2K16 - Colorado Rockies

[The Dane]

With Charlie Blackmon en fuego, Corey Dickerson was demoted to AAA today.

Another guy I went after hard in all my drafts on which he was available. I ended up going outbid at every turn and never landed him. However, I ended up with Blackmon in two leagues.

This year I'm trying to remember all the good luck I have, instead of just the bad.

[joncarlos]

Rutledge was called up to replace Wilton Lopez (who was a pitcher). Are they rolling with an extra hitter permanently? Or is someone going back down in a day or two?

Also what's up with Adam Ottavino? 10 ks in 4.2 innings?

[whalewang]

"Wilton Lopez is expected to join the Sky Sox on Friday when they return to Colorado Springs from Round Rock, Texas."

http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_25530235/wilton-lopez-optioned-by-rockies-minors-josh-rutledge-recalled

[joncarlos]

"Wilton Lopez is expected to join the Sky Sox on Friday when they return to Colorado Springs from Round Rock, Texas."

http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci...ledge-recalled

Ah, OK, so they just burned Lopez out in mop-up duty and figured he could rest at AAA, and called up Rutledge since they were planning to rest Tulo.

I for one am shocked that Tulo is injured.

The Rockies' Wednesday lineup will also not include Troy Tulowitzki. The all-star shortstop was given a day off after struggling with tightness in his right quadriceps muscle since the first game of the season.

[revo]

Also what's up with Adam Ottavino? 10 ks in 4.2 innings?

I've started to hear that he's the next in line for the closer's spot, and not Rex Brothers.

[Judge Jude]

I suspect Culberson will be demoted this weekend, leaving Rutledge up while a 13th pitcher is added

I hope so: I used up 1 of 6 waiver moves today to dump Culberson for Rutledge, which could be a wasted move if Rutledge doesn't stick (although shorting Tulo stock never gets old lol)

[Simon]

I've started to hear that he's the next in line for the closer's spot, and not Rex Brothers.

Where have you heard this revo, would love to know?

[The Dane]

Where have you heard this revo, would love to know?

I haven't heard any official word, but I'll tell you what I've been thinking.

I targeted him in all my leagues and got him, either at draft or in the first FAAB run, completely unopposed. I looked at the Colorado closer situation prior to draft days and here's what I saw:

-Hawkins is Hawkins; he's been good but he's old as the hills and collapse is inevitable.
-Brothers was not handed the job when they had an opening to give it to him. They signed Hawkins which signals to me a discernible lack of confidence in Brothers.
-Brothers was not sterling in Spring Training.
-Ottavino is a converted (read: failed) starter, like most closers.
-Ottavino has a k/9 and bb/9 worthy of closing.
-Ottavino's start has been GREAT. 10k in 4ip is damn sexy.

I'm not claiming he's the next in line or anything, only that it looks like he could be a "surprise" closer soon enough (although not a surprise to me... and maybe no one else). I'd say that if your roster has room for a MR that you can sit on and hope for saves, or are in a league in which you use MRs (I'm in two), he's a good grab. He's already gone in all my leagues, but he might be a nice FAAB this week in your league. The skills are supported, but the path to opportunity is still clouded.

[senorsheep]

I haven't heard any official word, but I'll tell you what I've been thinking.

I targeted him in all my leagues and got him, either at draft or in the first FAAB run, completely unopposed. I looked at the Colorado closer situation prior to draft days and here's what I saw:

-Hawkins is Hawkins; he's been good but he's old as the hills and collapse is inevitable.
-Brothers was not handed the job when they had an opening to give it to him. They signed Hawkins which signals to me a discernible lack of confidence in Brothers.
-Brothers was not sterling in Spring Training.
-Ottavino is a converted (read: failed) starter, like most closers.
-Ottavino has a k/9 and bb/9 worthy of closing.
-Ottavino's start has been GREAT. 10k in 4ip is damn sexy.

I'm not claiming he's the next in line or anything, only that it looks like he could be a "surprise" closer soon enough (although not a surprise to me... and maybe no one else). I'd say that if your roster has room for a MR that you can sit on and hope for saves, or are in a league in which you use MRs (I'm in two), he's a good grab. He's already gone in all my leagues, but he might be a nice FAAB this week in your league. The skills are supported, but the path to opportunity is still clouded.

I don't think the organization lacks confidence in Brothers. Quite the opposite, I believe - they like him a lot, and don't want him getting expensive early in the process by racking up a ton of saves. But your speculation about Ottavino is solid. Matt Belisle used to be the go-to back-up option for saves, but he was pretty shaky last year, and hasn't looked great this year, either, so I think Ottavino is a good reserve roster stash, if you've got room for him.

[The Dane]

I don't think the organization lacks confidence in Brothers. Quite the opposite, I believe - they like him a lot, and don't want him getting expensive early in the process by racking up a ton of saves. But your speculation about Ottavino is solid. Matt Belisle used to be the go-to back-up option for saves, but he was pretty shaky last year, and hasn't looked great this year, either, so I think Ottavino is a good reserve roster stash, if you've got room for him.

Fair enough. I trust you know far more about the inner workings and thought processes of the Rockies than I do. However, I'm not sure I understand your "early in the process" argument. Brothers has been in the majors for four years now, three of them as a closer-in-waiting. He had 19 saves last year and only two blown saves. What does a guy have to do to show his team he's ready? What does a team have to do to show a guy that they think he's The Man? Do you do that by hiring a 40+ journeyman middle reliever to close ahead of you?

I believe you when you say the team likes him, but the situation looks dubious to me, and in that cloudy mess, Ottavino looks a little like a bright light.

[senorsheep]

Fair enough. I trust you know far more about the inner workings and thought processes of the Rockies than I do. However, I'm not sure I understand your "early in the process" argument. Brothers has been in the majors for four years now, three of them as a closer-in-waiting. He had 19 saves last year and only two blown saves. What does a guy have to do to show his team he's ready? What does a team have to do to show a guy that they think he's The Man? Do you do that by hiring a 40+ journeyman middle reliever to close ahead of you?

They know Brothers is ready, but Rockies ownership is not about what's best for the baseball team, they're about bottom line cost control. Brothers is arbitration eligible next year, and they don't want him walking into that hearing with any more ammunition than he already has. They'll deny him every overvalued save they can until they see the torches and pitchforks marching down Blake Street. Once his contract for 2015 is settled, he'll be closing, unless he falls apart this year. In which case, you Ottavino-stashers will look pretty smart.

[The Dane]

They know Brothers is ready, but Rockies ownership is not about what's best for the baseball team, they're about bottom line cost control. Brothers is arbitration eligible next year, and they don't want him walking into that hearing with any more ammunition than he already has. They'll deny him every overvalued save they can until they see the torches and pitchforks marching down Blake Street. Once his contract for 2015 is settled, he'll be closing, unless he falls apart this year. In which case, you Ottavino-stashers will look pretty smart.

Interesting. So, you think if Hawkins collapses and shows he can no longer close, or gets injured, they will not let Brothers close to keep him cheap for 2015? Do they then have another guy close, Belisle or even Ottavino, and then bring in Brothers to close cheaply in 2015? I buy your take, but I'm wondering how far they take this strategy. I can appreciate a team trying to save a few bucks by saving a guy who gets saves, but at what point do they just do what is right, regardless of what that is at the time.

[Erik]

They know Brothers is ready, but Rockies ownership is not about what's best for the baseball team, they're about bottom line cost control.

And Jesus. They're also about Jesus.

[revo]

Where have you heard this revo, would love to know?

There have been numerous discussions on this on the XM Fantasy Sports channel. I haven't seen anything in print, however.

[Judge Jude]

Brothers entered today in the 6th with the Rockies leading 6-4, runner on 1st, none out. He allowed a single, passed ball, and sac fly to allow the runner to score, but not exactly shelled.

still, 6th inning?

fwiw Ottavino came on in the 7th after Logan allowed 2 runs for 7-6 Phillies, and an error and sac fly plated another Phillies run.

Belisle entered in the 8th at 8-8 and allowed 2 runs and lost the 10-9 game.