Coors Field Player

Gangs of Eight
By Head Bum

The meat and potatoes of a baseball team is the everyday line up. These 'eight' regulars play 162 games in six grueling months. Starting in a rainy, sometimes snowy April springtime thru the hot, dog days of July and August into the cool fall nights of September and, if they are good enough, into the sporadic winter of October. It's these 'eight' that are brought together by the dictators high up in their stadium perches through years of development, trades and free agent signings that entire regional communities come to know. These fans watch, read, anguish and cheer them on until twenty-nine of those gangs of 'eight' are slowly eliminated. Through the long season only one group is crowned World Series Champions. Only one community gets to strut around all winter long with their newly printed tee-shirts and ill fitting, mass produced caps. All the other groups of fans and all the other teams look at the champions with envy. They moan on about what changes need to be done here or there. They clamor for action and cry about contracts to be awarded for players who didn't give them a title.

Winter is a time to think, to analyze the questions yet unanswered. A time to look into the near future when February comes and the boys of summer start to repack their bats, gloves and cleats for the trip to warmer climates. But winter is also the time to assemble and reassemble the 'eight'. The new group could just be the old group, but with a zero and zero record. A clean slate.

The 'twenty-nine' peek at the one champion and compare. They might look within the league and then into the division. Comparing. Watching the others. Hoping a star player turns his head towards them and smiles. Whispers grow into speculation aloud after news reports confirm the current star in the spotlight has a possible desire for entry into their beloved gang of 'eight'. The community breaths in as one.

Does he like us?

Money. Handouts. Headlines in the morning.

Is it enough?

Time. Years of service.

For how long?

Anguish again and again for most of the 'twenty-nine'. He likes us, but he likes money better. Let him join another 'eight'. We don't need him anyhow. Printed up in the morning paper, the group watches as the star smiles and yak's it up for another member of the 'twenty-nine' on ESPN.

And this is how the Rocky Mountain community feels. Neglected, forgotten and casted off as wanna-bees. Buzzing around the outer edges of the party but finding no flower to land on. Only once in thirteen winters has a star of another's 'eight' turn his smile and charm on the land purple and black. One time, long ago, Larry Walker signed on the dotted line. Never has another turned his magical talents in our direction leaving the Gebhards and the O'Dowd's to cut and paste the next years 'eight' from the pieces left over on the cheap by others or from within the ranks.

This winter the Rockies are yet again building the everyday lineup from within. They had been hoping to add a centerfielder and a catcher but were shot down in most circumstances. Yes, they did trade for a catcher in Yorvit Torrealba but he is just another body that had already been thrown away by two other teams.

The Rockies gang of 'eight' for 2006:

C...Danny Ardoin
1B..Todd Helton
2B..Luis Gonzalez
3B..Garrett Atkins
SS..Clint Barmes
LF..Matt Holliday
CF..Cory Sullivan
RF..Brad Hawpe

Sullivan and Barmes provide some speed at the top of the lineup, however, that is about it... and it's not saying much when you consider that if one of them steals 25 bases for the year, then this writer will be surprised. It's true that both players put their best efforts out there everyday. They might even be the ideal young, hard working players each team desires, however, they just don't have the top end talent needed to get this franchise to the ultimate level.

If Barmes has any chance to have a long big-league career, then he needs to be much better defensively. If that part of his game came around, then his hitting will probably allow him to stay in the majors, albeit much farther down in the order. Enjoy him while he is here for it might not be a long stay.

Unlike Barmes, Sully has the defensive skills to stay in Denver. He has both good range and a nice arm. Both are a must for a team that plays 81 games in Coors. It's his hitting that needs to improve. He has a nice left-handed swing and can drive the ball to the opposite field with a little power. However, Sullivan can only do this on mistake pitches in the middle of the hitting zone. If a pitcher is able to locate in and away, then Sullivan's inexperience just jumps out at you as he weakly grounds out or pops up time and time again. These basic reasons are why this Head has to stamp Sullivan's ticket as a career 4th outfielder.

The three hole is manned by Todd Helton. Generally the best hitter on the team is fitted into this crucial spot in the order and Helton may be going all the way to Cooperstown hitting third for the Rockies. Defensively, Helton is also top notch.

The cleanup spot is reserved for the power guy. A free swinger that can change the game around with one whack. Currently, it looks like Matt Holliday is going to be placed here based on his final month or two of the 2005 season. This writer thinks Holliday would be much better suited in the 5th hole but as it stands now, the Rox have no other candidates unless you move Helton in there. That could happen if Garrett Atkins growth as a big-league hitter continues, which moves the radar blip beeping brightly over him. Indeed, Atkins is this writers key to the everyday 'eight' for the Colorado Rockies. No other Rockie hitter, other than Helton, has the ability to really explode onto the baseball scene like Atkins has. His swing from the right side is technically perfect. He can drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark. He can take the outside pitch to right-field and smash the inside pitch down the line in left. His approach at the plate will translate into a plus .300 hitter for many years to come. At this time, Atkins could be slotted into the number two, three and the 5th spot in the order. In fact, this author can easily see a scenario where he finds himself in the third slot while Helton is moved down to cleanup.

Defensively, Atkins is steady if not spectacular. He has a strong arm and above average range. Holliday will never be mistaken for a Golden Glove candidate, but he'll get better just through experience and athletic ability.

Another wild card might be right-fielder Brad Hawpe. Right now, he'll probably be hitting 6th or seventh depending on how hot Luis Gonzalez is as the second baseman. It's also possible he could hit 5th against tough righties when Atkins or Holliday are struggling. Hawpe also has one of those nice left-handed power swings that should be coddled and nurtured. Defensively, his arm is as strong as there is in the game. His range is average but should get better with experience.

Gonzalez is destined to be a streak hitter. When he is going good, Hurdle will probably move him up to the top of the order somewhere. When things aren't going his way, then he'll find himself in the seventh or eighth hole. Defensively, Gonzalez is surprisingly good both in range and arm strength. It's quite possible that he could turn into a very good major league second-baseman, however, whether or not he gets that chance depends on how well the prospects pan out in the minors. The simple fact of the matter is that the Rox have some high middle-infield draft choices that will be knocking on the door to Denver soon. Gonzalez needs to continue his growth in order to keep his spot in the line up... as should be the case.

The 8th spot in the order for teams in NL is much more important than you might think. Many times you will see these hitters take a lot of pitches. They do this is in order to get the pitcher up in that inning rather than leading off in the next. This simple concept is incredibly important because you aren't giving up outs to start an inning off. This spot will most likely come from a multitude of candidates... including the catcher.

The Rockies catcher will come from a gang of players who don't really inspire much imagination to write about. Each of the Rockie backstoppers currently on the payroll are all throw away's. Danny Ardoin and Yovit Torrealba are decent defensive players who can't hit much. Only JD Closser has the ability to hit but his problem would be what the other two have... defense. If one could morph all three together, then you'd have a nice catcher but as it stands now, none are worth much ink. This inkless catcher, whomever it may be, will probably hit 7th or 8th depending on how Hurdle is seeing their progress at the plate. Closser may have a better shot at hitting 7th than the other two.

So there's your gang of 'eight' for 2006. This group will be better than the one that roamed Coors in 2005... but how much? Will the other 'twenty-nine' communities look to the Rockies with envy? Probably not but the front office isn't looking for a championship yet... and neither are the fans. They both are instead searching for a significant improvement record wise. With the contracts of both O'Dowd and Hurdle coming to a end after 2006, then you can bet they both are hoping for the same thing.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
By
RC

While reading this report you will notice that for the most part hitters almost never fair as well away from the friendly confines of Coors Field while the pitchers who leave definitely improve their lot in life. In fact there are very few examples of a pitcher who does not improve and in fact become infinitely better once they escape Coors. We also admit we are likely to have missed a few players, but it is hard to catch them all as there are so many of them.

Boston Red Sox:

Julian Tavarez and Dustan Mohr have clearly improved their lot in life and now have a legitimate shot at a World Series ring. Julian has been with the Cubs, Pirates, Cardinals and now the Red Sox. He has gone 32-31 since he left the Rockies. In spite of his success it is difficult to second guess getting rid of either of these two players.

New York Yankees:

Two very good Rockies have definitely improved their lot in life and one of them is Shawn Chacon. Further, can you imagine how good the Rockies bull pen would be with Mike Myers? Not much needs to be said about the debacle of the Chacon trade. It was possibly the worst trade in Rockies history. The Rockies staff would be immeasurably better with Mr. Chacon still on it.

Toronto Blue Jays:

Justin Speier had a little run with the Rockies and didn't do much. He is now having a little better success with the Blue Jays. He seems to have slightly improved his lot in life. The Rockies did not hurt themselves with this trade.

Chicago White Sox:

Juan Uribe is now having a great career and wearing a World Series ring. He was once a future sure fire star short stop who didn't really pan out with the Rockies. He is off to a great start this year. At the time of the trade he had an attitude problems no one thought getting rid of him was a bad idea.

Cleveland Indians:

Todd Hollandsworth was a bit of a disappointment with the Rockies. This guy had a good run with the Rockies, but he battled injuries and his career has never really panned out. He has been with the Marlins, Cubs and Braves and he has been strictly a bench / role player. We wish him the best of luck in Cleveland as he always seemed like a good team player.

Kansas City Royals:

Scott Elarton did very little as a Rockie and he has done very little elsewhere. He once had a great deal of promise but severe injuries have made his prospects for greatness very dim in deed. We wish him the best of luck and hope he can get it figured out.

Oakland Athletics:

Joe Kennedy never panned out in Colorado and he is now a reliever with the A's. This year he has pitched 8 innings and has an ERA of 0.00 with no saves. Jay Payton is another ex-Rockie who had one very good season here. He hit .302, with 89 RBI and 28 Homers. He went the Padres then Red Sox and he is now with the Athletics. His numbers since leaving Colorado have never come close to what he had in Denver. He has been a .263 hitter since leaving Denver and hits one homer every 50 ab's. He is playing close to full time this year and is off to a very slow start in Oakland, hitting only .179 with only two RBI.

Atlanta Braves:

The Braves have one of the most famous and dubious ex Rockies in the form of Mike Hampton. Mr. Hampton was great pitcher and athlete who in his two years here, failed miserably and wrecked his arm. In two years with the Rockies he was 21-28. In three years with the Braves he has been 32-30, which makes him an average pitcher and he has struggled with arm problems. He is now scheduled to have the Tommy John surgery and will miss all of 2006. Coors Field wrecked this guy and we hope he can get back to his premium level in 2007.

Jon Thomson is another pitcher that the Rockies let get away. This year he has pitched 20 innings and has an anemic ERA of 1.31 with no decisions. This guy has talent and for one reason or the other it never quite manifested itself in Denver.

Washington Nationals:

The all time winningest Rockies pitcher, Pedro Astacio is on this team. He was 53-48 prior to his leaving Denver and he has had one decent year with the Mets and since then he was won about seven games and his career is essentially over. The Rockies got rid of this pitcher at the right time and it coincided about the time that he made news for beating his wife. Royce Clayton had a nice season with the Rockies hitting .279 in 549 ab's and he has continued to maintain those numbers since he left.

Florida Marlins:

We liked Preston Wilson and we were sad to see him go. He had a very good 2003 season for the Rockies and he has done nothing to speak of since. He is playing full time for the Astros who will compete to win the division. Mr. Wilson has four homers already but is batting .212. We wish him the best of luck and hope he can be successful in Houston.

St. Louis Cardinals:

Aaron Miles may be the 2nd basemen that we miss. He put together, two pretty good seasons with the Rockies and hit about .288 over two years. He is off to a good start with the Cards and is batting .302 after 43 at bats.

Cincinnati Reds:

Quintan McCracken had two good years with the Rockies and hit .291 and contributed. He followed up with a good year with the Devil Rays and a good 2002 with the Diamondbacks. After that his career has been spotty and he is off to a bad start with the Reds. Tony Womack played 21 games with the Rockies and did nothing with the team; he is also off to a slow start with the Reds.

Chicago Cubs:

Henry Blanco is a below average catcher who can't hit a lick. He hit .232 in Colorado one year and his career average is less that that. He splits time with the other Cubs catcher and has managed to fashion a lengthy career because he has decent defensive skills. Before Juan Uribe there was Neifi Perez who at one time was close to being shortstop for life. He has hit about the same as he did in Denver and never really has shown the skills required to reach the next "level". The Rockies were right to move on and go with Mr. Uribe. Todd Walker was the best 2nd basemen the Rockies ever had and it was a bad decision to get rid of him. The have never come close to having a 2nd basemen of his caliber. He was a .300 hitter and still is. He could have hit 25 homers a year here at Coors. He is off to a torrid start this year and is hitting .385 and has 12 RBI.

The Cubs also have the most famous ex-Rockie of them all, Juan Pierre, the 8th wonder of the World and former World Series MVP. We've spent time discussing this media oddity in the past and won�t waste too much time discussing the most over rated player in baseball. We note that he is putting up his normal numbers. Batting .280, a whopping two RBI, seven stolen bases. He has scored 14 runs but his abysmal RBI totals and weak center field arm will make those runs scored seem worthless. What is amazing about this guy is he has 1061 virtually worthless hits in his career. He is only 29. It is not impossible that he could get 3,000 hits and steal 500 bases and make the Hall of Fame and at the same time been one of the least intimidating players in major league baseball history. As we always do, we salute Mr. Pierre, he is truly one of Baseballs decent and good people and we hope continues his long illustrious career.

Milwaukee Brewers:

Jeff Cirillo had two good seasons with the Rockies and they have not yet really replaced him. Though, we believe that Atkins will ultimately fill the bill. Cirillo hit about .320 with the Rockies and averaged 100 RBI per years and scored about 90 runs per year. He was also a very good defensive player. He has not hit over .249 since he left Colorado and in fact has had some anemic numbers. This year he is off to decent start.

Pittsburgh Pirates:

Jeremy Burnitz had a wonderful 2004 season here in Denver and he was a net positive for the team. He did not come close to putting up those same kind of numbers with the Cubs and he will not do it with the Pirates.

San Francisco Giants:

Without question, Jamie Wright is a better pitcher than Josh Fogg and Zach Day (who was recently cut by the Rockies). It was not wise to have gotten rid of him. He got little in the way of run support last year. He was not the worst pitcher on the staff. He is now 2-0 with an ERA of 2.91. He is a good pitcher and decent person and I hope he has a successful season.

Arizona Diamondbacks:

Craig Counsel is an interesting ex-Rockie and he is a better 2nd baseman than this team has ever had. He came up through the Rockies system and sniffed the big leagues with the Rockies and was then traded. He has now won rings with the Marlins and Diamondbacks. On the whole he is an average to above average 2nd baseman who has managed to string together a successful career after having left the Rockies.

San Diego Padres:

This team has two of the most popular Rockies ever. Vinny Castilla was the best third basemen the team ever had and was part of the Blake Street Bombers. One day when he retires and if the Rockies ever have a ring of fame I hope that he will be on it. He will forever be remembered as a Rockie and nothing else. He had seven great seasons with the team and returned in 2004 to do it again and the Rockies promptly got rid of him to groom Atkins whom we hope can fill the bill. Unfortunately, Mr. Castilla has never had the kind of numbers outside of Denver that he had at Coors field. He makes his home in Denver and we wish him the best of luck in everything he does.

Eric Young was another extremely popular Rockie and his career flourished at Coors Field. He stole bases and was pretty fair defensive player. He is almost the only offensive player who has gone on to put together offensive numbers that are similar to what he put up at Coors Field. He is off to a slow start and we hope he has a good season except for when he plays against the Rockies.

The Managers:

Joe Girardi might have been the Rockies best defensive catcher, we note that Brent Mayne (retired after 2004 season) was the best hitting catcher the Rockies ever had. Mr. Girardi had a nice three year run here and was part of the '95 playoff team. He went on the win three World Series rings with the Yankees. He had a very good career. He was a bench coach with Yankees for one year and he now the Marlins manager. He left a bad taste in my mouth during the strike as he was a strike leader and practically spit on the fans during the strike. I don't have any real warm and fuzzies for this ex-Rockie.

Buddy Bell had a brief stay with the Rockies. In 2000 he guided the Rockies to the their last winning season of 82-80. In 2001 they went 73-89 and after a 6-16 start he was fired in favor of Clint Hurdle. He is now in his 2nd season with the woeful Royals, a team that has no shot at winning. In another article we've detailed the problems with the Royals ownership and why that team will never win.

Jim Leyland had a brief run with the Rockies in 1999 going 72-90. He is a bit of a "star" manager who failed miserably and went into retirement. He is now back in business with the Tigers.

Don Baylor coached six seasons with the Rockies and went 440 wins with 469 losses and a winning percentage of .484. He guided the young team to the playoff in 1995 and won manager of the year. Clint Hurdle will have to work some to surpass Don Baylor as the all time best Rockies Manager. It looks like this great hitter and very good manager has retired from baseball after a two year stint managing the Cubs.

Retired Rockies:

We would like to comment on the greatest ex Rockies of all that include: Andres Gallaraga, Dante Bichette and Larry Walker. If there is ever a ring of fame then these three must be the first members.

Larry Walker has retired and is thought to be a batting coach somewhere in the Cardinal organization. Mr. Walker was a phenomenal hitter and outfielder and a true five tool player. We wish him the best of luck in retirement.

Mr. Bichette had a great career as a Rockie, he hit 224 homers and had about 800 RBI. The man played hard and he could be counted on to get the big RBIs and he made four all-star teams with the Rockies. In August 2004, Bichette rejoined professional baseball as a pitcher and first baseman for the Atlantic League's Nashua Pride. It took little time for Bichette to play back into form as he won the Atlantic League's Player of the Month award for August (his first full month back). He completed the month with a .361 average and 13 homers. His best game was on August 28th when he batted 4-for-5 with two homeruns, eight RBIs and his first professional save. He has passed on his baseball genes to his son. In August 2005, Bichette's son Dante Bichette, Jr. participated in the Little League World Series with his Maitland, Florida team. Bichette has also appeared in the foosball world championships. He will always be remembered fondly in this town.

In five seasons, Andres Galarraga hit 172 homers and in one year he hit a staggering 150 RBI. There can be no question that this is the most popular Rockie of them all. Contrary to most hitters he then went on to hit 44 homers with Atlanta in one season. He retired in 2001 due to cancer and beat back the cancer. He finally retired for good after a failed comeback attempt with the Mets. His power was truly extraordinary and who could forget his 523' home run in Miami. During his come back season he hit .302 with 28 HR and 100 RBI defying all odds and everyone's expectations. We don't know what Mr. Galaragga is up to now but we suspect it is all good and we wish him the best of luck.

We will close by reminding every one about why the Rockies no longer sign free agent pitchers. Daryl Kile came to the Rockies in 1998 as the potential saving grace of the Rockies. In two years he went 21 - 30 and left to go St. Louis where he quickly returned to his winning ways. This was a truly classy man who took the ball every turn and pitched as hard as he could. He was a superstar who never complained or whined. He was always upbeat during his brutal stay in Colorado. Mr. Kile had a nasty curve ball that would not work in Colorado and he got worn out. His second season was worse than the first. On June 22, 2002 Mr. Kile was found dead in his hotel room prior to his team's game with the Cubs. It is thought that he had some kind of heart problem. He was only 33 and he had four or five more good years left in him. The Rockies may never sign another free agent pitcher, but if they do, I hope they sign someone of Mr. Kile's caliber. May he rest in peace.