Beautiful Day


Joe%20Koshansky.jpg                After five long months without a baseball game that counted for something, five long months with nothing but the boring NBA and one day a week, the NFL, I had hope for today. 

 

I had the feeling two minutes after I woke up, that today was different from the rest of the winter.  U2’s “Beautiful Day” was my selected song for the day in my head, and it did not fit April 1st, 2009 very well for me.

 

I last had this feeling on the afternoon of March 2nd, when the air turned from a winter- feeling to a warm, summer-like feel.  It’s a hard feeling to explain, but you can just smell, sense, when it is time for summer, and baseball. 

 

There were many reasons for a similar intervention today:  The first day of the first month of the baseball season, I was to be lifted of the burden that came with a six-week project, the test I will take today to become an umpire, the end of Spring Training, and that deep, gut feel.  I was more hoping for the greatest day of my life, though it still could happen, but I was wrong.  I hoped for a great epiphany, but I have not received one yet, and maybe some more news on the Rockies, but baseball has done nothing so far today.  It also started to snow, so there goes my instict.  So, with nothing new from baseball to blog about, and the dumping of Joe Koshansky making me not want to continue my Position Breakdowns, I will have to just leave you with that. 

 

Greg Smith Out, Morales Claims Spot in Rotation

Greg Smith left yesterday’s game with a “dead arm” which he got crushed by Oakland with.  He had the injury last year, and the team says he will most likely not start in the rotation.  More importantly, this gives Franklin Morales a spot, probably the 5th, since Clint Hurdle said, “If we go with five (starters), he’ll (Morales) will be in the mix.”  I’m excited because Morales has a lot more upside, and now he will have a chance to become a full-time Major League starter.  I, and other Rockies fans, cannot wait to see what he does with a full season after what he has showed in the minors and in 2007.  Right now, the rotation goes Cook, Jimenez, De La Rosa, Marquis and Morales, unless Clint Hurdle goes with four guys, which he said is a possibility until April 21st. 
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Position Breakdowns: Catcher

With just seven days to go before spring training, I am unveiling my 2009 Position Breakdowns for the Colorado Rockies, talking about who will start this year, the status of the backup(s), the future of the position and the lineup for this year.  I will be talking a lot about the future of the position for the club, since the team is mostly rebuilding, the future is more important than this year for this club.  I’ll also be pretending like I am the manager, talking about where each player might play in the next couple years and possible trades, so here are the eight positions for the Rockies, then the bullpen and rotation breakdown sometime near Opening Day.

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The Starter: Chris Iannetta, age 26.
The Backup: Yorvit Torrealbla, age 30.
   Backup Status: Ready to take job.
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The Situation:  Chris Iannetta has a very good chance at playing a lot as the Rockies have given him the role as the future catcher for 2009 and beyond.  The only thing standing in the way of Chris playing 150 games is Yorvit’s ability to help the pitchers, and Clint Hurdle will use that to his advantage when breaking in Franklin Morales and Ubaldo Jimenez. 
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The Future: Chris Iannetta is the team’s long-term solution at catcher after few years of constant changing of the player behind the plate.  The Rockies also have a Plan B,  20-year old power threat Wilin Rosario, one of the team’s best prospects who is also a great defensive player. 

The Trading Block:  None of the catchers seem to be good trade chips now, but if Iannetta can settle into the catcher’s role, Yorvit might be traded to a contender for anyone willing to give up a strarter, or a reliever if the two young bullpen pitchers faulter. 

Realistic Expectations from Catchers:  I don’t like to make up too many numbers, but I think 25 homeruns is very possible.  Another thing needed from the position is a good season from Ubaldo Jimenez and one from Franklin Morales. 

The Key: The catchers really need to focus on helping the team rebuild, most importantely by helping the young pitchers learn how to pitch in the major leagues for when all the young stars emerge from the minors during the next decade.

Not Quite a Mile High

Welcome to my new blog, which, based on the title, will concentrate mostly on the Colorado Rockies, the only team close to one mile above sea level in the majors.  The Rockies are usually referred to as the “Mile-High Team”, or a similar nickname, but I titled this blog more accurately “Not Quite a Mile High.”  The Rockies play close to 100 feet below 5,280 feet above sea level, and my perspective of the Rockies from my seats in section 119 are also below a mile high, just like my home where all my baseball information is received and analyzed.   

And with that, since this post will likely be lost in the infinite room of cyberspace, not read by a soul while I try to get readers, I will end this and prepare for my third attempt at an MLBlog in as many years, dating back to when I first signed up in April of 2006.