rox at friars 9/21 to 9/23

[hiaspire]

Originally Posted by DieHardRoxFan

Frazier had a criticism about taking Holliday out in a double switch which was legit. Hurdle handeled the bullpen well tonight in a must win game. Great well played game on both sides and the result was terrific.

I think that was Atkins, but that's something that shouldn't be terribly criticized I don't think. The alternative was not optimizing your chances in that situation to go for it there. It was that sense of urgency and taking advantage of an opportunity again that people say the want him to do more, as done there.

[TheIncredibleRox]

WOW. I was a nervous wreck for most of the game. The last 5 innings or so I was just a madman.

Peavy had no-hitter stuff tonight. I mean really. I think we sorta did ourselves a favor by striking out so much-- it kind of jacked up his pitchcount.

Morales; pure stuff and guts. This kid kicked it into the next gear tonight. Thats a big deal; as I think BRJ said, he gets it. 21 years old, hasn't been with the big club for very long. Knows his only chance to get his club a vistory is to go frame-for-frame with Cy Young 2007. And he beats him. This kid can be special. As for the Johan comparison, BRJ... there's one big difference; he may have Johan's stuff, but he's miles away from Johan's command.

In all honesty, when I saw the homerun come off Hawpe's bat, I cursed, hung my head, and nearly kicked my friends dog. I thought it was a lazy fly to center, and I knew Matt Herges can only hold the dam so long, with precious little backing him. When I saw that it had a chance, and then watched it go over.... pure joy.

Best baseball game I've watched in five years, easily.

[TheIncredibleRox]

By the way... the Dodgers have now dropped 6 straight. Does anybody else feel like that happened in the blink of an eye?

[GerryInCS]

Originally Posted by John Cocktoston

Gerry, give it a rest! It's all hands on deck from here on out. You don't have the luxury of lining up your ****ing bullpen for tomorrow!

Earlier today you were lamenting that they couldn't win the game tonight against Peavy and only had a shot at winning the game Francis started.

Well guess what? Last time they played the Padres they took 2 of 3 including one game in which Josh Fogg out-pitched Chris Young and another in which they used 10 pitchers in a 9 inning game. The game they lost? An 8 inning, 2 run gem by Francis.

How many times do you need to be wrong in a 24 hour period to realize that that's why they play the games? Jesus H. Christ!

How many times do you have to show the rest of the world that you are a jerk.

[John Cocktoston]

I actually logged in this morning to edit that. I realize it was over the top, but the fact that you tried to take a shot at Hurdle for bullpen management last night was just absurd.

Here's what I should have written: "Gerry, it's all hands on deck at this point. They had to win last night for tonight to even matter. Now they have to win tonight for tomorrow to matter. They can line up the bullpen if and when they get into the postseason."

Jerk? Maybe, yeah. Sorry.

Wrong? Absolutely not, Gerry.

[indianadrew]

clay helmsley is gone for the season

[indianadrew]

Tell me how you "feel" after Jake Peavy crushes Franklin tonite. He wins all his games, doesn't he, like a Cy Young award winner should

feelin groovy newman... feeling groovy.

[Roxpert]

Look at all the enthusiastic comments here on this thread late last night and early this morning. I must be older than the rest of you since I went to bed before the game was over. But I did watch it from bed in between cat-naps, and must say that what happened last night is what happens with good teams that know a particular game is a must-win.

The key play in extra innings was that backhand snag of a Brian Giles line drive by Tulowitzki. If that shot gets by him, it's game over, and most likely season over. Instead, the game continued and we went on to live another day. Tulo has been so clutch on both sides of the ball this year, I can't imagine how good he will be by the time he's 27.

And, YES, Clint Hurdle managed his bullpen last night in a manner that winning managers should, getting a combined 3 1/3 innings from Corpas and Fuentes, his two best. Winning managers, though, should manage with that sense of urgency THROUGHOUT the season, and not just in "September elimination" games (though technically I realize they are still alive had they lost last night). Every night, Hurdle should manage as if that game is the critical "must-win" game........even in April, only respecting the need to give key players and pitchers the rest they need, when needed.

In other words, Hurdle "gives away" too many games by managing like a robot throughout most of the season, using his "8th inning guy" only in the 8th, or "9th inning guy" only in the 9th. Now, he doesn't have the luxury of managing that way, and it's to the benefit of the team.

[Newman]

Pert, can't you stop pounding on Clint. We won! Enjoy it.

OK, one small complaint about Hurdle. Me too. Don't have a box score in front of me but couldn't Fuentes have pitched to one more batter in the 9th, the lefty on lefty matchup, against their main man Adrian Gonzalez? Instead Corpas comes in, gives up the bomb, and I have to go to bed and miss the Hawpe homer.

I tend to agree with Gerry on the jerk comment, because of previous batterings from Cocktoston. I don't know why right wing conservatives are soooooooooooo emotional. Why don't they edit themselves BEFORE they make their jerky comments?

Hurdle can be questioned. Petraeus can be questioned. They are human. They make mistakes. Hurdle should have left Fuentes in for one more batter!

[wolf213]

Originally Posted by Newman

I don't know why right wing conservatives are soooooooooooo emotional. Why don't they edit themselves BEFORE they make their jerky comments?

Newman, can we stop with the Political Jabs at every corner? There are jerks on both sides of the political spectrum (Churchill anyone?) I highly doubt that JC being a Right wing conservative (if he really is one) has anything to do with his emotions. This is a baseball site, we all know Bush sucks, I'm tired of hearing it, nothing you do will change the fact that he is president, and that he sucks, so stop *****ing, because it doesn't do any good.


Great win last night. Have to say playoffs are a long shot, but with how this team has played over the past 6 games... I honestly feel we have a legit shot.

[Roxpert]

Originally Posted by wolf213

Great win last night. Have to say playoffs are a long shot, but with how this team has played over the past 6 games... I honestly feel we have a legit shot.

We have indeed played very well down the stretch in the past week and can hold our heads high, but I highly doubt we have a legit shot.

Even if we sweep the Friars, we are still 1 1/2 games behind them, and no better than tied with the Phillies for 2nd in the wild card race. With 6 games to go after that, three in LA and three at home against AZ, we'd virtually have to win out to secure a playoff spot, or at least go 5-1 to have a chance. 4-2 would probably not be good enough.

In other words, if the Rockies win all their remaining games, they are in the postseason. Ending the season with a 14 game winning streak SHOULD get your team into the playoffs.

I don't think we have a legit shot of that. Do you?

[wolf213]

Originally Posted by Roxpert

We have indeed played very well down the stretch in the past week and can hold our heads high, but I highly doubt we have a legit shot.

Even if we sweep the Friars, we are still 1 1/2 games behind them, and no better than tied with the Phillies for 2nd in the wild card race. With 6 games to go after that, three in LA and three at home against AZ, we'd virtually have to win out to secure a playoff spot, or at least go 5-1 to have a chance. 4-2 would probably not be good enough.

In other words, if the Rockies win all their remaining games, they are in the postseason. Ending the season with a 14 game winning streak SHOULD get your team into the playoffs.

I don't think we have a legit shot of that. Do you?

Realistically probably not, however this team refuses to loose. I am encouraged by the teams play, and I honestly can say if it where to happen, I wouldn't be too shocked either.

[hiaspire]

Every night, Hurdle should manage as if that game is the critical "must-win" game........even in April

Said the world's fastest 100M sprinter who finished dead last in the marathon.

NO MANAGER treats April games as "must-win", and especially not managers who face a long season in the place most detrimental to bullpen health in the game. We've had managers before who blew guys out and possibly ruined careers, which some would probably welcome instead but I prefer to PRAISE the legitimate improvments made here instead of constantly gripe even in the face of excitement not seen around these parts in years. I have no idea why some people even watch this team unless they just enjoy complaining about them even in wins. I get being unhappy about losing, as I was unhappy about the losing for years and hoping for something better. But they are winning now, and things are much improved from how they used to be for years.

Losses are a chance to throw blame parties. There will be dancing in the streets if the team is eliminated it seems. Then we can congratulate ourselves for putting the fork in them months ago, or even before the season started. Yipee! At least the coaching staff and players didn't take the advise here to throw in the towel early due to intellectual reasoning about their calculated chances.

This coaching staff deserves more credit than the stubborn I-know-I-said-we-could-never-win-with-Hurdle-and-I'm-sticking-to-it-despite-the-standings crowd will give them for a job well done. Hopefully the objective people around baseball without that same history of past frustration will recognize the improvements now, even if many here choose to focus on the dark side through our new ray of light.

[indianadrew]

"This coaching staff deserves more credit than the stubborn I-know-I-said-we-could-never-win-with-Hurdle-and-I'm-sticking-to-it-despite-the-standings crowd will give them for a job well done. Hopefully the objective people around baseball without that same history of past frustration will recognize the improvements now, even if many here choose to focus on the dark side through our new ray of light"

well said hiaspire. i feel the same way. now is the time that somebody will surely call you an apologist of some sort. GO ROCKIES

[Roxpert]

There seem to be some fans, Drew, who have more interest in criticizing OTHER fans than in criticizing a team's players, coaches, front office, or owners. This forum, like many other team forums, divides along the lines of those who focus on the team's issues of concern, and others who will relentlessly obsess over what they perceive as unfair opinions by those fans.

I prefer to be a critical thinker when it comes to Rockies players, coaches, front office, and owners. In this hot stretch, I give the players the lion's share of the credit, and believe also that Hurdle has done his best job of managing the past few weeks of his career as Rockies manager. He is still a below-average manager in my book overall, but I already wrote that he deserves a measure of respect for this season. As to the owners, let's see what they do this offseason with the payroll before saying whether they will be helpful in keeping this thing going.