This chart tells us that the Rockies will be paying a little over $3.3 million to eight players on the 25 man roster. This fact again emphasizes the importance of teams maximizing the value of young players.

The player whose omission sticks out on that list is Matt Murton. With his service time, he would seem to be eligible for Super Two Arbitration status, but due to the fact that he did not accrue at least 86 days of ML service time in 2009 he is rendered ineligible for salary arbitration. At least, I think so. Of course, unless the Rockies unload either Hawpe or Ryan Spilborghs, Murton won't be on the roster--and since this projection is based upon roster stability, Murton is not included on this projection.

Projecting these 15 slots was easy--it's the potential arbitration cases that can get tricky.

Arbitration-Eligible Players

In addition to the 15 players mentioned in the tables above, plus Matt Murton (who would be the victim of a numbers game if the status quo is kept), the Rockies have 10 potential salary arbitration cases on their hands with players that have between three and six years of ML service time (Tracy Ringolsby lists them here). Calculating potential salaries for these players is quite tricky. As I noted when I wrote about ML service time, the average salary raise in 2009 was 172% when multi-year deals for arbitration-eligible players (like Ryan Howard's 3 year, $54 million deal) are included.

The Rockies in 2008 gave raises of over 300% to Clint Barmes and Jorge De La Rosa plus hefty salary increases to Taylor Buchholz, Huston Street, Garrett Atkins, and Jason Grilli--raises which increased payroll by $7,649,000 over the six players' 2008 salaries. This year, the Rockies' situation will be much more expensive, with several of their arb-eligible players performing at a high level in 2009.

When projecting arbitration raises for the Rockies I did so based on some past history--giving higher % raises to players with a lower starting salary and to those who had performed in a starting role.

Here's which I came up with, provided the Rockies tendered a 2010 contract offer to each of their arbitration eligibles:

Player Name	ML Service Time	2010 Salary	Difference from 2009
Garrett Atkins	5.072	$5,640,000	-20%
Huston Street	5	$8,775,000	95%
Jorge De La Rosa	5.015	$5,600,000	180%
Clint Barmes	4.122	$4,225,000	160%
Taylor Buchholz	3.14	$1,055,000	0%
Matt Belisle	4.02	$1,200,000	50%
Randy Flores	5.061	$900,000	50%
Jason Hammel	2.153	$2,026,560	380%
Chris Iannetta	3.029	$1,867,500	350%
Ryan Spilborghs	3.072	$788,500	90%

Total		$32,077,560	134%

This chart tells us that based on career performance and function (weighted more heavily toward 2009), the Rockies will pay these 10 players over $32 million--about $13.7 million more than they were paid in 2009. This chart is even assuming that Garrett Atkins will be tendered and will accept a minimum 80% of his previous year's salary (unlikely). Even with Atkins, the projected average arbitration salary increases is only 134%, well below 2009's MLB average of 172%--meaning that my estimated raises, shocking in their size as they may seem, may even be on the low side.

Estimated Rockies 2010 ODP

This calculation represents the status quo, if the Rockies neither re-sign any of their free agents nor get rid of any players under team control and remain dormant in free agency. The resulting roster would have 24 players on it with Buchholz starting the year on the DL (therefore another player's salary would need to be added in) and would be paid:

Multi-Year Contracts: $48,058,000

Pre-Arbitration Contracts: $3,324,840

Arbitration Contracts: $32,077,560

Total ODP: $83,460,400

In other words, the Rockies' ODP will need to grow by $8,259,400, or 10.98%, in order to maintain the status quo (a cost certainty price floor, if you will).

What This All Means

It's pretty obvious to me that the status quo won't happen, as Atkins will likely be non-tendered and one of the outfielders (Hawpe, Spilborghs, or Murton) will be shopped around and dealt. What the above calculation shows, however, is that the Rockies will have very little payroll flexibility to add pieces for 2010--especially if the Rockies need to replace Atkins and grab another bullpen piece.

The most pressing issue given this limitation is the $5.4 million team option on set-up man Rafael Betancourt--in my opinion the team simply can't afford to pay it, unless they are planning on moving Hawpe and his $7.5 million contract. Also, the Rockies have a few free agents they'd like to re-sign, including Joe Beimel (who will probably cost around $2 million), Jason Giambi ($1.5 million), and Torrealba (at most $2 million). Again, Colorado would need to move Hawpe to make this possible.

Remember though that if the Rockies do move Hawpe, they'll receive trade assets in return--and especially if those players are major leaguers they must also be well-compensated.

If I Were In Charge...

Given the financial limitations facing the Rockies and in light of the fact that they were very successful in 2009, a fine line must be walked between cost consciousness and competitiveness. Because the Rockies can not add very many, if any, significant pieces given their current projected payroll, they need to make a few moves. Here's what I would do this offseason to shape the 2010 Rockies:

1. Non-Tender Garrett Atkins. For the love of God, please--Atkins doubles as expensive and bad.

2. Pick only one or two out-going free agents to re-sign. There isn't any room for more than that. The Rockies' top priority should be getting back Betancourt or Beimel if they can get them back for a reasonable price (in this case, under $2.5 million). Relief pitching is too fungible and the market too inefficient to pay relievers big bucks. Likely this person will be Beimel. If the Rockies can get Torrealba back for about $1.5-2 million, they should do it--but they should let him walk if he wants much more than that. An alternative to Torrealba would be to keep Giambi around if he could be had for $1.5 million to come off the bench. I would keep one or the other (or neither), there isn't money for both.

Torrealba would replace Phillips on the roster or Giambi would replace the recently outrighted Omar Quintanilla.

3. Look hard for a taker for Brad Hawpe. In order for the Rockies to shore up their rotation and find a suitable sub for Atkins, they will need to move someone from their glut of outfielders to maintain payroll flexibility. Hawpe may very well be the Rockies' best hitting outfielder and an excellent leader in the clubhouse, but his horrific defense, much higher salary, and All-Star status make Hawpe an ideal trade piece--a player that has much more marginal value to prospective trading partners than he does to his own team. Even after his cold second half, Hawpe does have value around the league (especially as a DH), enough to garner the package I've outlined below.

A possible trade package for Hawpe would be a young back-end rotation starter and either a corner infield reserve or a B prospect or two. The Rockies need starting pitching depth for the simple reason that they were fortunate with pitcher health last year (basically the same five starters all year)--something that will likely not continue next year. They do have a bevy of good pitching prospects, but they will be relying on Francis or Morales to nail down the fifth slot in the rotation, so some insurance is probably needed. If the Rockies can get a major league-ready arm plus a prospect for Hawpe they should pull the trigger.

If no such trade package were to surface, either Spilborghs or Murton would need to be moved--and my decision would be Spilborghs due to the fact that he's older, will command a higher salary, and has Scott Boras as an agent.

4. Gauge the market for Manuel Corpas. If someone will offer value, I'd move him. But value in this situation would be relatively high--I'd hate to sell low on Corpas.

5. Bring in the usual suspects on minor league deals as pitching depth. There are plenty of guys that fit this mold (Fogg, Herges, Rincon, etc.). This is cheap depth to be used in case of dire emergencies only.

The resulting ODP from these moves (assuming Hawpe is moved) would be about $76.7 million, a slight payroll increase from 2009.

Wednesday Rockpile: With Rocktober Over, Rockies Refocusing on 2010

Jabberwocky — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:06:40 -0000

Even as Woody Paige writes the epitaph to a great 2009 season, Rockies fans looking for some solace after the toughest loss in franchise history can be consoled by looking forward to next year.

That's not to say that we shouldn't look back and honor the efforts of our team and what was a magical, pretty unique season. We Colorado Rockies fans are pretty spoiled in that regard, having two likable, heroic teams of destiny in three years.

Those who have read my posts know that I generally don't give a bunch of weight to the "intangibles" like chemistry, but this team really did seem to function very well as a unit (not a collection of individuals), creating a sum that was far more than its parts. Jim Tracy, if nothing else (and some would argue that this is the case), allowed the considerable young talent on this team to gel and create the best team in Rockies history (more on that tomorrow). With this patient, powerful offense, improving defense, and excellent young pitching it's clear that there's much to look forward to next year.

Rockies Fans hope to see more Rocktober baseball next year

For those who are still grieving (and there's certainly nothing wrong with that) think back on the indelible moments of 2009 (the Spilly Slam, the Barmes "catch", Seth Smith and Jason Giambi's late game heroics, and many more). One of my favorites happened Monday night when Dexter Fowler briefly turned into a superhero. In case you're ready to look at next year a little bit (and Purple Row will be doing a LOT of that over the next few weeks) here are a few articles to whet your appetite:

Analysis: With some exceptions, the Colorado Rockies appear to be in great shape for the future - The Denver Post
Troy Renck and Patrick Saunders write about the flaws and strengths of this team moving forward into 2010 and look at the offseason decisions the team faces.

In the article the DP writers reinforce the notion that both Dan O'Dowd and Jim Tracy will be back for a couple of years. Meanwhile, they expect Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe to be gone (something I've been calling for since perhaps the lowest point of May) while they think that Huston Street and Clint Barmes will be back on multi-year deals.

The Barmes debate is a pretty tired subject on the Row, but I will admit that the taste the second baseman left in my mouth was a sour one and that I believe he'd be best suited to a super-utilityman role and not a starting one. For better or worse, as long as Tracy is managing this team, Barmes will likely be starting at second base.

Renck and Saunders also opine about the bullpen and starting rotation next year as well as the catching situation. For the most part I agree with them (especially on the last point).

Rockies looking to build upon solid base - USATODAY.com
Vicki Michaelis writes a similar article outlining the major decisions the Rockies have this offseason.

Hawpe, Marquis face uncertain futures | ColoradoRockies.com: News
Thomas Harding writes in more detail about the situations the Rockies face with Hawpe and Jason Marquis, their 2009 All-Star Game representatives. My guess is that neither will be back.

Tuesday Rockpile: Thanks for a great season, Rockies

Poseidon's Fist — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:30:14 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

No, this picture had nothing to do with last night. But wouldn't you rather look at this than another picture of a dejected Huston Street. This is what I'll remember the 2009 Rockies for anyway.

Browse more photos »

I don't even know where to start. One thing is for sure though: despite the both premature and surprisingly late end to the Rocktober season last night, this 2009 Rockies team deserves to be celebrated. After the toughest game I have ever witnessed, muzia02, I, and a handful of others fought back tears to stand and applaud the Rockies as they walked off the field. They deserved it. What an incredible ride 2009 was. And my, how bright the future is. We finally got a glimpse of it last night.

As is often the case, Drew Litton depicts it better than anyone.

www.drewlitton.com

We'll be reflecting back upon this season a lot throughout the offseason, but I found myself unwilling to let go of this team last night, like I was a woman at her lover's premature funeral. I poured through the Purple Row archives, and I urge you all to remember everywhere this team has been.

The High Times:

April 27: Dexter Fowler steals 5 bases in 12-7 victory over Padres
That's two in a row after the Rockies defeated the Padres 12-7 tonight.

May 29: Torrealba and Marquis lead patient Rockies to win in Tracy's first game as Rockies manager
The Rockies used a patient approach that Clint Hurdle couldn't draw out to defeat the Padres on Friday night, winning Jim Tracy's managerial debut for the club.

June 14: Rockies Make it 11 Straight Victories: Rockies 7, Mariners 1
This one does indeed go to eleven.

June 19: Rockies Go Over .500, Win 14th of 15: Rockies 7, Pirates 3
Some said they would be happy to see the team reach .500 by the end of the season. It was just one of many milestones the team pushed past expectations.

June 20: Rockies 9, Pirates 7: DID I JUST SEE THAT?! Rockies clinch another series
The Rockies win again, this time in the most dramatic fashion of the season.

More high times, low times, and all the news that's fit to click after the jump.

June 22: Rockies 11, Angels, 1: On Brad Hawpe's birthday, Aaron Cook picks up 59th victory to become winningest Rockies pitcher
The Rockies have now won 17 of 18. Woo!

June 28: Rockies 3, A's 1: Rockies Sweep A's, Win 20th out of 23 - Purple Row
The epic streak knows no bounds.

June 30: Rockies 3, Dodgers 0: Jason Marquis (well, and Brad Hawpe). Seriously.
Rockies 3, Dodgers 0: Jason Marquis delivered arguably the best performance in franchise history for a starting pitcher.

July 12: Rockies End 1st Half in Dramatic Fashion, Defeat Braves 8-7
Rockies End 1st Half in Dramatic Fashion, Defeat Braves 8-7.

July 20: Rockies 10, Diamondbacks 6: Rockies take Wild Card lead on Whacking Day!
Rockies take the Wild Card lead!

July 22: Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 3: Todd Helton hits game-winning homer and 500th double to take two of three
Todd Helton was the man of the day for hitting his 500th double and the game-winning home run.

August 10: Troy Tulowitzki hits for the cycle in victory over Cubs
Troy Tulowitzki hit for the cycle. He is only the third player to hit for the cycle and turn an unassisted triple play.

August 17: Ringolsby: Tyler Matzek signs for $3.9 million

August 25: Rockies 6, Giants 4: Ryan Spilborghs hits walkoff grand slam in the 14th
The Rockies just won on a walkoff grand slam in the 14th. Celebrate!

September 2: Rockies 5, Mets 2: Giambino's first hit wins game for Rockies
Jason Giambi delivered with the go-ahead RBIs.

September 11: Amazing Eight! Mujica tries to bust Rockies mojo, but Yorvit Torrealba rallies Colorado to win with ninth inning double
The Colorado Rockies seven game win streak was snapped by the San Diego Padres Friday night, but the Rockies didn't lose any ground in the wild card chase.

October 1: Cook stellar as Rockies clinch playoff spot, team's patience shines through in season and game
The telling stat from the Rockies playoff clinching win on Thursday might have been the sheer volume of pitches they saw.

The Low Times:

April 25: Dodgers 6, Rockies 5: Time to Pull Your Hair Out
The Rockies lose 6-5 - again - after another poor outing by Ubaldo Jimenez.

May 16: Critique of Pure Reason: sometimes Rockies just Kant win
The Rockies were meant to lose to Pittsburgh on Saturday night, or maybe they weren't, but how could we possibly know that from our experience?

May 17: A Treatise on the Sufferings Wrought by the Rockies on Rox Girl and a Manifesto of what has to be changed.
Rox Girl has had enough.

May 25: Memorial Day Massacre: Dodgers 16, Rockies 6
The Rockies let the Dodgers win in a bloodbath, giving up seven runs in the fourth inning, eight in the seventh in a loss on Monday afternoon.

May 29: Rockies fire Clint Hurdle

June 3: Colorado Rockies lose fourth straight game: Astros 6, Rockies 4
Luckily, we know now this was literally rock bottom.

July 4: Diamondbacks 11, Rockies 7: Bullpen explodes before fireworks show
Joel Peralta blows Aaron Cook's chance at NL's 2nd best 9 wins

July 27: Fernando Tatis and Mets imply that Rockies bullpen might still need help
The Rockies lost to the Mets 7-3 on a Fernando Tatis grand slam.

July 28: Mets 4, Rockies 0: Offensive struggles doom Rox again
Mets 4, Rockies 0: Offensive struggles doom Rox again

August 30: Giants 9, Rockies 5: Bullpen hands San Francisco share of wild card lead - Purple Row
Colorado is tied for the wild card lead, but it's not so exciting how it happened this time

The Denver Post has an impressive assortment of articles by a slew of writers about last night and the entire season. My numbness and lack of time don't allow me to read everything yet, but here it is.

The Final Game of 2009

Phillies fight off Rockies 5-4 in Game 4 at Coors Field - The Denver Post
Phillies fight off Rockies 5-4 in Game 4 at Coors Field

Rockies, fans stunned in Phillies comeback - The Denver Post
John Ingold knows how to to bring on the tears. He just pulled the kid card:

"Eleven-year-old Mark Auger gazed dejectedly down at the suddenly empty baseball diamond, then took the inside-out rally cap off his head and flipped it back outside-out.

Rocktober was over."

Wild Mood Swings: Phillies 5, Rockies 4 - The Good Phight
Stomachs churned, fists pumped and voices went as the Phillies took a thrilling 5-4 win over the Rockies to close out the National League Division Series in four games.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies - Recap - October 12, 2009 - ESPN
MLB Baseball Recap: Final statistics from the Philadelphia vs. Colorado game played on October 12, 2009

Inside the Colorado Rockies " Street Suffers A Bitter Loss | Major League Baseball in Denver I love Huston Street. He absolutely must come back as the Rockies' closer next year.

Kiszla: Weight of world tough to bear for Rockies' Street - The Denver Post

NLDS Game 4: Bests and worsts - The Denver Post
NLDS Game 4: Bests and worsts

More Reflection

Armstrong: Phillies no match for Gonzalez' big bat - The Denver Post

Phillies expect to see Rockies in postseason again - The Denver Post
Phillies expect to see Rockies in postseason again

Instinct takes over as Fowler leaps into second - The Denver Post
Instinct takes over as Fowler leaps into second

Krieger: Rockies bring love to LoDo before questions for next year - The Denver Post
Krieger: Rockies bring love to LoDo before questions for next year

BtB Power Rankings: End of 2009 Season Data - Beyond the Box Score
For those sabermetrically inclined, the Rockies finished 4th in MLB in JinAZ's final season power rankings, behind the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox. Yes, there's no NL team in there.

We'll have plenty of time to banter about the future. Let's give this team the applause it deserved. It was a heck of a ride.

My Rocktober Experience/Crowd Report at NLDS Games 3 and 4...

Jabberwocky — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:34:48 -0000

Having just returned from the fourth (and unfortunately final) game of the NLDS, I feel...numb, empty, like I've been kicked in the stomach and, well, I don't know. It just sucks. Sorry that I can't put it more eloquently than that. The Rockies had a great year and I enjoyed the experience thoroughly, but the way it ended is going to leave a sour taste in my mouth for a long while.

I could write for quite some time about the actual events of the game and what went wrong in my opinion, but that would be too emotionally traumatic and draining. Instead I'll comment on the playoff atmosphere that I encountered. You see, these two games were my first ever taste of playoff baseball. Despite the results, I enjoyed the experience very much.

Game 3

Sunday was a very busy sports day in Colorado, what with the Broncos taking on the hated (by me anyway) Patriots. As soon as victory was secured my father, sister, and I headed down to Denver, where we met up with my other sister, and somehow found $10 parking at 22nd and Broadway. Those of you who had warned about this were sure right! There were numerous $40 lots even a long ways from the field. In any case, we managed to make it to Coors Field by about 7:45. Unfortunately, the lines to get in were kind of a zoo, as you can see below, and we waited 25 minutes to get in using the Rockpile gate.

As a result, by the time we got to our seats Chase Utley had just hit his home run. We were located in section 158 in the pavilion--better known as the place where the Rally Todd sign lives--and we were only three rows beneath that sign. In fact, it was later verified that we were in the shot when TBS showed the sign (sweet, I was on national TV!). But I digress.

As Poseidon's Fist noted in his recap, there weren't very many Phillies fans visible for this game and my section was remarkably well-behaved, if a little underinformed. There was a bunch of heckling the umpire about balls and strikes--which was probably pretty commonplace throughout these games--despite those complaining being 450 feet or more from home plate. When the Rockies did something well, the crowd was very enthusiastic, loud, and demonstrative:

This was taken right after Garrett Atkins' double to drive in the Rockies' third run. It was certainly cold at the game, especially as it wore on, but everyone in my group (and my section for that matter) was well-prepared for it. However, by the ninth inning the noise volume of the crowd and the frenetic towel waving had decreased a little bit as the combination of a one-run deficit and four-plus hours of chilly temperatures took its toll. Our section was still on its feet, but the enthusiasm for the moment seemed to be on a lower level at the four hour mark of the game.

On the whole though, the atmosphere for this game was absolutely electric, with more than 50,000 voices (and towels) making it very clear that this game meant something. The Rockies definitely seemed to be feeding off of the crowd in the early parts of the game, though they weren't able to secure the victory.

Notes

I called the Feliz 1-2-3 double play and CarGo's home run...immediately before they occurred
I was also horribly wrong about a number of other predictions, so don't read too much into the previous bullet point.
Bad puns my sister made up about the Rockies' center fielder: "that ball needed to be Fowler", and "he's not ambidextrous, he's ambidexterous.
The loudest the stadium got in my opinion was when Helton batted in the seventh with runners on first and third. They played the Star Wars theme and everyone went crazy. Second place goes to the Tulo chants that immediately followed the Helton at-bat, with the Betancourt strike out to end the top of the eighth coming in a close third.
Despite being 450 feet away from home plate, it sure looked like the strike zone was inconsistent. I didn't see the Utley play clearly, but it didn't look right to me in the pavilion.
The between-inning entertainment was a little weak. I was hoping for some special stuff but it was basically the same material as a regular season game.
Dinger is a stupid mascot.
Waving towels is fun. Doing it with 50,000 of your closest friends is better.

In any case, when Tulo popped out to end the game it was a pretty somber, silent, overcrowded march back to our car...and due to the late game time we didn't get back until 2 am. I barely had time to sleep, go to my classes, and be ready to return to Coors for another shot at the Phillies. Game 4 notes after the jump.

Game 4

While the game ended up similarly, the way I experienced it was a little different (unfortunately I forgot my camera for this game). The biggest difference was undoubtedly the afternoon start time (and the improved weather that went with it). This time I was going with three of my buddies and we made sure to get there earlier--we were in our seats by 3:20. This was largely due to the fact that getting in was a breeze for those arriving early. This time we paid $20 for parking because my friends were impatient, but we enjoyed the ambience of thousands of Rockies fans arriving and buzzing with anticipation.

A few things were just a little off about the Game 4 crowd though. Maybe it was the earlier start time, the warmer weather, or whatever, but the atmosphere of this game (at least until the later innings) did not match the energy and excitement that the crowd of game 3 had exhibited. There were also a few more visible Phillies fans, though they were not in my section (same spot as Game 3 but two rows forward).

I think that the Rockies' failure to put a run on the board in the first inning really took the crowd out of the game--and they weren't really into it at all until Tulo's double made it 2-1 in the sixth. There just seemed to be a negative sense that the game was going to end poorly...that is, until the bottom of the eighth. Then things went crazy.

Dexter Fowler's hurdle of Chase Utley was one of the most amazing things that I've ever seen live--and well, the crowd just came alive, with a power and vigor that matched or even eclipsed Game 3. Jason Giambi's single sent everyone into overdrive and Yorvit Torrealba's double took it up to a level that I didn't believe was possible. It was loud, it was joyful, it was one of the greatest feelings I've ever had as a Rockies fan--to have gone from the low of the previous seven innings to this remarkable level of joy so quickly was disorienting.

The pessimist/realist in me, who had been resigned to a loss, who had been holding back on my fandom and the joy of watching fall baseball, stepped aside and let down its guard, allowing me to feel euphoric. How cruel life and baseball can be.

As high as the crowd was in the bottom of the eighth and all the way through the ninth until Ryan Howard launched his double down the right-field line, that was how low it sunk. I was, to put it simply, devastated. I had felt that the lead was completely secure with Huston Street coming on to close. I was too emotionally spent to react much physically, but even as the Rockies mounted a semblance of a comeback in the bottom of the ninth myself and the crowd seemed to be in shock at what had just occurred and at the same time resigned to the fact that the season would end like that.

The egress from the game was similar to that of the previous night, but if anything it was even more silent, more somber than the previous night's. Nobody likes to lose, but the feeling I (and, I'm sure, many of those in attendance) got from this loss is one of the worst that I've even had as a sports fan. I'm so emotionally spent by it that I'm not sure how much of the playoffs that I'll be able to watch. It's going to be a LONG winter.

Notes

There was a LOT of booing in this game. Loud, sustained, echoing boos--mostly directed at the umpires. In fact, that was probably the loudest Coors got until Dexter got all Olympic on Utley.
Booing, even when you know that the call was correct or if you didn't have a good angle, sure makes you feel better.
I didn't buy any food, but my buddies got a foot-long dog, some kettle corn, and some burritos for the exorbitant stadium prices. I always bring my own food, though Coors does offer some tempting options.
Some guy in the next section over tried to start the wave while the Rockies were hitting in the seventh inning. I shouted him down.
Many snide comments were heard about Clint Barmes' lack of hitting prowess (0-14).
The weather wasn't bad at all, especially because the sun was shining on the pavilion for the first several innings. At the later stages of the game it became more of an annoyance, but it certainly didn't detract from the fans' exuberance as it did the previous night.
Waving the towels was still fun.