Colorado Rockies acquire pitcher Brett Anderson from A’s | MLB.com

The Rockies acquired left-handed starting pitcher Brett Anderson and cash considerations from the Athletics on Tuesday for lefty starter Drew Pomeranz and Minor League righty Chris Jensen, the teams announced.

Rockies To Sign Justin Morneau

In the tradition of “Dumping Doug Fister So You Can Afford Joe Nathan” comes “Dumping Dexter Fowler So You Can…”

The Rockies have agreed to sign Justin Morneau to a two-year deal worth roughly $13MM, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).

Morneau hit .259/.323/.411 with 17 homers in 2013, a slash line is a slight improvement over that of a league-average hitter, and his .152 isolated power mark is also slightly above the league average of .146.

Rockies trade Dexter Fowler to Astros for Jordan Lyles, Brandon Barnes

The Astros have acquired center fielder Dexter Fowler and a player to be named later from the Rockies in exchange for right-hander Jordan Lyles and outfielder Brandon Barnes, both teams announced.

Thanks to JJ.

Rockies owner provides detailed look at team’s budget

[Monfort] also explained why he isn’t about to spend all that new TV money next year. He said he is planning to receive $8 million less, or $19 million, believing a chunk will be kept for baseball’s central fund to compensate for last season

...The $18 million is additionally siphoned, Monfort explained, to pay $5.5 million to the MLB credit line for past loans, $5 million for player raises and $3.5 million to cover projected revenue loss from not having the Yankees and the Red Sox play at Coors Field, series that drew huge crowds this past summer at inflated ticket prices. That leaves approximately $4 million to $5 million in “new” money, and the ability to add about $11 million to the payroll, he said.

There’s a lot of information in the article including Monfort’s outline of the Rockies’ expenses (see chart at the end of the article).

Rockies fans were already a bit upset by the announcement of plans to build a restaurant deck in right field. The thinking was that the Rockies were using the windfall from the new national TV contracts on the stadium rather than new players.  However, the article says the funds for the stadium are coming from other sources.

Monfort also says the Rockies’ revenue is at $170 million and his rule of thumb is to spend 50% on payroll.  Forbes most recent valuation article had the Rockies’ revenue at $199 million, and Bloomberg’s (the one with the fancy interactive chart) had it at $195 million.

Baseball America: 2014 Colorado Rockies Top 10 Prospects

Dahl: Powertrip.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Jonathan Gray, rhp
2. Eddie Butler, rhp
3. Rosell Herrera, ss
4. Kyle Parker, 1b/of
5. Chad Bettis, rhp
6. David Dahl, of
7. Tom Murphy, c
8. Ryan McMahon, 3b
9. Trevor Story, ss
10. Raimel Tapia, of

The Rockies have continued to develop solid role players around star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and left fielder Carlos Gonzalez. In 2013, Nolan Arenado led the way as he became the first NL rookie third baseman to win a Gold Glove award, and he kept his head above water offensively.

Injuries in the final two months provided playing time for outfielders Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson, with Blackmon hitting .309/.336/.467 in his longest stint in the majors, while rookie Dickerson played with hustle and energy and thrived offensively at Coors Field, where he posted a 1.003 OPS. Rookie righthander Chad Bettis also showed a power arm over the final two months and likely will fill a late-inning role in the 2014 bullpen.

Blackmon is a product of the 2008 draft and rivals Jordan Pacheco as Colorado’s best player from the 2006 through ’08 draft classes, which have proved very unproductive. The Rockies have rebuilt their depth with more success in recent drafts, though highly regarded 2012 first-round outfielder David Dahl essentially had a lost year due to disciplinary issues and injuries.

Cardinals expected to discuss possible Troy Tulowitzki trade at GM meetings - Yahoo Sports

The Cardinals surely have the pieces to make this deal work.

Certainly the Cardinals have the pieces to land him – or, if the Rockies balk, one of the Rangers’ shortstops. Between a logjam at first base and a surplus of hard-throwing, young arms, St. Louis has stockpiled the sort of talent to pull off a 3- or 4-for-1 deal. In a previous conversation between the teams about a possible Tulowitzki deal, first baseman Matt Adams’ name surfaced, with Colorado needing a long-term replacement for the retiring Todd Helton and St. Louis unlikely to trade Allen Craig because his team-friendly contract keeps him under control as long as Adams.
.
In addition, the Rockies would like to add at least one young starter to a pair of promising right-handed prospects: Jonathan Gray, the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft, and Eddie Butler, who blew away scouts at the Futures Game with a power sinker that topped out at 98 mph. Shelby Miller especially would fit that slot, with Lance Lynn a less-desirable option; the Cardinals, sources said, would not entertain a deal that includes rookie Michael Wacha. St. Louis likely would need to include either lefty flamethrower Kevin Siegrist or closer Trevor Rosenthal, and perhaps one more piece, depending on how hard a bargain Colorado plans on driving.

Charlie Monfort, Rockies owner, arrested on DUI charges

This is our beer (or whatever)...loving owner!

Charlie Monfort, co-owner of the Rockies, on Monday was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Windsor, according to court records.

The 54-year-old Monfort was released Tuesday afternoon on a $2,500 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Weld County court Nov. 19.

Monfort was also cited for driving 10-19 miles per hour over the speed limit, court records reveal.

Monfort, who lives in Greeley, has been the Rockies’ managing general partner since 1992.

“I’m extremely disappointed in myself for the decision I made to drink and drive and the potential risk I caused to other innocent people,” Monfort said in a statement released by the Rockies. “I want to apologize to my family, the Colorado Rockies staff, players, Major League Baseball and, of course, our fans for the embarrassment I have caused by my actions.

“I do understand the seriousness of my behavior and the issues that I am facing and I’m committed to do what’s necessary to deal with my problem.

The drunken-driving arrest is familiar territory for Monfort. In 1999, he was also arrested for DUI in Greeley. Police in that case said Monfort’s blood alcohol content was .209, well over the then-legal limit of .10.

Dick Monfort says Rockies all-stars Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez staying put

Load up the HST cannon!

Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez aren’t going anywhere this winter. Rockies owner Dick Monfort said Wednesday he does not intend to trade either all-star.

“The plan is to keep them. Next year, yes. And my plan is to always keep them,” Monfort said. “Is that the smartest thing in the world to do? I don’t know. But for our fans I think it’s the best thing to do.”

In a wide-ranging interview at Coors Field, Monfort addressed the team’s front-office structure, a planned player payroll increase to between $90 million and $95 million next year and his desire to add a starting pitcher and big bat to a team that has had three straight losing seasons.

Despite consecutive last-place finishes, Monfort said he will not alter the structure that has assistant general manager Bill Geivett in charge of day-to-day major-league operations and reporting to Dan O’Dowd, who is in charge of the Rockies’ player development but is also the boss of the front office.

“I really don’t think either one has done a poor job,” Monfort said.

...The immediate plan to get the Rockies out of the National League West basement and into the postseason revolves around Tulowitzki, their all-star shortstop, and Gonzalez, their all-star left fielder.

“I love those two guys,” Monfort said. “And if they ever get on a tear ... In Tampa Bay, every once in a while, Evan Longoria just carries them and we have two guys who can carry a team.”

Denver Post: Todd Helton Greek-fantasy centaur fan painting

Someone needs to look into these side effects:

We’re not sure what exactly is happening in this fan’s painting of Todd Helton as a half-man, half-horse centaur hybrid carrying a baseball bat in a mythical highland swamp at the foot of a soaring mountain range.

But we’re pretty sure it’s not accurate. The 40-year-old Todd Helton hasn’t been in that kind of shape in awhile.

There’s a photo in the link.

Dave Krieger: Rockies review: Should they trade one (or more) of the big three?

As Marcus Aurelios Rodríguez once said: “Reject your sense of baseball injury and the baseball injury itself disappears.”

So here’s the question, and I don’t know a delicate way to phrase it: Are the Rockies’ stars wimpier than their rivals’ stars?

Tulo hasn’t played in 150 games since 2009, the last time the Rocks made the playoffs. He’s played as many as 140 once in the four intervening seasons. And he’s in his prime, weeks from his 29th birthday. One would have to assume he gets more fragile, not less, from here.

CarGo has never played 150 games in a season. He played 145 once and 135 once in a six-year career. In five big-league seasons, Fowler’s high is 143.

...Can the Rockies build a contender around Tulowitzki, Gonzalez and Fowler? Or do they need one of them to be more like Hunter Pence — someone who crashes into walls, shakes it off and stays in the game . . . and plays the next day . . . and the next . . . and the next. Are the last few years too small a sample size upon which to judge the Rockies’ core, or do they have too many high-strung thoroughbreds and not enough plow horses?

Much as I like the big three as players when they’re healthy, I’m coming around to the idea that the Rocks need to get tougher, and that one of the big three may have to go to make it happen.

Renck: Todd Helton to retire after 17 seasons with Colorado Rockies

Todd Helton paused, as if stepping out of the batter’s box, and confidently addressed his future after months of uncertainty. The greatest player in Rockies history will retire at the end of the season, he told The Denver Post on Saturday.

“Yes, this is it. It just seems like it’s time. It’s a young man’s game. I am 40 years old. I am looking forward to doing something else besides baseball. Whatever that may be. I am not sure yet,” said Helton, sitting next to his wife, Christy. “I am going to start a new chapter not only in my life but our lives. It will be different. It will be difficult, but it will be exciting.”

...Entering spring training, he was convinced 17 seasons would be enough, but his body sent him mixed signals. He felt better than he had for years after back, hip and knee surgeries.

“During the season I definitely wavered. It usually wasn’t from having a great game. I just enjoyed the competition, and I felt like I had bat speed. That’s what I will miss. The competition. I don’t know how I will replace that yet. There were days, I thought, ‘Maybe I can do this one year,’ ” Helton said. “Then ultimately, it’s the travel, being away from the family. It is just time.”

Thanks to FrankC.

Bill James Mailbag - 9/12/13

And sometimes you draft a guy who strikes out 37 times in 39 at-bats.

Bill, Is there any good reason for umpires to have a rotation? Doesn’t it seem more likely that having the best ball-strike umpires always do the plate and the best base umpires at 1st, etc., would lead to more calls being made correctly?

... It was done that way long before the umpires were unionized.   The problems inherent in the other alternative would seem to me to be almost limitless.   Umpires rotate not merely from position to position but also from crew to crew, the crews re-forming constantly during the season with the goal of getting uniformity—and anonymity—in the umpiring.   Since umpires change crews all the time, the guy who was the third-best ball-and-strike umpire on one crew would be the best ball-and-strike umpire on another crew, and the guy who was the best first-base umpire on one crew would be the fourth-best first-base umpire on another.   You’d have to maintain a monster chart to figure out who should be positioned where.

The bigger issue, though, is skills development… If each umpire was “locked” at a position, what happens when an umpire retires, or is sick and injured and misses a game?   Then you have to promote somebody who hasn’t been umpiring the plate to become a home plate umpire.   This seems to me, frankly, about a thousand times worse than the current system.

I’m curious as to your views on what factors we should or shouldn’t adjust for when calculating a time line adjustment to rate old-time players against modern players…

My perception, before I worked for the Red Sox, was that process of trying to improve teams was offset by natural aging/breakage, keeping the game essentially on a treadmill.   My perception NOW is that teams work so hard to improve constantly that they DO improve constantly—all of them.  There have been a thousand little innovations in the game in the last ten years, innovations that spread rapidly from one team to another, so that a team that doesn’t work hard to keep up would get very rapidly left behind.  

These innovations occur so rapidly and yet so gradually that they’re virtually impossible to document.   We just do a lot of things differently—and better—now as opposed to 2003.   Everybody does.   Some of those things could be grafted onto Home Run Baker; others couldn’t. 

I guess what I am saying is that accurate generalization requires clarity, and I just don’t have enough clarity on this issue to generalize about it in a way that would be useful.

Would Denver still have been chosen for an MLB expansion team if the effects of altitude were known (or at least more widely understood) 25 years ago?

... It takes 40 years to build a (reasonably) mature fan base, and there are dry patches in those 40 years when it looks like nothing is growing.

We haven’t expanded now in a long time, and baseball is getting kind of behind the curve with the population.   San Antonio is now the 7th largest city in the country or something like that, and. . .no baseball.   It’s a problem.  

Let us say that baseball were to expand into San Antonio.   First of all, you’d have to make some sort of local deal to get a stadium built, and then you’d have two bursts of interest/attendance:   1)  When the team started to play, and 2)  When the new stadium opened two to five years later.   When those bursts of interest/attendance passed, then you’d have some dry years when the attendance was poor and interest lagged, because the San Antonio team—despite the population of the area—just would not have what the old, established teams have.   People in Boston grew up going to opening day games with their grandpa.   People in Kansas City now grew up going to Royals games with their grandpa.   It takes a long time to establish that.

The Rockies now are kind of half-way through that process, and they’re in a little bit of a dry spell—but in the big picture, the organization has done well and the organization has been successful.

... Could you give some examples of ways teams have improved in the last ten years?

Ten years ago teams had a training staff of one or two people.   Now we have staffs of people. . .trainers who speak Japanese and double as interpretors.   The trainers are half doctors now, some of them.   They’re veteran people who know the athlete’s body better than a doctor does.  
 
We’re much more aggressive in using the options process to keep 25 players on the major league roster who are ready to play.   Ten years ago if you had a reliever who had a tired arm, you’d wait it out.   Now you DL him, call up somebody else and let the other guys’ arm come back.   
 
All of the information that is produced by our field is mined by the operations guys and put to practical use pretty much immediately.  Ten years ago we knew SOMETHING about where each hitter was likely to hit the ball.   We know a lot more now.   
 
Ten years ago we’d have a scouting report that said “Will use the change to RHB on occasion.”   Now we know how many changeups and sliders and cutters and curves the pitcher throws to right-handers and left-handers.
 
Ten years ago we hardly scouted the Far East.   Now we’ve got scouts everywhere checking out rumors of a baseball player.   The Dodgers got Ryu out of some league that hardly existed ten years ago.  
 
Ten years ago the Dominican Development Leagues were just getting started.

Do teams do continuous review of their scouting?

... I don’t know that we have systematic, organized review.   I do remember Theo trying to organize a systematic, organized review of our scouting a couple of times, but I don’t know that anything ever came of it. 

In a less organized fashion, we do a lot of that.   During draft meetings we’ll start talking about old drafts, past drafts… We talk through those issues at great length (and with great frequency) after the fact, so that the mistakes we’ve made in the past become a part of our organizational DNA.

One thing you kind of missed on. . .when a draft goes wrong, you generally KNOW why it went wrong.   Sometimes we read a guy as a great kid, and he turns out to be not such a great kid.   A kid stalls out at High A; the scouts will know why he stalled out at a level that somebody else would miss. . .his swing path was too rigid, locked him out of certain zones and made him vulnerable, whatever.   Sometimes you write a guy off because you don’t like his work habits, and he turns out to be one of those guys who is just a natural.

Ringolsby: De La Rosa worthy of NL Cy Young consideration

The #### is about to hit the ballfan…

In the 21 years that the Colorado Rockies have existed, opponents and pundits have discounted the team’s offensive accomplishments because of the hitter-friendly environment at both Mile High Stadium (their home the first two years) and Coors Field.

Are the critics going to be fair and balanced in their evaluations?

Could Rockies left-hander Jorge De La Rosa be a serious candidate for the National League Cy Young Award, and maybe even win the honor?

De La Rosa not only shares the NL lead in victories (16) with Jordan Zimmermann of the Washington Nationals, but he is 10-1 with a 2.76 earned-run average at Coors Field…

Some of the inconsistency that dogged the early part of De La Rosa’s career came from his inability to control his emotions when things went wrong. The Rockies immediately addressed this weakness.

What has been the difference? De La Rosa credits former Rockies mental skills coach Ron Svetich. De La Rosa said Svetich “taught me to count to 10.”

The question now is whether the critics of Coors will give De La Rosa credit for the job he has done.

Rafael Betancourt has complete tear of ligament, career likely over

Rafael Betancourt has been bracing for bad news since he walked off the mound Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. Monday’s MRI confirmed the worst, a complete tear of his ulnar ligament. He will try platelet rich plasma treatment to see if it helps form scar tissue in the area. It’s rare where surgery can be avoided, but the 38-year-old has nothing to lose.

“They left it up to me whether to have surgery or not. I will see if this helps and allows me to throw again. If not…,” Betancourt said.

Then he will likely retire. Given his age and his expiring contract — he has a $4.25-million mutual option that will be declined — there’s no real incentive to rehab for 12-to-13 months to pitch again. According to ESPN, four pitchers have torn their UCL and returned to the majors since 2010. None did so in fewer than 11 months.

Etkin: Todd Helton: A Beautiful Swing Slows Down

Helton is hitting .254 with 13 doubles, eight home runs and 40 RBI in 287 at-bats spread over 94 games. He typically doesn’t play a day game after a night game and often isn’t in the lineup when a left-handed pitcher starts for the opposition.

“I don’t care how good shape you’re in, how good you take care of yourself,” Helton said. “At 40 years old, you can’t play 162 games. The only way I could is if we played every one in the same spot at the same time every day, and I didn’t have to travel.”

...But as Helton closes in on 2,500 hits, his across-the-board statistics resonate—and will put him in elite company. The only player with at least 2,500 hits, 550 doubles, 350 home runs and a .310 career batting average is Stan Musial. Musial’s bottom line included 3,630 hits, 725 doubles, 475 home runs and a .331 average. He was one of the game’s titans, his output far exceeding that of Helton, who has 2,493 hits, 583 doubles, 362 home runs and a .317 average. But with the end presumably near, Helton’s impressive body of work has helped cushion his decline.

“If I step back and look at the big picture, I’ve done more than I ever expected to do in the game,” Helton said. “I’ve got more hits. I’ve played better defense. I’ve played longer than coming into it you’d ever think. So in one sense it’s hard; in another sense you have to be realistic and look at the big picture and still realize that every day you go out there is a blessing, even when it’s tough.

“There’s some days I stink up the field. I know it doesn’t show in my face sometimes, but I’m like, ‘Man, this is still fun.’ And there’s some days it’s not like that either, don’t get me wrong. There’s some days I’m like, ‘This game can stick it up its own ass.’”

Thanks to Minch.

TSN: Troy Tulowitzki: Batting average is overhyped

Especially when you’re in a (checks Rockie boxie) 1 fer 20 slide.

SN: What’s a stat that gets too much attention?

TT: If I had to pick one, I think batting average. I think it defines a lot of people, but really, if you’re a high on-base guy, it shows you’re getting on base, but batting average is the one that’s always next to your name, up there in every stadium. It’s an important stat, but at the same time, I think it’s overhyped.

SN: The issue of steroids: Is baseball doing the right thing? Are the penalties stiff enough, and is the program working?

TT: I try not to get involved with that stuff. Let them handle it. All I can do is make decisions for myself and represent myself the best that I can for my career and know that I did things the right way. Everything else, hey, whatever happens, happens.

SN: If you could trade places with anybody in baseball for a day, who would it be?

TT: Derek Jeter. He’s my idol—the reason why I wear No. 2. Just the way he goes about his business. This year, I know he’s had some ups and downs, but overall, just to be in someone’s shoes for a day, it would probably be him.

Bloomberg: Which A-Rod Contract Worst in Baseball Yankees or Rangers Decide [sic]

Last sentence is classic.

[Alex Rodriguez] is almost halfway through a 10-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees. Signed in December 2007, it replaced a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers…

“Ten, 20 years from now, if we’re sitting around talking about the worst contracts, those are the two that will immediately come to mind,” said Wayne McDonnell, an assistant professor of sports management at New York University. “Just in terms of dollars and cents, I think the two Alex Rodriguez deals will probably go down in history as being the worst.”...

“When the contract was signed, there was a lot of concern among not just Major League Baseball, but all sports for the dollars that were involved,” said Harvey Schiller, who was the chief executive officer of YankeeNets LLC, the team’s broadcast arm, when Rodriguez was acquired… “Whether he’s given the true value in terms of marketing, I would say no, especially when you compare him to Derek Jeter or even the value you get out of guys like (Curtis) Granderson or (Mark) Teixeira,” Schiller said. “For the Yankees, you’d have to say that dollar for dollar, there was a better investment in the rest of them.”

Determining the worst sports contract depends on whose perspective you are taking and at what point you are taking it, according to Andrew Zimbalist, an economist at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, who has written a dozen books on the business of sports.

In looking at the most problematic U.S. sports deals from the vantage point of the day they were signed, “I’d say A-Rod’s was on top,” Zimbalist said of the Yankees’ contract.

From the perspective of how the signing helped build a franchise, the Rangers’ contract was worse, according to Andy Dolich, who has held operations-management positions in all four major U.S. sports leagues.

“You’re always going to look for a player to build the team around and increase net value,” Dolich, a sports business consultant for the London-based executive search firm Odgers Berndtson, said in a telephone interview. “I don’t think you could say he necessarily did that with the Rangers, and whatever the ultimate payout is going to be here at the end of these negotiations, it will really be a correcting error in the Yankees’ overall financial structure.”

The issue with both Rodriguez deals is their length, Zimbalist said… “It’s really problematic whenever you sign a player for 10 years,” Zimbalist said. “If A-Rod didn’t prove that, Albert Pujols is proving it now.”...

“I thought the Albert Pujols contract was a really good one at the time,” said J.C. Bradbury, a professor in the department of exercise science and sport management at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw,
Georgia. “This guy has fallen unexpectedly. It’s bizarre.”

Bradbury, who’s analyzed contract values and written books including “Hot Stove Economics: Understanding Baseball’s Second Season,” said statistically Rodriguez’s deal in 2009, when the Yankees won their most recent World Series, was the worst in baseball.

Two Rockies minor leaguers charged with first degree rape, face life in prison

WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF

This is ugly and awful: Class A Asheville relief pitchers Michael Mason and Jesse Meaux were charged today with two counts each of first-degree rape and first-degree sex offense. From the Asheville Citizen-Times:

  The alleged offenses involved one woman and happened in the early morning hours on Saturday at the players’ apartment on Ascot Point Circle, according to a police incident report and arrest warrants. Both players have been suspended from the baseball team.

Hochman: Esoteric but useful, baseball’s new superstat is wRC+

As Boozer Emerson asked me at the bar…“Does that Baseball-Referral place use it?”

To the casual baseball fan, there isn’t a tidy Bo Derek-y stat (10!) to rate the greatness of, say, Bo or Derek.

Guys are gaged by a gumbo of mumbo-jumbo, confusing stats that, only when cooked together, lead us to unequivocal evaluations such as “He’s pretty good,” or “He’s, like, really good.”

Sure, you’ve heard of WAR, last season’s buzz acronym (BA) during the American League MVP debate. But on this day, I’m here to introduce you to (arguably) the most Bo Derek-y stat out there, a stat that could change the way you look at stars — and also help you appreciate the greatness of Carlos Eduardo Gonzalez.

Denver, meet wRC+.

It stands for weighted runs created plus, a stat Grantland.com baseball writer and Denver resident Jonah Keri calls the most telling offensive stat in the game. As for the Rockies’ Cargs — yes, I call CarGo “Cargs,” which I believe is the first-ever nickname of a nickname — the outfielder is fifth in the National League (153). He, of course, will start in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

So, what is this thing?

In a sentence, it’s a stat that dissects a player’s overall offense, while adjusting for the effects of the parks and league he plays in. It’s a pretty cool way of looking at the grand old game.

Ryan Spilborghs weighs in on the complex issues of PEDs

Spilborghs/beans/guts.

The other part of expanding the roster is wanting baseball to have a maximum game rule, my suggestion is no player can start more than 146 games in a season, and cannot play more than 10 consecutive games without a mandatory day off (I don’t count a scheduled off day as end of a succession). It doesn’t mean player can’t be used in game he doesn’t start. He can pinch hit, and I would go so far as saying not able to play more than 5 innings on games he had mandatory no start unless game goes extra innings then there is no rule. I’m sure many players who want or like to play everyday will squawk, that they want to play everyday, but it’s like the parent who knows when it’s time for kid to go to bed, or the friend that takes that extra tequila shot out of your hand. There is a bigger picture and in the long run (and morning after) they will be grateful.

Can I be so naive to think that just by expanding rosters and giving players more rest that the use of PEDs and stimulants would stop? Two answers, am I naive (yes, very), and would use stop with current drug policy and more days off? I’d more or less say yes it would stop. I think stimulant use already has somewhat stopped, but would be almost completely gone with less games. PEDs are still a much more complicated situation. Here is my reasoning as per the stimulants. “Greenies,” which were amphetamines (is already banned), which would give players a feeling of being in a heightened state, like you’re ready to start a fight. And there’s Aderrall (which players can still use today with a temporary use exemption/TUE, professional doctors clinical suggestion) which gives a player that feeling of being “locked in” and being amped up. In my opinion, it is already under control with the current joint drug agreement.

...Another side of this whole argument is what Ryan Madson of the Angels (been spinning his wheels during his rehabilitation of his throwing arm) has suggested in having doctor administered/ league approved use of HGH/ or steroid to help a player recover from injury. A close friend of mine, a doctor and trainer of Olympic athletes suggested one time that the Olympics should administer their own steroid program to ensure the health of their athletes and would level the playing field. So rather than try to eliminate the use of PEDs, it would be to have a MLB administered program (Madson did not suggest this, I am simply playing devil’s advocate) that gave players safe and healthy doses (not talking German swim team) that would help prevent injuries, probably prolong many careers and lives. Wouldn’t you think teams would want to make sure their players stayed healthy and playing at their best levels, especially if players were under long term contracts? Would you consider that a good product if you knew that players in all professional sports were all given low doses of steroids or whatever medically and league approved alternative to keep everyone in health and competing on similar physical levels? Especially if seasons stay as long as they are and rosters don’t expand? Personally I say no, but I also make a long “ahhhhhh” as if I’m thinking about actually saying yes right before, but I do think we should look into some of the possibilities for helping athletes recover from injury.

Oswalt’s Fastball a Feast-or-Famine Pitch in MLB Return - Baseball Analytics Blog - MLB Baseball Analytics

Back to the future!!

Oswalt showed enough stuff to earn more MLB starts, enjoying radar gun readings not seen since he was still a 200-inning-a-year horse. But he’s not in Tulsa anymore, so he’s going to have to show finer touch with his fastball to forge a successful comeback. Throwing belt-high heat at mile-high elevation is a dicey proposition, no matter how much zip you have.

Troy Tulowitzki breaks rib, to miss 4-6 weeks

Well this just about flushes the season for my “Lupe Velez Nauseous Nine” fantasy team.

An MRI on Thursday night revealed that Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has a broken rib, the Denver Post reported.

Tulowitzki, hitting .347 with 16 home runs this season, is headed to the disabled list and is expected to miss four to six weeks, according to MLB.com.

Tulowitzki hurt his ribs trying to make a play in the eighth inning of Thursday’s 5-4 loss to Washington. Manager Walt Weiss said Tulowitzki’s ribs have been hurting for about a week.

“I’m just really upset, I worked so hard (to get back),” Tulowitzki said in a text message to the Denver Post. “I’m in a lot of pain right now; I’m not sure how long (I’ll be out).

“It’s just an unfortunate thing that happened. I will be back and be even better.”

Deal revived, Rockies acquire 2B Marco Scutaro from Red Sox

Il Milione Man March heads west…

The Rockies have agreed in principle on a deal to acquire Boston infielder Marco Scutaro for pitcher Clayton Mortensen, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks.

The Rockies’ earmarked Scutaro as a target when the offseason began, seeing him as a starting second baseman and potential No. 2 hitter in the lineup. The deal went on life support Friday, but was revived today when the Rockies were able to work through some financial issues to take on Scutaro’s $6 million contract.

It will become official shortly as the players involved are notified.

...Mortensen is an extreme groundball pitcher, relying heavily on a sinker. He went 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA, splitting between between the bullpen and rotation.

With Scutaro in the fold, the Rockies will enter spring training with one of their deepest lineups in franchise history. He will join outfielder Michael Cuddyer and catcher Ramon Hernandez as key acquisitions, completely reshaping the lineup around Carlos Gonzalez and all-star cleanup hitter Troy Tulowitzki.

Plain Dealer | Cleveland Indians acquire Kevin Slowey

The Indians acquired Slowey and a reported $1.25 million from the Rockies for right-hander Zach Putnam.

SI.com: Economic considerations at heart of Carmona’s decision

An interesting analysis of signing ages, signing bonuses, and success rates in the Dominican Republic, by Melissa Segura of Sports Illustrated ...

Teams pay premiums for 16-year-olds for two primary reasons: One, because teams often want to be the first to sign a promising player and, thus, avoid bidding wars with other teams; and two, clubs prefer to develop their players’ skills under the watchful eyes of their own club personnel rather than under those of unqualified and unaffiliated coaches or trainers.

But are 18-year-old Latin American players really worth 70 percent less than their 16-year-old counterparts? Here’s another data analysis that calls into question the industry practice of placing a premium on youth. Let’s assume the most basic marker of a successful signing is making it to the majors. We’ll make it simple and look at the 79 players who have made their major league debuts from 2008-2011 from Carmona’s Dominican Republic. Of those 79, only six were signed as 16-year-olds. The debuts suggest older players were more likely to advance to the majors. ...

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What’s more, SI tracked down the bonus data for 60 of the 79 players. Fernando Martinez, signed by the Mets in 2005 for $1.3 million, was the only one to receive a seven-figure bonus. Only nine others signed for six figures and one — the Rockies’ Juan Nicasio — received nada to sign, according to the data obtained by SI. The median signing bonus among them tallied a paltry $35,000.