ProSports Colorado » Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com A community for fans of all Colorado professional sports. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:30:28 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Broncos Preseason Review: What I’m Buying http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/30/3465-broncos-preseason-review-what-im-buying/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/30/3465-broncos-preseason-review-what-im-buying/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:07:50 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=3465 I know the preseason isn’t over yet, but that last game is just for the scrubs to have one last chance to make their mark and try to make an NFL roster. Very few of the starters will get enough playing time to justify any sort of evaluation, so historically the third preseason game is the best marker for where a team is at before things get started for real in Week One.

The first game, I watched with half-interest due to visiting family in town, but we all piped down our conversation and paid attention when Tebow hit the turf in Cincy for the first time. The second game, I watched intently, hoping to glean whatever insight I could. The third game I watched from the friendly confines of Section 530 at Invesco Field, which provided an interesting birds-eye view and a glimpse into the hearts of the Bronco faithful. Today’s preseason review and season preview takes the form of What I’m Buying and What I’m Not Buying. Josh McDaniels is no different from any other coach (we did some things well, we have some things to work on, it’s just preseason, etc etc blah blah blah). But what are you buying that is legit about this team, and what is not legit? Here’s my answer.

What I’m Buying

Tim Tebow. First things first – I’m not buying that he’s ready to be an NFL starter. I am buying that he is good for the Broncos, and he’s ready to be a backup QB. He’s made some good decisions, and couple bad decisions. But what I saw against Pittsburgh was a guy that made the defense think twice about just sending the house in a blitz package because of his mobility. With the exception of the one interception, he seemed to see the field well. His throwing motion is a bit long, like all the scouts have said, so he’ll have to tighten that up, but he’s an exciting player to watch, and I think for once Broncos fans almost universally have the right attitude – start Orton, as he’s clearly the only guy that gives Denver a chance to win, and let Tebow learn and get some reps and grow up as a QB, and he’ll be our franchise guy in due time. I’m also buying the goodwill he brings to the franchise. Fans at Invesco were clamoring for more. Tebow jerseys outnumbered any other single player represented in the crowd, except maybe Elway. (That includes Marshall jerseys altered with duct tape)

Jabar Gaffney as a #1 receiver. Dude is quick, runs routes well, and has all the makings of a #1 receiver. Glad he’s getting the chance.

Parrish Cox. Seriously. That guy can run. He’ll make some boneheaded plays because he takes chances, but that’s the kind of reckless play that defined Champ Bailey early in his career – a risk-taker.

Kyle Orton as the starter. I kinda summed this up in the Tebow paragraph – Kyle is the guy. He knows the system, and anyone with half an iota of football sense knows he’s the Broncos best chance of winning some football games. An all-pro he probably ain’t , but he’ll win the Broncos some games this year, and I doubt he’ll cost them many, if any at all.

What I’m Not Buying

The defense. Sorry. I’m not buying any of it. Byron Frickin’ Leftwich moved down the field on them. I know, I know, it was the scrubs not the #1 unit, but they didn’t exactly shut Dixon down either. To be fair, I’d probably put this in the “half-buying/half-not-buying” category, because I think they showed some flashes of brilliance, but in the last few years, no matter the coordinator, the Denver D has made average quarterbacks look great. And Denver’s schedule pits them against several elite QBs. I’m just not convinced this is a unit that can stop much of anybody.

Brady Quinn. He’s been simply awful. There’s no possible way he stays #2 on the depth chart. I’m sure he’ll make the roster, but you have to activate Tebow as the backup/special package guy, and hang on to Quinn in case Orton goes down. Even at that, based on preseason I can’t imagine BQ is the guy you want. He looks like a lost puppy on the field. I feel bad for the guy, he got stuck with the crappiest of situations, but he’s just not looking like an NFL QB right now.

The running game. These ain’t your momma’s Broncos. No zone-blocking, chop blocks, plug-and-play RB system here. It’s all about beef and power, and the O-line is young. They’re going to wear down, and even Buckhalter will have a hard time hitting holes. That assumes he’s back. Moreno has a bad hammy, and it looks like probably LenDale White will make the squad behind Buckhalter and Moreno. Yikes.

The Bottom Line

This team is, in the oft-quoted words of Dennis Green, exactly who we thought they were. An 8-8 team that will miss the playoffs, but contend in some good games, and be a couple breaks away from either going 6-10 or 9-7, depending on how the breaks fall. It’s an average team, make no mistake. The short pass game that tries to set up the run game is dangerous, the long-passing game, while improved, can’t be relied upon to save a season, and the defense just won’t be able to hold up to massive offensive assaults. This is a very utilitarian year for me. Get through it without too much damage, get guys healthy, pray for a new CBA, and roll in to next year with a solid squad that’s ready to contend. I think they’re close, but this won’t be their year.

And even still, I’ll wear my orange every Sunday and hope for the best.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/30/3465-broncos-preseason-review-what-im-buying/feed/ 1 The inevitable demise of the Carmelo Era in Denver http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/16/3408-the-inevitable-demise-of-the-carmelo-era-in-denver/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/16/3408-the-inevitable-demise-of-the-carmelo-era-in-denver/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:29:00 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=3408 We’ve seen the story play out a hundred times before. Pro athlete lands in city, becomes superstar beloved by hometown fans, can’t put the team over the top to championship glory, either by his own shortfalls or lack of support, gets restless, strings the franchise and fans along, and finally ends up leaving for the bright lights of a bigger city, while the smaller market is left to pick up the pieces and remember the glory  years.

That fantastic run-on sentence notwithstanding, it’s a storyline that seems to be playing out here in Denver. The man once considered to be the star and the savior of the Nuggets franchise, appears to have one foot out the door while the city hangs desperately onto the other shamelessly pleading for him to stay.

The days of the one team, one city athlete are gone. Guys like Peyton Manning are the exception, while the elite in other sports see nothing wrong with “taking their talents to South Beach”. Let’s face it – the NBA is a player-driven league. It’s about stars, celebrities, personal brands. This transformation was made complete when LeBron chose to go to Miami, and did so on national television. This article isn’t about Lebron, I don’t really care to belabor that issue, but it does figure quite prominently into this issue. Why should Carmelo struggle and labor in Denver, as “big” men cycle in and out, as Kenyon Martin gets yet another knee surgery, as Chauncey gets old, as JR Smith throws yet another temper-tantrum? Carmelo sees the money and the bright lights of a major market, owners willing to spend, and the chance to play alongside Chris Paul, and suddenly, the rarified air of the Rocky Mountains doesn’t seem quite so attractive anymore. Even though the Nuggets have put the correct offer on the table, Melo’s reluctance to sign the deal and proclaim himself a Denver Nugget speaks volumes about his intentions.

Now I’m not going to claim that Carmelo is as good as gone, nor will I claim that it’s simply ego-driven if he does choose to leave. The management has failed time and again to give Carmelo what he needs – the addition of Chauncey was a major step in that direction, but the failure to get a big man to put the hurt on Pau Gasol left the Nuggets playing second fiddle to the Lakers (again) for the past couple years, and Melo likely doesn’t see any end to that pecking order in sight.

My complaint here is as much with the system as it is with the player. But since we’ve all seen this drama unfold before, we can see where it’s going. Carmelo might play one more season in Denver, but unfortunately, the smart money is on trading him now while there is value to be brought back in return, and avoid playing an entire season with a player who has mentally already moved on. Sadly, this relegates the Nuggets to the land of the rebuilding teams – where a conference contender once stood, a team with an uncertain future now resides. I hate to even say it out loud, but as the boys across the way at Dove Valley have taught us, it’s not always the worst thing to trade away a guy who doesn’t want to be here. Trade Melo now, get the best value possible, and let’s move on. I hope I’m wrong – I hope he signs the extension, and happily plays out the next 3 years in powder blue and gold. But I’m a little too old for that kind of optimism.

Besides, what little optimism I have left is currently occupied with Tim Te– er, Kyle Orton and the boys in orange and blue.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/16/3408-the-inevitable-demise-of-the-carmelo-era-in-denver/feed/ 0 Is the Rockies “goose cooked” for 2010? http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/14/3315-is-the-rockies-goose-cooked-for-2010/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/14/3315-is-the-rockies-goose-cooked-for-2010/#comments Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:58:13 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=3315 Somewhere around the 7th inning of last night’s game against the Rockies, I did the unthinkable. I tweeted my frustration before the game had actually ended. I spent the whole day avoiding Friday the 13th superstitions, being a non-superstitious kind of guy. But when it comes to baseball… who isn’t, at least just a little bit, superstitious? So I went ahead and tweeted the following, knowing that it would probably spur a comeback:

at rocks game… frustrating. this teams goose is cooked for 2010.

That’s right – I played reverse psychology with the baseball gods, and was rewarded with a barely-over-the-wall Tulowitzki shot to end an excruciating offensive drought and give the Rockies a lead which Huston Street would go on to hold and earn the save. Now, it wasn’t a total offensive drought, because the game was scattered with doubles. It was, however, the first time the Rockies showed any propensity for getting a runner into scoring position and then finishing the job, rather than leaving the runner standing hopelessly out on base.

As soon as the Tulo homerun cleared the wall, and the pandemonium in the stands started to die down, my phone buzzed with an alert that someone had replied to my little prediction of doom, asking if I wanted to take back my statement. I replied that I didn’t, because it raises the question: Is the Rockies goose cooked for 2010? In other words, is this season over, the wild-card and division deficits too much too handle even for this team, the undisputed king of late season comebacks in recent years?

It’s our nature in sports as fans, and as writers, to want to call the shot. To be like Babe Ruth, pointing out exactly what will happen, and then watch it come to fruition as we pat ourselves on the back as the greatest sporting sage of our times. And it’s always easiest to be negative, to predict the worst. We don’t want the Rockies to fail, but when we predict their doom and it finally happens, there’s a smug satisfaction in knowing that we saw it coming. That is not what is happening here, folks. I promise you – I want nothing more than to see the Rockies win. I was elated when Tulo turned my frustration into elation in the bottom of the 8th inning last night. The right field stands were buzzing with excitement even as Tulo came to the plate, and I was more than happy to join them, even with my doubts in tow.

What I’m concerned with is the stop and start nature of this team. There has yet to be a good long streak – in either direction, thankfully, but nothing that shows consistency. Having Tulo and Helton back puts the lineup in less of an amorphous state, but it just doesn’t feel like a team that has a run in them. I wish I could belabor you with statistics and empirical data to back up my claim, but all I have is a long-time baseball fan who has watched a ton of teams go through this same place: tons of talent, inability to translate into anything better than a “good, not great” team. I spent my formative baseball years watching the Mariners in the Kingdome – as I grew up in baseball, so did the M’s – Griffey Jr. in his prime, with guys like Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, Randy Johnson, and a highly-touted rookie named Alex Rodriguez joined up later on. This Rockies team looks just like those Mariners clubs of the middle-90s: so talented that you go down the roster and find reasons to like every name on the list, but when you look at the standings, you see a mediocre to slightly above average team, that just can’t cross the divide and join the true elites of baseball.

I’m not going to write the in memoriam just yet, and the “what the team needs to do for next year” piece can wait until late fall – but I will say this. The Rockies are on life support. They are too far back in the division behind the enigmatic Padres who just don’t seem to show any signs of fading. They have too many good baseball teams fighting for the wild card ahead of them, and this habit of completely going to sleep offensively, especially on the road, just isn’t going to cut it. I don’t see a run materializing this time around, not for 2010. But there’s still time, and if Rockies fans know anything, it’s to not give up prematurely.

But if it prods the baseball gods into allowing such a run, I’ll go ahead and be more than willing to take one for the team and say it: This team’s goose is cooked for 2010. You hear that baseball gods? Cooked.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/08/14/3315-is-the-rockies-goose-cooked-for-2010/feed/ 1 Giambi caps off improbable comeback, Rox take series over BoSox http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/24/2743-giambi-caps-off-improbable-comeback-rox-take-series-over-bosox/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/24/2743-giambi-caps-off-improbable-comeback-rox-take-series-over-bosox/#comments Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:41:48 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=2743
OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 07: Jason Giambi, #16 o...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

It was a roller coaster of a game, to be sure. In the first couple innings, Ubaldo was his normal self – mowing down opposing batters, and looking like a dominant force that is careening toward Cy Young glory. Even after giving up a couple runs, he didn’t appear fazed. Then, suddenly, Ubaldo showed something we haven’t seen all season: his humanity. Ubaldo’s first loss against the Dodgers really wasn’t his fault. He pitched a stellar game, only to be let down by his offense. It appeared we were on the same track last night, as the Rockies put up 5 quick runs on Lackey, only to go cold from the 5th inning on. They had exactly one baserunner in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th innings combined. The offense that seemed to be stepping up the pace suddenly disappeared, replaced by the soft grounders and numerous strikeouts and general inefficiency we’ve come to expect from this Rockies team thus far this season.

Then came the ninth inning. Jonathan Papelbon steps to the mound, facing the bottom end of a Rockies lineup that had become rather anemic. To be honest, the only thing that kept me from clicking off the TV was the remaining euphoria from the last minute goal scored by Landon Donovan in the morning’s USA World Cup soccer match against Algeria. Could the Rockies possibly put together a closing rally of their own, to cap off a sports day unlike any I have experienced in recent memory?

Ian Stewart, through many struggles this season, has remained optimistic that his swing will return, and return it did. In his first round-tripper at Coors Field this season, Stewart sent a fastball towering into the Colorado night sky, finally coming to rest on the second deck in right-center field, tying the game and guaranteeing at least an extra inning for the Rockies to try to take the interleague series. Improbable as one homerun against Papelbon seemed, we could hardly dare to dream for more heroics. Barmes singled on a soft hit, and was advanced by an almost accidental sacrifice bunt by Ryan Spilborghs. Ready to take his shot or go home trying, Jim Tracy sent Giambi to the plate, in a bold move that indicated he had no intention of playing extra innings. Giambi, with the runner on second, only needed a solid line drive to the outfield. Instead, he took a split finger fastball and launched it almost as far as Stewarts bomb minutes earlier, depositing it in the stands and leaving the crowd in a frenzy. While the ratio of Red Sox fans to Rockies fans might have been embarrassing for the home squad, the Rockies faithful got the last word in a raucous celebration that left the Red Sox Nation wondering what had just happened. They got to the Rockies ace, set him down earlier than any game this year, and then watched helplessly as their star closer got taken deep, not once, but twice, culminating in Giambi’s walk off shot.

I’m not ready to declare this the turnaround point of the Rockies season just yet, it’s an indication that this team really is as good as we thought it was. When summer comes, so do the Rockies bats. Also lost in the Giambi heroics was the quiet late innings return of Huston Street. Street was effective in his first appearance of the season, giving hope that the back end of the bullpen will finally get the consistency it needs. When De La Rosa returns in a couple weeks, the rotation will be back in shape, leaving Tulowitzki as the only major glaring injury blemish.

Tonight, the Rockies close the series out by sending the recently stellar Jason Hammel to the mound against the once sensational Japanese starter Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Angels loom next, so a series sweep against one of the beastly AL East teams would be a quite the confidence builder to take into the rest of this year’s interleague play and the homestretch into the All-Star Break.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/24/2743-giambi-caps-off-improbable-comeback-rox-take-series-over-bosox/feed/ 0 Elvis Dumervil signs tender, still negotiating long-term deal http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/14/2727-elvis-dumervil-signs-tender-still-negotiating-long-term-deal/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/14/2727-elvis-dumervil-signs-tender-still-negotiating-long-term-deal/#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:34:10 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=2727
Elvis Dumervil, a player with the Denver Bronc...
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Elvis Dumervil, perhaps enjoying the theatrics, waited right up until the deadline to sign his restricted free agent tender. Signing the tender today guarantees that Elvis, last year’s NFL sacks leader with 17, will earn just over $3million this year, as opposed to the paltry $630,000 he would have made had he not signed his tender. Clearly, Dumervil doesn’t intend to make this amount for very long, but signing the tender shows that he’s still interested in negotiating with the Broncos.

Dumervil is poised to make what some estimates are putting at $40million + in guaranteed money as one of the top pass rushers in the league, a hefty raise compared to the combined $2million he’s made in the first four years of his NFL career.

Bonus Coverage: Official ProSportsColorado Editorial Position on Dumervil:

In the immortal words of Teddy KGB: PAY THE MAN HIS MONEY! Whatever he asks, Broncos, just pay it. Show him the money. Seriously. Can I be any clearer? HE DESERVES TO GET PAID, SON.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/14/2727-elvis-dumervil-signs-tender-still-negotiating-long-term-deal/feed/ 0 Rockies sweep Jays in first interleague series http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/14/2723-rockies-sweep-jays-in-first-interleague-series/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/14/2723-rockies-sweep-jays-in-first-interleague-series/#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:55:17 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=2723
DENVER - JULY 12: Starting pitcher Jason Hamm...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

It wasn’t the kind of home stand that makes legends. Stories of this conquest will not be passed down from generation to generation of wide-eyed children, begging their grandfathers to tell more stories from Rockies lore.

In the end, it was a homestand that started horrifically, and ended respectably, with a torrential downpour in between to make things interesting.

After Jason Hammel put down the Astros in the series opener, the hapless Rockies offense and shaky bullpen went and dropped three in a row at Coors to the Astros, a team not exactly destined for post-season glory, at least in the near future. It was with this memory, and possibly a fair amount of desperation, that the Rockies entered their first interleague contest of the year with the Toronto Blue Jays, a solid team with a great offense whose major flaw is playing in the AL East with New York, Boston, and Tampa.

Game One – Ubaldo sports webbed feet, escapes with a semi-CG win

Friday night, the spring storms were a force to be reckoned with in Colorado. While I gave up on it by abandoning my outdoor seat on the upper deck of Lodo’s Restaurant, Ubaldo and the Rockies stayed the course and came away with a rain-shortened 6 inning victory. Ubaldo wasn’t his normal sharp self, possibly having grip issues thanks to the deluge from the skies. But in the end, the offense came through, putting the ball in play and allowing the Rocks to come away with the victory. Looking back at replays, the game probably should have been stopped earlier than it was, there’s no possible way that last line drive could have been seen by the shortstop. But either way, 6 innings is an official game, and the bullpen got its day of rest, and Ubaldo became the first pitcher in the bigs to notch his 12th victory.

Game Two – Old School Pitching Duel, Hammel stands strong

Saturday, with the conditions much more acceptable but still a bit chilly, Jason Hammel finally decided he’d had enough. While he was certainly laughing and joking in his post-game interview saying “I’ve got to do everything around here”, there’s just enough truth in that statement for the rest of the team to cringe. Hammel threw 8 innings of shutout baseball, allowing only three hits. Corpas mopped up the save, but the real story here was again the inability of the Rockies offense to generate any sort of scoring. It’s a good thing that one run was all they needed, because that’s all they got, thanks to a Carlos Gonzales sac fly that scored… that’s right, Jason Hammel, who had drawn a walk earlier in the inning.

So while what we all really want to do is admire Hammel’s performance (and make no mistake – his performance was quite admirable), most Rockies fans are left shaking their heads wondering why the offense seems so intent on hibernating when the dog days of summer are just around the corner.

Game Three – Bats wake up

So, in game three on Sunday afternoon, the Rockies bats finally awoke. Granted, Blue Jays starter Jesse Litsch was making his first start since returning from Tommy John surgery, but either way, this was the kind of team effort we expect from the Rockies. Jeff Francis threw seven innings, looking in command of his pitches for the majority of the day. While you wouldn’t call his outing dominant, he allowed only 5 hits over those seven innings, and pitched very relaxed, as you might expect when your offense spots you a four run advantage in the first inning.

Ryan Spillborghs went yard twice, while Todd Helton notched three hits out of the 2-hole, and Iannetta and Barmes each added 2 RBIs each.

The 10-3 victory allowed the Rockies to complete the sweep of the Blue Jays and salvage a 4-3 record on the home stand, saving June from being a complete disaster. As it stands, they sit only 4 games back of the division leading Padres, although LA and SF are both nipping right at the heels of the surprising San Diego squad. The Rockies now head to Minnesota for a tough 3-game road set at the new Target Field in Minneapolis before stepping back into the NL for a 3-game weekend series against the Brewers in Milwaukee. With the Red Sox and the always tough Angels on the docket following Milwaukee, not to mention a massive divisional matchup against the west-leading Padres to close out the month, the Rockies need to play some complete baseball. The pitching seems to be strong, although the bullpen is hit or miss. If the offense can hit its stride, the next several series provide some games against tough opponents that will likely give us the most realistic barometer yet as to the viability of this  year’s Rockies. There are no slouches left in June (that’s what the series against Houston was for), and the Rockies have their work cut out for them to keep pace in a tough NL West division.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/06/14/2723-rockies-sweep-jays-in-first-interleague-series/feed/ 0 Adam Foote signs one-year deal with Avalanche for 2010-11 http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/05/25/2680-adam-foote-signs-one-year-deal-with-avalanche-for-2010-11/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/05/25/2680-adam-foote-signs-one-year-deal-with-avalanche-for-2010-11/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 00:18:20 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=2680
The Captain's Foot
Image by Mafue via Flickr

In a move that echoes the end of the Sakic era in Denver, Adam Foote is signing a new contract, committing to just one season at a time with the Colorado Avalanche. The nearly 39-year old defenseman and team captain will be entering his 19th season in the NHL – not bad for a guy who plays with the physical tenacity that he does. The scorers – Sakic and the like – take less physical punishment and often have careers that last quite a long time, if they can keep the skills up. Not that Sakic wasn’t tough – but Foote plays with a physical vendetta against everyone. You try to rough up the star (first Sakic, now Duchene), you’re liable to have Adam Foote come at you and make you pay. That he plays with that style and has maintained such longevity is no small feat.

Foote’s deal comes with a relatively low base salary of $1 million, but is said to be laden with incentives to bring him closer to the 3.25 million he earned this past season with the Avs, a season where he logged minutes in 67 of the 82 games.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/05/25/2680-adam-foote-signs-one-year-deal-with-avalanche-for-2010-11/feed/ 0 PSC Poll: Ubaldo vs. Anderson – Best Performance? http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/19/2477-psc-poll-ubaldo-vs-anderson-best-performance/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/19/2477-psc-poll-ubaldo-vs-anderson-best-performance/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:08:42 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=2477 It’s a good time to be a Colorado sports fan – Saturday, Ubaldo Jimenez mowed down the Braves with the first no-hitter in Rockies history. Then on Sunday, the Sharks peppered the “Ninja Yeti” Craig Anderson with 51 shots, and Andy stopped each of them on his way to a 1-0 overtime shutout in Game Three of the first round playoff series.

So that brings up a question, one that I fear is impossible to answer – who had the most impressive performance this weekend? Just for fairness, I’ll put in Carmelo’s 42 against Utah, but we all know that pales to the greatness we saw on the diamond and on the ice.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/19/2477-psc-poll-ubaldo-vs-anderson-best-performance/feed/ 2 Ubaldo Jimenez no-hits Braves, first gem in Rockies history http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/17/2458-ubaldo-jimenez-no-hits-braves-first-gem-in-rockies-history/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/17/2458-ubaldo-jimenez-no-hits-braves-first-gem-in-rockies-history/#comments Sun, 18 Apr 2010 02:09:24 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=2458
DENVER - MAY 27: Starting pitcher Ubaldo Jime...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

On a night when the Rockies were recovering from two of the most dreadful performances this team has seen in a while, Ubaldo Jimenez simply didn’t believe this team was in trouble – even if it meant he had to carry them on his back. And carry them he did Saturday night in Atlanta, striking out 7 on his way to tossing the first no-hitter in Colorado Rockies franchise history.

Ubaldo was on his game all night, hitting 100 on the radar multiple times, and still throwing his fastball at a steamy 97 mph in the bottom of the 9th. And while Ubaldo and his 128 pitches was the story of the night, the hidden story might be the complete effort the Rockies put forth after some lackluster showings. Defensively, Dexter Fowler saved the no-no in the 7th with 2 spectacular running catches in center field. Besides the defense, the Rockies offense finally came through, with Carlos Gonzales showing his value to the lineup with a 2 RBI double, and Ubaldo even added an RBI just to put the exclamation point on his statement.

It also bears mentioning, as Jim Tracy did in his postgame interview, that Miguel Olivo did a stellar job of calling the game and keeping Ubaldo on track.

It’s been common knowledge around the clubhouse that Ubaldo is the heir apparent to the “ace” throne on the staff, and that status was made official by making him the number one and opening starter this season. Jim Tracy’s confidence has been rewarded, as Ubaldo has cemented his place not just in the Rockies rotation, or in Rockies history, but also in the pantheon of elite pitchers in major league baseball right now. Very few are throwing with the longevity and consistency, not to mention the heat, that Ubaldo is throwing right now.

Not much is prettier during the regular season, than to stare at the scoreboard and see the opposing line nothing but a row of goose eggs. The Braves are a good hitting team, and for Ubaldo to notch the gem against such a team is even further credit to his prowess. This could be the game that the team woke up for the season – the bats came alive, the defense was solid, and now the Rockies stand to take the series tomorrow with Cook on the mound (could that be any more different of a hitting experience?), then they get a four game set against the woeful Washington Nationals.

Congratulations to Ubaldo Jimenez – you’ll be remembered in Colorado for a long time for this. Our fans have long memories, and you’ve given us one to hang onto for a while.

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]]> http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/17/2458-ubaldo-jimenez-no-hits-braves-first-gem-in-rockies-history/feed/ 0 Thursday Afternoon Meltdown: Rockies get trounced by Mets http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/15/2439-thursday-afternoon-meltdown-rockies-get-trounced-by-mets/ http://www.prosportscolorado.com/2010/04/15/2439-thursday-afternoon-meltdown-rockies-get-trounced-by-mets/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:16:22 +0000 Jason Ackerman http://www.prosportscolorado.com/?p=2439
Mike Pelfrey and Brian Schneider
Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

I’ll say this – it was a nice afternoon to be at the ballpark. 65 degrees, a light breeze, and the smell of peanuts almost made me forget how horrific the Rockies performance was. After an emotional game that went extra innings last night, to say the Rockies game out flat would be giving them too much credit. From the first inning, it was clear that De la Rosa, the new darling of the Rockies staff, was not hitting his spots. Every time Olivo would set up low and in, he’d have to reach high and away. If he set up outside, he was reaching in. There was not one death blow that won this game for the Mets – it was slow, consistent baseball. Much like National League baseball used to be known for… small ball. Put a runner on. Move him over, knock him in. In the end, they put five runs across and Pelfrey silenced the Rockies bats in a 5-0 shutout.

I think what we saw was a bit of experimentation in process from Jim Tracy, leaving De la Rosa out until he hit 100 pitches no matter what. He wanted Jorge to stretch as far as he could. I have no doubt that a later season game would have seen the bullpen in action much earlier. When Tracy finally made the call to the pen, it was the young and inexperienced Esmil Rogers that took the hill, picking up right where De la Rosa left off with a lead off walk. From there they settled down, but the game was lost at that point.

The defense had its share of boots, including a ridiculous play at home. The Mets baserunner was caught in a rundown, completely caught sleeping halfway between third and home. The pickle ensued, and Stewart simply waited to long to throw the ball to Olivo, and when the runner made contact the ball came out, costing the Rockies a run. Add to that a couple infield boots, and you have the recipe for a bad day for the Rockies.

The crowd, though a rather peaceful mid-week afternoon bunch, finally started to grumble like real baseball fans when Tulowitzki and Stewart went down in order to close the 9th, both looking at a called third strike. In little league, we learned that anything close on two strikes means the bat comes off your shoulder. Add to that a team that was struggling to put runners on, and the 5-run deficit with nothing more to lose, and staring at a called third strike is just plain ridiculous.

Though I got the order of games wrong, I predicted a 2-1 series. I sure would have liked to have seen a better effort from the Rockies, though. The Mets are not that much better of a team, but today they were. It’s up to the Rockies to prove it was just a tough afternoon for baseball in the Mile High City as they now pack up their bags and head to Atlanta for a three-game weekend set.

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