Colorado Rockies Links: California Here We Come

Apr 4, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; General view of the stadium with snow and a baseball before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays at the Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

As the Colorado Rockies prepare to play in San Francisco and Los Angeles this week, let’s take a trip around the league and see what’s happening in baseball with some links we hope you find interesting.

I still feel sour about Sunday afternoon’s loss.

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I’ll write something up about it later today, probably, but Andrew Dill covered LaTroy well enough yesterday, and I even wrote about his contact rates earlier this week.

So, go there and read those things if you want, and maybe look for something later today.

Or maybe, the game against the Giants will start and I’ll forget my pain and get happy and just hope for the best.

Meh.

Anyways, some interesting baseball-related links for you fine folks:

Positional Case Study: The Colorado Rockies’ Staring Rotation (The Hardball Times)

Alex Remington at The Hardball Times gives a great and deep look into the Rockies’ rotation history, from expansion to present.

It’s nothing you don’t already know, but there are some good thoughts in there about how the Rockies have developed (or… failed to develop) pitchers, how free agents have or haven’t (mostly haven’t) worked out, and what the future could possibly hold for the rotation.

The more you read about the Rockies’ rotation and pitching in Coors, after years of this stuff, the more pessimistic you get about the Rockies ever figuring it out (or maybe that’s just me?).

Examining Potential MLB Expansion Cities (Part 1 and Part 2, The Hardball Times)

More stuff from The Hardball Times, this time, Chris Mitchell with the double post. Read part one before you read part two; the first section details how Mitchell came to his part two city conclusions, so, it’s best not to gloss over why he argues what he argues.

Nevertheless, it’s a pretty interesting and in-depth look at potential cities the league could grow out to include, and while I don’t agree with everything he said, it opens a fun debate.

For my money, the three cities the MLB will expand to next (or, soon) are Charlotte, Portland, and Las Vegas (not necessarily in that order). Then, maybe Montreal, Nashville, Puerto Rico (!), and who knows what else.

Truthfully, I can’t see the league expanding to too many more cities as there just aren’t many viable options that aren’t already near or next door to current cities (like Riverside, Columbus, Austin, and San Jose).

Hawkins Blows Save, But Club Confident In Veteran (ColoradoRockies.com)

So, how long is the leash?

No, seriously? How long will they let Hawkins keep getting hit around like this? There’s no need for a sky-is-falling breakdown or a talk-radio style hot take on Hawkins’ ineffectiveness, and it’s great the Rockies have confidence in him, but two blown saves in two chances has to raise some eyebrows, even for a veteran.

Coming within a pitch of a victory only to see an 0-2 meatball hit for a two-run go-ahead home run is brutal, and always will be, and it’s on Weiss now to be smart about matchups.

Weiss has a deeper bullpen than he’s ever had as a manager. Use it.

For Axford, Reviving Career Pales To Challenge Of Ailing Son (MLB.com)

Good stuff here from Tracy Ringolsby on John Axford and his son, Jameson.

Obviously, Ax is away from the team right now helping Jameson get better, and while it hurts the club to lose a late-inning reliever for a few days, you can’t compare baseball to family.

And, when Ax does return (after Jameson gets to Denver and keeps improving!), hey, about that closer’s role…

Anyways, Rockies and Giants, in San Francisco, 2:35 pm this afternoon.

Another day game tomorrow, and then a night game Wednesday (tax day! Pay The Man).

After an off-day Thursday, the Rockies then get three more in L.A. against the Dodgers.

Yay.

Do some work, kids.

Your boss won’t like you watching the Rockies game this afternoon, so you might as well get some work done now.

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