It's Like a Gigantic Tub of Jelly Beans

According to Tracy Ringolsby, Luis Gonzalez is now the Rockies' starting second baseman. Sweet.

"SECOND THOUGHT: Luis Gonzalez has been the Rockies' super sub since joining the team a year ago. Now Hurdle wants to see if Gonzalez might even be better. Gonzalez is going to get a chance serve as the team's everyday second baseman the rest of this season. "Aaron (Miles) has done an admirable job, but we have to see if we have more of an upside with Luis," Hurdle said. "This is another one of the questions we want to answer before the end of the season."

In the wake of a series of trades which I didn't like, this mollifies my hatred for the team. Finally Gen-R is being implemented in the one spot that desperately needed it. In honor, I'll repost what was one of my first opinions posted on the blog. By the way, my draft entry took more work than any other one since. I think I was very right about trading Desi immediately, as he was theretofore a superb player. Should've traded him.

Sha-Zam!

With Clint Barmes' freak injury and Aaron Miles' less freaky injury, a player that has been deserving of playing time has begun to shine. If you don't know who I'm talking about, it's no. 4, Luis Gonzalez. This super-utility guy (he apparently carries something in the area of ten gloves on road trips) has shown that he has the ability to start in the bigs. He has performed admirably in the wake of the Miles injury and will get more playing time with Barmes out too. I personally believe that he should get the starting job at second base over Aaron Miles, given his power numbers. Gonzalez exceeds Miles' numbers in OBP, Slugging %, homers, and has legitimate power to the gaps. It seems to me that in Coors, a ballpark know for its inflated power numbers, every positional player for a team that plays 81 games there ought to have the ability to knock the ball out of the yard; thus, the Rockies should trade Miles or push him into a utility role (especially with Desi Relaford's revival, he should be starting every game too). Aaron Miles' hitting style would be ok in Coors if he drew more walks, but because he doesn't do that, his OBP is almost identical to his average, thereby decreasing his value. Many teams would be glad to have a contact hitting second baseman in Miles, so there would be some value in return. Keeping to the youth movement, Luis Gonzalez is the younger player as well, and thus should get the starting nod.Desi Relaford has shown something as of late as well, and the Rockies need to capitalize on that by trading him (if they are truly committed to the future). A team with two rising middle infield stars (Gonzalez, Barmes) has no room for a utility man that can hit .320. Normally the view would be that Relaford's stats are merely a reflection of Coors field, but he is hitting better on the road than in the thin aired hitter's paradise. Like Miles, Relaford is a contact hitter with little power, but in contrast to Miles, Relaford works the count and walks very often. This makes him acceptable in Coors, however, the Rox should exploit his rising value by trading him and consequently free up space in the infield while acquiring a good prospect.The following playoff-competitive teams are probably interested in a veteran middle infielder hitting .320 (some have players to give in return):Padres (Loretta down, Xavier Nady is a solid prospect)Marlins (Alex Gonzalez is hitting only .278)Mets (Kaz Matsui is no good)Brewers (loaded farm system, starting SS has .182 BA)MarinersTwins (Loaded farm system, may need a veteran to anchor the infield)Yankees (but who would they trade...)Orioles (badly need infield depth)Blue JaysDon't take this as hostility towards either player, I really like Desi Relaford as a player and Aaron Miles is pretty good too. That said, the Rockies, if they are to stick to their future first philosophy, need to trade Relaford and Miles.

Now some cogitations:

I just remembered the Rockies used to have Clint Barmes. I heard he was jogging and taking grounders. Sigh. The .400 season that never was. That's winning percentage, not batting average.

Brad Van Pelt is the number two QB now for the Broncos. Great. Another inaccurate QB that throws picks.

Does it make sense that in the "biggest trade in NBA history," I haven't heard of half the guys and none of them are stars? I think Shaq to the heat was the biggest one.

At the same link I gave for Gonzalez, you can see this thing where Jorge Piedra gives Palmiero some advice. I don't really care, I just want to say that Piedra is the most articulate baseball player since the doctor in Field of Dreams.



Movies like Field of Dreams make me very happy, despite my horribly persistent cynicism.