Monday Morning Manager...Rocky Mountain High

1. No team is 20 out of 21 good. My hat's off to them, but I hope Cleveland cools them off.

2. No he's not. Everyone has bad stretches, and he's having his at an unfortunate time and an unfortunate place.

3. It would have been interesting to see Ramirez and Showalter in the same dugout. I didn't say good or bad - just interesting.

4. Not me.

5. Political grandstanding is of no interest to me. It is somewhat worrisome, though, that the game may be harmed (yet again).

1. There is no such thing as 20 out of 21 good in MLB. It takes a good team (and a lot of luck) to put together a streak like that. I can't help but cheer them on to finish the streak out.
2. He just seems uncomfortable in Boston. I'd take him back in a heartbeat.

3. I agree with briant77.

4. I watched. I don't mind it being that late on a weekend.

5. Who is George Mitchell?

1. They are that good
2. I agree...I think he is uncomfortable in Boston...maybe he needs to let his hair grow back. could his name be Sampson? I'd also take him back, and probably pretty cheaply this next year also.

3. I agree with biran77. But then who is to say we'd still have them now.

4. I watched. Reminded me of how late Ranger games went this year.

5. I must have missed it. What is he doing?

3. I'd trade Brad Wilkerson and Joaquin Arias for Manny Ramirez and Jon Lester any day.

1. No, they are not this good. They are a good team with a good offense and a good, young pitching staff. I think they have just been one of those teams on a roll. I was surprised that the Phillies didn't put up more of a fight. They just were worn out I think. Arizona is a good young team too. They are still too young and their offense has gone in the tank. Kuddos to Colorado, though. It will be interesting to see how they do against a good offensive team in the WS. They played well this season against the Red Sox. They swept the Yankees at home earlier. So, I don't think they will be in over their heads. I think they will lose, though.

2. No. He is the opposite of the Rockies. He is on a roll the other way. I still wonder if he has been affected by having to change roles with the Sox. You wouldn't think that it would be different but I do think there is a huge difference between pitching in a setup role and in a closers role. I wonder if they flipped him and Pappelbon if the results wouldn't be different. I know that is heresy but he's not that bad. He's one of the best closers in history.

3. Not that different. I can't see Manny being that motivated here in Texas. He is a great hitter but I think he would have wanted out. I would have loved to have had Lester, though. I still think he is going to be a good pitcher.

4. I wasn't watching. And, yes they are on too late. I just moved back to Texas from Kentucky which is on East Coast time and if you think games are on late here they are on really late there. And it's not just baseball. It's football and basketball and even tennis too. Trying to watch the Mavs in the playoffs on East Coast time the last few years has been brutal. I remember watching the US Open Tennis tournament last year and watching the late match. Those didn't start till well after 10:00PM either. It is what it is. I don't see it changing much despite the complaints.

5. Yes, but only if names actually come out. If his report comes out and just says "Steroids have been a problem in baseball in the past" then I won't care. I already know that. If he gives us something new and baseball and the union band together (fat chance I know) to do something about it then I will care.

1. I don't care what anyone says there is no way you can go 20 out of 21 and not be a great baseball team. In the postseason you are as good as your record and the rockies are a great baseball team. They play better fundamental baseball than we have seen in years. They don't give you extra outs, they protect a lead (79-1 when leading after 8 innings) they have an outstanding lineup, and their pitching has come through big when they have needed to. They are 6-0 this postseason. The last team do this is the 1976 Reds when they went 7-0 to start the playoffs and won the World Series.

2. Gagne still hasn't found his rhythm in Boston. He's a good pitcher that looks like a different player right now. I think he has just lost confidence and that's one of Gagnes biggest strengths. Gagne likes to be the man from canada that no one wants to face in the 9th, he doesn't want to be just another guy in a bullpen pitching the 7th inning.

3. Ah I just spent 20minutes day dreaming what it would be like seeing Manny being Manny in a Rangers uniform. A lineup that would have contained Tex, Manny, Young, Kinsler, and Blalock.... hmmm and a pitching rotation with Lester. Sounds like a decent ballclub that could have gotten us a least 2nd place in a division haha.

4. Yes I've actually stayed up and watched all the postseason games. I've got to say though I care a lot more about whats going on in the national league with the rockies domination. I did enjoy seeing Clev. come through in extras no matter how late the game was. I think baseball does need to look at these games going so late, but nothing you can do about a game that starts at 7pm. It started early enough to where it should have ended at a decent time.

5. What George Mitchell is doing will have a huge effect on baseball. It will be intriguing to see what names he brings out.

1. This is a very obvious question. Of course they're not this good. In baseball, the best team doesn't always win it all. Just look at the Yankees in this decade. Leading the world in payroll and no championships. To win it all, you have to overperform and exceed expectations. And above all, you have to get on a hot streak. The Angels won in 2002 with Ramon Ortiz and an inexperienced John Lackey. Light-hitting Scott Podsednik hit two homeruns in the post-season tohelp the White Sox in 2005 (he had 0 regular season HRs that year). The Cardinals had a regular season record of 83-81 before winning it all last year. All of those teams got hot at the right and overperformed. That's what we're seeing from the Rockies. Heck! Josh Fogg started game 3. Josh Fogg. Not even the Pittsburgh Pirates wanted Josh Fogg. They ARE NOT this good.

2. No way is he this bad.

3. Who knows. Maybe Michael Young would still be playing 2B and we'd have Ian at SS.

4. I don't mind it as long as I don't have to listen to Chip Caray.

5. Nope.

1. The Rox have a ton of momentum right now, and some of the position players thay have (Holliday, Helton, Taveras, Tulowitzki) are this good, but overall, you look at the pitching staff and wonder how they've gotten this far. They're good, but not the best team in the playoffs. But sometimes the best team gets beat, or beats themselves. Momentum can be more valuable than ability in the playoffs (see: 2006 Detroit Tigers). But if the Rox sweep the D-backs, and the Red Sox and Indians go 7, it'll be advantage ALCS winner - just like the Cardinals last year.

2. I still think he has some physical ailment he will not admit to. Because while he is still not the Dodgers Eric Gagne, there is no way his is THIS bad.

3. Let's see... we'd have more dingers, a team leader and a team personality... and a pitching staff with Lester in there somewheres... we might not be this bad right now.

4. **** yes I was watching. I'm on the west coast, so I didn't have to stay up past midnight, but when it comes to games like that, I'll stay up all night if I have to. The other issue: should they start the games earlier... maybe that would be a good idea though.

5. George Mitchell... am I supposed to know who he is? Based on the responses above, I think he's the latest guy investigating steroid use. Even so, I'll only be interested when and if he brings out names... especially if Sammy Sosa shows up on the list.

1. The Rockies are absolutely this good. If the World Series started tomorrow, I think anyone would be foolish to bet against them. The time off might really cool them off.

2. I don't think Gagne is this bad. I think he has a severe 'closer's mindset' and has a mental problem trying to pitch in any other situation. Having said that, I think he will have a hard time finding a spot as a closer next year.

3. Not so sure I think the Rangers would have been great contenders with Manny added to the mix, but they would have scored more runs.

4.I was still watching, and I do not think the AL game was too late. The NL game was on way too late for me.

5. Not really. I think the entire steroids/performance enahncers issue is pretty overblown. I consider it a media issue much more than a fan issue.

Read where the Pirates just released Matt Kata. While I find no joy in Kata washing out trying to make a team that may be worse than the Rangers, I do see that the Rangers made the right move letting him go.

I'll throw out another question - given the high price of pitching, should the Rangers trade Kevin Millwood for a couple of starting pitching prospects (or something else), and sign Carlos Silva or Jason Jennings (both 29) to an incentive-laden 2yr + club option contract just to see if they could hit big with little risk?

I don't support doing this at this point, but I wonder whether his value is more in a trade than it is to a team that will not be competitive in 2008 or 2009. I guess it's like any trade - it depends on what you can get, but should the team look at it?

BTW - no, I haven't yet abandoned my position that the team needs some stars/veterans. However, if the team is not going to be aggressive in the off-season in trying to improve, I don't see any way we compete until at least 2010-11. It will just take that long for enough of the youngsters to gain the experience necessary to win consistently.

To awnser that question you posed, Bryant, no, you don't trade Kevin Millwood. Millwood is the leader of the pitching staff. He's been here a couple years, and if nothing else, he provides some sort of marginal "veteran prescence" in the rotation, something neither Silva, Jennings, or anyone off the FA market would provide.

He has had a rotten year this year, but it's mostly been due to injuries - I don't think he ever really pitched at 100% health in 2007. He wasn't ready out of spring training, and it lead to a pretty bad year for him. He should bounce back next year, he has a history of that during his career, but that said, he needs to take better care of himself in the offseason, and be ready to pitch come April.

It's an interesting point about his trade value, but it's also possible to look at it this way: after such a bad year, one also might think that his trade value might be lower now than if he rebounds in a year or so. Kind of like Vicente Padilla.

If we did trade anyone from the rotation, it should be either Padilla or Kameron Loe - the only probelm is, to move either of those guys, it would have to be in some sort of a package deal.

2. I prefer to think of what Eric Gagne is going through now as the payback for Oil Can Boyd that we have richly deserved all these years.

Seriously, though, if you look in Gagne's past, I believe his record was mediocre before he was a closer. And the first thing Boston did was take him out of that zone that gets his heart pumping.

This could be another one of those trades where the Rangers got it right, and the other side rolled the dice and lost.

Just my opinion. Flame suit on.

I don't think we should trade Millwood either - I just read that in a national source that was talking about what the team needed to do.

The article was interesting - it addressed other teams in the west with comments about 'fix this hole or that hole in the lineup'. When they got to the Rangers, though, the comment was 'wow, JD has a lot of work to do'.

I was just interested in seeing how many others out there would agree with that source.

It's all good charley - looks like we should have traded aki at the deadline, too (using my hindsight goggles). I enjoyed the Boyd comment.

1). The Rockies are this good, because they have proven it on the field. Something we have never done! The proof is in the pudding. I wouldn't bet against them. And please don't compare them to what the Rangers are doing. #1 where is our MVP candidate, like Holiday? Where is our Rookie of the Year Candidate and stud SS like Tulo? Where are the players like Hawpe and Helton? Not to mention their pitching staff. So yes they are this good. Here is hoping for a Cleveland and Colorado World Series.
2) No he just apparently can't handle the pressure anymore. This is why he loved Texas. No pressure. Kudos for Daniels on that trade.

3) This is the deal that should have been done. Manny would still be under contract and we would not have had that STUPID trade of Soriano for Wilkerson, because Soriano would have never of been here. Lester would be a starter on our staff. We also would not have had that STUPID deal of Cordero, Mench and NIX for Lee and Cruz. So in essence we would still have a closer, a power hitting outfielder/DH. Something we clearly haven't had since Soriano/Rodriguez departed. Hicks would also not be paying the NY Yankees any money. Maybe it is just me, but i prefer to get something for my money and my players. What do we have for Soriano, Wilkerson and A-Rod? Manny for A-Rod would have been great, unlike A-Rod, Manny is clutch and raises his game to a new level in the post season. Whats up with his hair though?

4) No, but why didn't Beckett start games 1, 4 and 7. The Red Sox are out, i don't see them winning 3 in a row. Will ESPN survive? I am so tired of hearing about the Red Sox Nation. Hey if they do go to the World Series and win it, lets just make sure that no one dies as a result. Maybe it is just me, but a human life is much more valuable than a world series title!

5). Yes. The former Senator is a man of integrity. However, what he is doing is going to have no impact. If they release names, no one will care. In my opinion, baseball management knew what was going on and turned a blind eye to it in order to re-establish the game after the strike. The game, teams and the league benefitted from the McGwire and Sosa Home Run chase. So anything now is what we shall call anti-climatic, and a waste of time. All you have to do is look at the numbers to see who was taking. What surprises me the most is no one wants to think or ever says anything about pitchers using steroids. It is always about position players. The bottom line is what these guys were doing was criminal, against federal laws by possessing them. However it wasn't against baseball rules. So who cares. Does anyone else no why their aren't that many suspensions in basketball for marijuana as opposed to football. Well rumor has it that the Players Union is so strong that smoking weed is an accepted practice. Also does anyone else think that Baseball is the only sport where steroids are being abused? What about football, track, basketball and all of our olympic athletes. The bottom line is we live in a society where competition rules, the ends justify the means, by any means necessary. Their is also money and fame associated with these things. So keep it up, just remember the name Lyle Alzado.

A baseball player does steroids and he gets crucified by every media outlet. Shawn Merriman does steroids and he get to appear on Nike commercials.

1. Are the Colorado Rockies this good?
>>As long as this group of players sticks together. They are experiencing the special blend of team chemistry, contagious enthusiasm, momentum, and camaraderie that can happen in baseball. The combination of these factors creates a team that plays above individuals’ average performance. These factors cause everyone on the team to support their teammates... to get the critical hit or make the critical play or put just a little extra on that 4 seam fastball. The cardinals experienced it last year. They amassed a record of just over .500 for the season, then won the series. After the series key personnel chased the big bucks and the cardinals were an also ran this year. The “amazin’ Mets” did it in ’69. Don’t agree? Ok. Wait ‘till next year and we see what they come back with. Odds are that they won’t make the playoffs.

2. Is Eric Gagne this bad?

>>He is not the same as he once was. He doesn’t seem to be adjusting very well to that fact.

3. Four years ago, the Rangers were ready to trade Alex Rodriguez to the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez and Jon Lester. The trade fell through but how different would the last four years have been with Ramirez playing for the Rangers?

>>There would have been even more home run production. But how would that have made a difference in the lack of pitching?

4. Was anybody still watching after midnight when the Red Sox and Indians went into extra innings. Are these games on too late and taking too long?

>>Too late? Yes. Commercials breaks are 3 minutes instead of 2. And what’s the deal with broadcasting some games only on cable? Not everyone has cable. Football, basketball, and hockey playoffs are all on open network channels. There’s too much focus on commercialization. MLB should not allow it.

5. Do you care about what George Mitchell is doing?

>>Are there going to be any consequences when the facts are out? Seems to me that so far MLB has just shrugged its shoulders and said, “So what?”

Hey riega, the reason for it is that their is actual physical exertion in Football. Not so sure how much physical exertion their is in Baseball. Baseball is boring and slow. The league has done nothing to speed up the game. Once all of us old timers, the ones who were around when baseball was the #1 sport die off, Baseball will be further down the line, behind Football, Basketball, and Hockey, all exciting sports. They also should make both the first and second rounds of the playoffs as 3 out of 5. Not 7 game series. The 7 game series should be left for the World Series which should be played in early October, not around the first of November. The baseball season is too long, too many games. Make it about 125 games, add more playoff teams and go for it. Baseball can't compete with College and NFL Football, add Basketball and Hockey in and who really cares that Colorado won the World Series in November of 2007 9 months is way too long for a season. Here is hoping that Cleveland and Colorado end up in the World Series. Wonder what the ratings will be for that one. They will be huge in Colorado and Ohio. Not so sure about everywhere else. Are these the two best teams in baseball? No wonder the sport is in trouble.

I wouldn't necessarily put Baseball behind Hockey and Basketball. The Red Wings and the Avalanche don't even sell out these days. Baseball might not be as exciting as hockey (that's a matter of personal opinion) but the MLB attendance record has been broken every year for the past four years. Also, I'm pretty sure MLB doesn't envy the NBA Finals ratings (thanks to the Spurs' "dead ball" play).
But anyway, back to steroids. You were the one who wrote that these "juicers" went against federal law and committed criminal acts. And that was the bottom line. Shouldn't the same judgement be applied to football players? I don't think federal law takes variables (such as physical exertion) into account when it comes to determine whether someone is guilty or not.

You're right. They should cut back to 120 or 128 games. Pitchers are more fragile than they used to be. Unfortunately, less home games would mean less money for the owners.

1. Anybody who says they expected the Rockies to be where they are today is either Dan O'Dowd or Charlie Monfort. I think they are a great, young team that has: played extremely well at the end of the season; got help from the Brewers when they needed it most; capitalized on strengths and minimized mistakes. Right now, they are this good.
2. Eric Gagne...out of gas

3.Manny likes the big stage and all of the East Coast media attention he gets in Boston. Don't think Greater D/FW is a big enough stage for him.

4. The games are on too late and the commercial breaks don't help. Of course, the TBS crew didn't add a thing to the broadcasts. Even here in the Mountain time zone, we were up past midnight more than once, which is totally unecessary.

5. I think MLB should clean up its own house and Congress should focus on the economic and social issues that affect this country. Congressional hearings on steroid use in baseball don't seem to have much of a result for baseball or the congress.

Marla's Cousin, Chrisatine in Colorado Springs

1) The Rockies are good, not great, but suffice it to say they played well when they had to, and got hot at the right times.

2) Like I've said inumerable times on this blog, Gagne was HAPPY here, with the closer's role, Aki at set-up, and Benoit in the 7th. They were productive, a good unit and the bullpen carried the team all year. Gagne isn't happy, in my estimation, thus, his production has suffered whilst with the Bean-Towners. Most players who are traded or sign here as free agents in the Fort Worth-Arlington area, live here year round and settle here after retirement, so even with a more futile team (yes, us), it is more preferable I suppose to live in this area, even being on a mediocre team, than to be living under the microscope of a rabid fanbase in the Northeast, even though you are on a far superior team. What a quandry! Quality of life issues, perhaps, affecting Eric Gagne? He sure performed for us, then it was night and day once he went north and east. That is what I feel Gagne is going through, or at least a partial explanation of his performance while with the Sox.

3) It's a safe bet Manny would have lasted longer than Alex did--because he just hits. Alex is another in the Texiera mold of joining in "mind games"; wheras Manny would just hit, and not worry about other things. A-Rod was out for A-Rod, as Tex seemed to be later in his Ranger tenure. I think Manny would have still been here, whereas, (Gulping hard here:) Brad Wilkerson is ALL we have to show for Alex, via Alfonso Soriano. Wouldn't Manny look good at cleanup?

4) ALL of baseball lasts too long. Fergie used to pitch a complete game, nine-innings in just 2 hours. It takes Tejeda and Padilla 2 hours to get to the top of the 4th inning. Can't these bums pitch the ball over the plate? How come Fergie could, and these pitchers of today can't pitch but 5 innings, give up 3 runs, walk 4 or 5, take 2 hours, and leave "satisfied" that they had a "QUALITY START?"--what a colossal joke today's pitchers are compared to Seaver, Gibson, Jenkins, Perry, Marichal, etc. Starting pitchers should be conditioned to strive to throw 9 innings, in a timely manner, and not be beholden to the sports agents who push more and more "specialty" positions on the team.

5) George Mitchell is a joke, always has been, and I still can't figure out the steroid thing. IS THIS ILLEGAL ONLY IN BASEBALL? I hear ads for Human Growth Hormone on a Senior-oriented big-band radio station(a fountain of youth, as advertised), and I see Human Growth Hormone (I suppose it's steroid-based) in health food and vitamin shops, gym shelves, etc....I can't figure out if the HGH product that supposedly grew the biceps of Mark McGwire and Bobby Bond's biceps, if it is ILLEGAL or just UNETHICAL (if it can boost some homerun numbers). If I hear info-mercials on a Senior's radio station and see it for sale at health food and gyms, WHY is George Mitchell so up in arms, and everyone else? I've never used a steroid or HGH product, but why are all these people going to jail for selling these products at pharmacies when anyone of us bloggers can listen to info-mercials and see it on any health food shelf? I guess I will never understand the ILLEGALITY of it. If people just don't like Bonds' biceps bigger and his homerun numbers topping Hank Aaron, that's one issue. But, to have big round-ups of people and going to jail, for selling steroids and/or Human Growth Hormone, is very hypocritical in my book. George Mitchell remains a joke. As does Bud Selig. Where, oh where, are the Peter Uebberoths and Bowie Kuhns?

***A SIDE COMMENT***

ALL of professional sports takes too long. A 4-hour college football game, with scores of 49-45, with 2 passing teams stopping the clocks with each pass. An NBA season interminably long, and games droning on and on. Baseball games take forever and the pitching is basically below mediocre. I say it is 3 things: 1)The modern sports fan's desire for "entertainment"--i.e...offense. Homeruns. Dunks. 70-yard passes. Defense has shrunk in modern fans' minds, because defense is "boring." NOT TO ME, but to Joe Sports Fan, entertainment is key. To me, an old-school guy, the entertainment comes from a soundly-played game, balancing offense with defense. I really lament all the emphasis on "entertainment." Are we that shallow as a society? Ooops. I think I just answered my question. Our attention span seems to be too short to follow a soundly-managed and played game. Everyone wants the dunk, when a layup suffices. People love the end-zone dance when just flipping the ball to the referee is sportsmanlike. . .A 2nd reason for the longer games is the oversaturation of sports teams, thus diluting talent, and especially pitching quality. And so it goes. I'm sure anyday, Bud Selig will be pushing for expansion again. Why would we not be surprised?. . .3rd reason for longer games is what plagues college football today: Commercials/TV advertising/Corporate sponsorship, etc...causes the BCS messes, and things like the Corporate world superimposing themselves on "The purity of the games." TV timeouts, due to commercials, and too-long half-time shows so the studios can put their talking heads on display. Oh well, there's no going back..unfortunately. (My intention wasn't to write a book--T.R., sorry for my non-brevity.