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Colorado Rockies Rundown: Diaz, CarGo, Drafts And Strange Games

By BobDeMuro |
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Sep 25, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies celebrate the win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Your morning rundown — news, notes, analysis, and more — on the biggest stories surrounding the Colorado Rockies for Saturday, September 26, 2015.

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The Colorado Rockies were pretty impressive in a Friday night victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers, thanks to three home runs (Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez, Corey Dickerson), some other timely extra base hits (Dickerson, Rafael Ynoa), and a good start by David Hale.

It’s doubly sweet that the Dodgers are nearing their NL West clinching-game (magic number: 4) but the Rockies delayed their celebration for at least another day. They can still do it in Denver (especially if the Giants keep losing, too), but at least for now… the Colorado Rockies are (kind of) playing the spoiler.

[ Related: Project the Colorado Rockies’ 2016 rotation ]

So, as you enjoy your Saturday morning hopefully not working, here’s what’s going down in today’s edition of the rundown:

  • Walt Weiss stands by Jairo Diaz as a Rockies’ set-up man.
  • Let’s look at the Colorado Rockies and the reverse standings ahead of the 2016 MLB Amateur Entry Draft.
  • What are the strangest Rockies games you can think of in all of history?
  • Carlos Gonzalez has had a very hot second half — and he’s now a part of Colorado Rockies’ history.

Lots to discuss! Let’s cover today’s news and notes around the Colorado Rockies.

Next: Walt Weiss: stand by my man

Aug 28, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher J. Diaz (47) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Weiss stands by Jairo Diaz

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(via MLB.com)

Jairo Diaz, of course, gave up the go-ahead three-run home run on Thursday afternoon that ended up winning the game — and sweeping a series — for the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.

But, with the great work Diaz has had this season, and the respect and trust he is quickly gaining in Denver, Walt Weiss doesn’t seem too concerned about the homer, or the suggestion that he should’ve brought in lefty Boone Logan to face lefty Pedro Alvarez.

Weiss told MLB.com:

“Jairo’s been our guy in the eighth inning. He’s been lights-out. The reason why he’s in that eighth-inning role is that he’s done real well with it. He’s been in that role for a few weeks now, and he’s done an outstanding job for us. He’ll continue to do so. It’s a good-looking arm. He gets both righties and lefties out. He’s got the swing-and-miss breaking ball to go along with the power fastball, so he’s got all the weapons. It’s been a great learning experience for him.”

[ Related: Colorado Rockies’ trade values as winter approaches ]

I know it’s frustrating to lose a game that looks like its been won, especially so late in the eighth inning like that, but I’m 100% ok with this sound byte and Diaz in the eighth inning as a learning experience in 2015.

This is the kind of thing that rebuilding teams do: they frustratingly lose games they could’ve won, but in the process, they let young pitchers build confidence and develop in tight situations so that when things matter (2017? 2018?) those same young guys are ready to be nearly automatic in the roles in which they’ve been preparing for years.

I know, when you take a short-term look at it, Diaz’s outing Thursday is frustrating. Logan would’ve been a better choice versus Alvarez, and Weiss’ decision not to make the move sucks. But such is life on a rebuilding club; better this than having a 35-year old veteran with no future for the Colorado Rockies blow the game.

Next: Looking at the reverse standings

May 20, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman W. Rosario (20) makes an error allowing Philadelphia Phillies third baseman M. Franco (7) to reach safely in the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Rockies and the reverse standings

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(via Purple Row)

Our friends and Purple Row have spent a good deal of time this year looking at the reverse standings — that is, which MLB club can “win” by losing the most, thereby gaining the first overall selection in next summer’s MLB Amateur Draft.

Yesterday, Matt Gross put up a nice piece on PR that looked at all of the very worst teams in baseball who are currently vying for that worst winning percentage/best draft pick, and what their remaining schedules look like.

It includes this little gem:

While getting a better draft pick isn’t anywhere near important as it is in the NBA or NFL, this is a rather unusual situation where only a couple of loses could be the difference between picking second and picking sixth. In other seasons, a team might have to lose eight or ten more games to get that type of bump. This doesn’t mean the Rockies should be trying to lose these games on the field, but it does mean they should do things like not give their best starter right now (Chad Bettis) two more starts.

[ Related: Looking at the Colorado Rockies’ 2016 schedule ]

I’m of the mind that overall, the difference between the first and second, third, fifth, eighth picks in the MLB draft can actual be very little. Yes, in random years, of course, the first pick may be a clear cut future Hall of Famer. But overall, there are a lot of good players available even outside the top ten (and even outside the first round!). As Gross notes, this isn’t the NBA or NFL, where draft picks often immediately have massive impacts on changing the face of their franchises.

Therefore, I’m more interested in the number of picks the Colorado Rockies have in the top 50 (they had four in this past draft, and ought to have at least three more in 2016). The average of those three picks will likely net them something strong — and that’s reason to be excited for next summer.

And, on a related note based on the schedule, it looks like Chad Bettis may start just one more time this year.

Next: The weirdest Rockies games ever

May 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of the Colorado Rockies dugout at Coors Field. The game against the Los Angeles Dodgers was cancelled due to weather. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The strangest Rockies games ever

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(via Rockies Zingers)

This is a fun little piece from Adam Peterson over at Rockies Zingers, covering three of the weirdest Colorado Rockies’ games in the history of the franchise. Considering this team plays at Coors Field, well, there have been quite a few of these!

Peterson has this as part one of a two-part series, so I can’t wait to see what comes next when he gives us three or four more strange ones, but his list here is interesting (I especially like this one between the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins).

[ Related: The Colorado Rockies shouldn’t bring back Justin Morneau ]

Besides that, I’ve got a few that stand out: the Rockies’ first game at Coors Field (Dante Bichette‘s walk off home run in the freezing cold), the play-in game to the 2007 playoffs (Jamey Carroll! Matt Holliday! Jorge Julio!), the 16-15 victory over the Dodgers that one year where Eric Young had like 27 stolen bases off Hideo Nomo… yeah, there are quite a few.

I’d even put that 16-inning game the Rockies just had against the Dodgers somewhere on the list, because those games are rare, though obviously not as strange as some others.

What about you?

Next: CarGo makes Rockies history

Sep 25, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies right fielder C. Gonzalez (5) rounds the bases after his solo home run in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

CarGo makes Rockies history

(via Twitter)

This is a wonderful CarGo stat from his red-hot second half:

[ Related: Thoughts on the Colorado Rockies’ uniforms and logo ]

Numbers aside, the general thrust of the tweet should come as no surprise to you; CarGo has been incredible in the last few months, including his homer on Friday night against the Dodgers.

Clearly, his trade value for this coming winter has shot through the roof, too, as the Colorado Rockies will likely (hopefully) explore shopping him to a playoff contender.

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