My imminent ‘next year’ post
Just a few weeks ago, I was still pining, hoping for a resurgance, and a playoff birth for our young Colorado boys. Now, unless the Rockies, who’s longest winning streak of the year is four games, win out, all hope is gone. Nonetheless, I think the season has been successful. For the first time this year, the Rockies have fallen ten games below .500 - but think about what that means for a team that was never close to ten games below after the first two weeks of last season.
Okay, so I’ve been trying to reconcile our late fade (or our ‘Hurdling to Rock Bottom,’ as a sign near me last night read) in my mind. I should be happy that we were in contention for so long. But what hurts is that this team should still be right there. If they had any clutch hitting at all in the last two months, they’d still be hunting for the Wild Card and the division. They’re only 15 to 20 clutch hits at key times away from being right where the Dodgers and Padres are. But that’s the problem with this team - somewhere in the course of 182 games, they’re missing 15 or 20 hits.
So like last year, Rockies fans are forced to turn to next year, which like the last, is a year that promises a lot. The only exciting thing about not being where we’d like to be is that we’re getting a glimpse of all those players that Rox Girl has been telling us to get excited about for years. Chris Ianetta made his debut behind the plate a few days ago against the Padres. He showed good defense, and called the game well, leading Cook to a 2-run, 8-inning effort. Ianetta also showed remarkable poise at the plate, where he got his first hit and RBI - against Jake Peavy, no less. It was exciting to see the kid play, but it’s more exciting to think about having him and Yorvit Torrealba, who has been one of the team’s few consistent clutch hitters, as our two catchers. Both call a good game, play good defense, and if Yorvit continues his resurgence at the plate next year and Ianetta hits as advertised, the Rockies will have the best catching tandem in the NL West. As much as I’ve enjoyed Danny Ardoin the person, and Danny Ardoin the defensive catcher, his hitting is obviously a liability. Nonetheless, I’m glad the Orioles have picked up his option. It’s been a good stint for the guy, who was supposed to be a career minor-leaguer, and I think he has a bright future in this league at some managerial level, even if it’s not as a major-league catcher.
Troy Tulowitzki, long touted as the team’s best prospect, also got his call-up in late August, this time against the Mets. He wasn’t as good at the plate as Ianetta was in his debut, going 0 for 4 with three K’s, but apparently the kid made Web Gems for a spinning throw he made from deep in the whole. You can certainly see why the Rox like this guy defensively, and even though he didn’t have a great night at the plate, I’m going be really extra nice and forgive him since it was his first Major League game. I mean hell, even 0-4 puts him at .000, which is better than Barmes’ -.236, right?
The other new-ish guy that I’m really excited about is Kaz Matsui. So far with the Rockies, Kazuo is batting .423 with a ridiculous OBP of .483. He’s also freakishly fast, and has yet to be caught in three attempts at stolen bases. Even my mother, who lacks any knowledge of baseball, and remembers only the Avalanche players she thinks are cute, was really excited by Kaz when she first saw him (her remarks on the subject were, ‘Ohh, that guy’s COOL!’). As I’ve already said, I’m also excited about Kaz. I know that the numbers he’s put up so far are in just a very few games, but in that time he’s had a big impact on the team, already scoring 8 runs. The Rockies have never really had a bonafide leadoff guy, and Jamey Carroll’s offensive numbers this year smell of a fluke…Does anyone else see a bright future with Kaz starting at the 2B next year? Because I think he’s just the sort of player who, with an established spot next year, could revitalize this team. And because of his weak numbers with the Mets, we have a good chance to get a real superstar on the cheap if it turns out that all he needed to return to his Japanese league form was a good change of scenery. Plus, he’s just SO COOL!
Over at Purple Row (third link this article, jeez), they’ve started a thread about the end of this season being the last call to jump on the bandwagon without it being a bandwagon, given the Rockies’ imminent success next year, which I whole-heartedly believe in. Rox Girl has graciously included me in the fans that pre-qualify for non-bandwagon-status, and I guess I feel honored by that. But I’ve got a word of advice for everyone while we celebrate next year prematurely: do not forget 2006. Regardless of where this team ends up in a few years, you’ll want to remember ‘06 in years to come when you realize that you had the unique opportunity to witness, and be involved in, the complete re-birth of a dead franchise. Very few fans ever get to see what we have the opportunity to be a part of, so don’t forget these old glory years that we’ve shared.
