rox at friars 9/21 to 9/23

[indianadrew]

every game must be played as an elimination game now. there is no time left. this is where that elusive "luck" stat comes into play. i think that we are going to score early and add to it. newman the song you were refering to is lunatic by billy joel. those were the days. go rockies!!

[Newman]

I'm pumped. Got the popcorn and apple cider ready. Expecting a 3-2 ballgame in that pitcher's park. I got that playoff atmosphere swirling in my stomach. I wish they would kick the ball off and get this baby going. "Waiting is the hardest part."

[John Cocktoston]

Originally Posted by Newman

I'm pumped. Got the popcorn and apple cider ready. Expecting a 3-2 ballgame in that pitcher's park. I got that playoff atmosphere swirling in my stomach. I wish they would kick the ball off and get this baby going. "Waiting is the hardest part."

You know, for as much as we've had our disagreements, I think we're really rooting for the same thing. I've honestly doubted that at times, but then, I know that at times you've wondered whether I'm Jay Alves. You know what? I was wrong to question whether you wanted this team to win, Newman. So, for that, I apologize.

Let's go Rockies!

[BigRapidsJackass]

Let me say something completely outrageous and stupid:

Am I the only one who sees a bit of Johan Santana in Franklin Morales?

I'm getting pretty pumped about next year the way Jimenez and Morales seem to be "getting it."

And you know what else I've been thinking? They won't have the guts to do it, but does anyone else think that there's a guy with a power sinker and good control who might just be another good #2 type starter? His name is Manny Corpas.

EDIT: 17 consecutive scoreless innings for Morales.

EDIT 2: Let me go on the record in support of Clint's decision to send Morales out for the 7th.

[DieHardRoxFan]

I don't support his decision to go to Hawkins there. I'm hoping it works.

[Newman]

1-0 in the ninth! Holliday grounds out. It would be nice to get an insurance run here. Helton is up. Can we bring home the bacon?

[BigRapidsJackass]

The Padres decide to do us a big favor by holding back Hoffman (if the Rox manage to score we'll never see him) in favor of Doug Brocail.

Who said Hurdle is the only manager who doesn't seem to get it?

[John Cocktoston]

hawpe!

[hiaspire]

Go Hawpe! Let's put this one back in the W column and deflate those Padres.

Originally Posted by BigRapidsJackass

The Padres decide to do us a big favor by holding back Hoffman (if the Rox manage to score we'll never see him) in favor of Doug Brocail.

Who said Hurdle is the only manager who doesn't seem to get it?

As I say, there isn't much difference between managers across the league outside of the true elites for all the complaining it generates. Most every complaint could be said about some other team in any given night.

Speaking generally, I personally think the fans second-guessing managers all the time don't always seem to get it either. Hurdle-haters should get that this team CAN compete with him now with legitimate talent, and that he's not all that different from other traditional managers for all the constant grief he gets on an improved team challenging for the playoffs with a front office that does little to help them along the way. This is a team that keeps getting better and never gives up, for as horrible as the leadership has been labeled.

Clearly there is some difference between SABR-ish philosophies and traditionalists on the field going by a completely different book, and there probably always will be. It's often a different way of looking at the game in terms of managers on the field trying to set up a strategy based upon teamwork and how they want things to play out, and stat guys often reducing teamwork/strategic elements numerically by focusing on the isolated individual. Both books are quite different but with their own reasonable conclusions from different perspectives.

[GerryInCS]

The way Hurdle has gone through the bullpen tonite, Redman and Dessens will have to pick up the load tomorrow all by thier lonesomes and hope that we score 8 or 9 runs in pitcher friendly Petco.

[hiaspire]

Originally Posted by GerryInCS

The way Hurdle has gone through the bullpen tonite, Redman and Dessens will have to pick up the load tomorrow all by thier lonesomes and hope that we score 8 or 9 runs in pitcher friendly Petco.

That was a lot of innings tonight, though. Most of the Padres best setup men went two innings tonight and that'll be an issue for them too.

This is as good as it has been for the Rockies in more than a decade. Let's get excited about that! This team could make the playoffs and the topic of conversation would still be listing Hurdle mistakes and why that makes us so mad, even if the guy across the dugout did the same things. It's a big win! Go Rox! Not everyone is a believer yet, but the players sure have been.

[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!

[BigRapidsJackass]

No criticism from me on how Hurdle handled the bullpen. Every game is a must win. He got 1.1 IP out of Fuentes and 2 out of Corpas. He didn't go to someone like Bautista or Serafini, which is exactly what he would've done a couple weeks ago. He's now managing with that sense of urgency I've been talking about. He may have gotten a little doubleswitch happy to night, but I can't criticize him. He's finally doing the things I've been demanding of him for the last couple years. Heck, he had Fuentes up in the 6th inning tonight.

Frazier thought Hoffman was hurting. That must be the explanation because I simply can't understand why you wouldn't use him tonight.

TEAM OF DESTINY!

[True believers, I expect to see you at Coors tomorrow lining up for playoff tix.]

[hiaspire]

Originally Posted by BigRapidsJackass

He's now managing with that sense of urgency I've been talking about. He may have gotten a little doubleswitch happy to night, but I can't criticize him. He's finally doing the things I've been demanding of him for the last couple years.

For the last couple of years, though, they've been a young team in last place just looking to improve with not the same requirement for that all-out urgency as September playoff chase games will create.

It isn't about Hurdle so much as it is the situations. When they are playing for their playoff lives in late September, he does many of those urgent things as you describe. They just didn't act like there is no tomorrow when that wasn't the case in reality and they actually were just trying to improve for this eventual tomorrow down the road with a young team. Things are different now. Have no table-setters and a AAA offense, and he'll play more of a team game moving runners over if they can't do it for themselves as much individually. Get a better offense and improved tablesetters, and there is a lot less of that.

It's situational and appropriate adjustments made as circumstances change.

[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.