April 2010

Iannetta demoted to the Sky Sox

Today Chris Iannetta was sent down to AAA Colorado Springs to work out the kinks in his swing. With Miguel Olivo swinging the bat the way he is, Iannetta would likely not see many plate appearances. To replace Iannetta and serve as back-up catcher in Paul Phillips.

Iannetta really needs to do something. A .133 average will not get it done, even if he were to hit 20 homers. Iannetta is an all or nothing guy right now; he either goes deep or strikes out. He has been looked to time and time again to be the catcher of the future, and aside from his decent ’08 year, he has never answered that call. With all due respect to Yorvit, when you lose your job as catcher to Yorvit Torrealba, who is a serviceable catcher at best, something is wrong. Something is really wrong when you have a lower average than Miguel Olivo, who has walked a many times as he’s homered (100 times each)! Iannetta needs to find some late discipline in the springs, or else he will never find his way back to Denver. I sure hope he is able to do it, cuz I really do like the guy, but with the way he is playing now, he’s of no value to the team.

Jorge and Hammel to the DL, but don’t panic yet!

So in case you missed it, Jorge De La Rosa is headed to the DL with a torn flexor band in his left middle finger, and Jason Hammel heads to the DL with a strained groin. Up from Colorado springs for Jorge is Jhoulys Chacin and Juan Rincon for some long relief work is up for Hammel, but expect Esmil Rogers up on Sunday to fill Hammels spot in the rotation. They join Brad Hawpe on the DL, and now while the season looks bleak, let’s not forget that this is somewhat familiar territory for the Rockies.

Let’s go back to 2007, shall we. There were two rotation spots opened in August, with the Rockies on the outside looking in of the wild card race. Colorado would turn to two of their top prospects to fill those shoes; two kids named Ubaldo Jimenezand and Franklin Morales. The two went on to fill in quiet admirably and helped propel the club not only to a wild card berth, but a World Series berth. Those two kids have morphed into a top tier started and a (somewhat) reliable reliever, in case you were wondering. So what am I saying? Am I saying thatJhoulys Chacin and Esmil Rogers are going to have such a great impact that our beloved Rockies are going straight back to the World Series? Or that we are looking at the next Roy Halladay orTim
Lincecum? Not quiet. What I am getting at is that this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Maybe these guys are the missing link to help this team make that jump from good to great. These kids have been raved about in the minors, and we’ve seen em in brief stints with the big club, but now is their chance to shine, like Jimenez and Morales were able to in the past. Who knows, maybe there time up here will solidify the first three spots in the rotation for years to come. All I know is that nobody should panic. This is there time. They have the talent, let’s sit back and see if they can put that talent to use in the big show.

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