ROCKIES - 6/25/02

LATEST TEAM INFO: 38-38, Fourth in National League West.

The Colorado Rockies wasted one of their best runs in franchise history by having a horrendous June. But the Rockies have battled back to .500, manager Clint Hurdle has made some changes in the field, and – what’s this? – a Mike-Hampton-of-old sighting?

Rotation:

There is no surprise that one of the hot topics in Denver is what to do with Mike Hampton. Last week, after the 20-10 thrashing by the New York Yankees, Hurdle’s words showed how drastically Hampton has fallen. After Hampton allowed seven runs and hit three batters in five innings, Hurdle said the outing qualified as progress. I guess that is how fragile Hampton’s psyche is.

But June 23rd, Hampton turned in his strongest performance of the season, leading the Rockies to a 4-1 win. The left-hander pitched six innings, having allowed one run on six hits and walked just one. He also threw 51 strikes out of 74 pitches. The outing improved Hampton’s two-week numbers to 1-1 with a 7.13 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP.

The victory, Hampton’s second in 10 road starts that improved his record to 4-8, helped the Rockies extend their winning streak to five. This following a 24-10 run after Hurdle was hired, and a 5-12 slump in the first 17 games of June. For the Rockies to have a chance to make any progress in the playoff race, Colorado needs more outings like this from Hampton.

John Thomson has been another young hurler that has struggled through June (9.90 ERA and 1.80 WHIP over the last two weeks). The right-hander, not looking for excuses for having lost his last three decisions, believes his current slump is due to having started just 12 games in the month of June over the last six years. To help overcome the fatigue he’s been battling this month, Thomson has altered his routine between starts by substituting a bullpen session with some long toss. So keep an eye on him over the next couple of weeks to see if the change is working.

Jason Jennings and Shawn Chacon have been the “best” hurlers for the Rockies over the last two weeks. Jennings had a streak of 32.1 innings pitched at Coors without allowing a home run snapped by Derek Jeter. Jennings has maintain a 1-1 record and a 4.20 ERA, but has posted a 1.79 WHIP. Chacon has two no-decisions, while posting a 4.91 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.

Denny Neagle is now the most suspect pitcher in the rotation, having gone 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

Bullpen:

Closer Jose Jimenez set a milestone, of sorts, by setting the franchise record for career saves Monday, surpassing Bruce Ruffin’s total of 60. But Jimenez, who has 19 saves in 21 chances, is looking for bigger and better things – such as 40 saves this season. The Rockies record for a season – by the entire staff – is 43 in 1995; the individual record is 31 by Dave Veres in 1999. Jimenez picked up a win and four saves in the last two weeks, while posting a 4.50 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.

The Rockies recently called up Justin Speier and he has responded with a win, a 3.29 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Set-up man Todd Jones continues to have his struggles, having picked up a win while having posted a 5.63 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Chris Nichting (.182 BA) and Speier’s (.077) success against lefthanders allowed the Rockies to recall Rick White. White, like the rest of the crew, figures to function as a bridge to Jones and Jimenez. Stricken by a virus in spring training and bothered by shoulder spasms for weeks that sometimes left him unavailable on back-to-back days, White insists he's stronger than ever.

Infield:

The big move by Hurdle was when Jose Ortiz was told the sobering news that, with his left hamstring aching and his batting average dropping, he was placed on the disabled list as Brent Butler was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Before the injury, the Rockies were running out of patience with Ortiz. In his two-month cameo a year ago, Ortiz hit 13 homers while having played a serviceable second base. This season, he has gone from a strength to a liability. He was hitting .244 with seven extra-base hits and had been inconsistent at second base, twice blowing force plays because of poor decision making and sloppy footwork. Ortiz will rehabilitate in Denver until he's "100 percent healthy," then will go on a minor league rehab assignment at Colorado Springs. Position players can spend as long as 20 days on a rehab assignment, which will give Ortiz the better part of three weeks to reaffirm his prospect status.

The decision as to who Hurdle’s second baseman was didn’t take too long, thanks to a key word of Hurdle’s – production. Butler took the cue, hitting two home runs in a game for the first time in his brief major-league career on June 18th. Butler's solo shots in the first and fifth innings helped keep the Rockies in contention before the Yankees pulled away for a 10-5 win.

Butler has provided some punch Jose Ortiz had not been able to provide. Butler has nine extra-base hits in 24 games. Ortiz had seven in 53 games, with one home run. Over the last two weeks, Butler is hitting an even .300 with three HR, eight RBI, 10 RS and two SB.

The rest of the Rockie infield has been steady, but not spectacular. Over the last two weeks, Todd Helton has hit a rousing .396 and scored 9 runs, but has hit only one HR and driven in five. Jose Uribe has hit for a .318 BA with eight RS, one HR and six RBI. Todd Zeile has managed a .268 BA with 2 HR and 12 RBI.

Another adjustment Hurdle has made was behind the plate. Gary Bennett recently has assumed most of the catching duties for the Rockies. Bennett has done a solid job, but the key factor is that the Rockies' other catcher, Bobby Estalella, has been bothered by a sore left shoulder. Hurdle said Bennett has made some adjustments and gotten back to driving the ball to right-center.

Another factor that has earned Bennett playing time was the run of left-handed starters the Rockies faced. He has gone 12-for-35 (.343) against left-handers, compared with 1-for-15 (.067) for Estalella. Over the last two weeks, Bennett has a .391 BA with two RS and an RBI.

Outfield:

The big adjustment that Hurdle has made in the outfield was to give Mark Little a few starts in center field in place of Juan Pierre, who has been in a slump. Little went 6-for-16 against left-handed starters, and delivered the winning run with a single off Tampa Bay's Joe Kennedy in the 6-5 victory June 23rd.

Pierre, who was out of the starting lineup in consecutive games for the first time this season on the 22nd and 23rd, will start to work his way back in against left-handed pitchers, Hurdle said. Pierre has gone 6-for-12 in his past two starts after a 6-for-31 slump.

Just as he was playing some of the best ball in his stellar career, Larry Walker’s elbow acted up again. Walker was 14-for-26 with five homers through the first eight games of the homestand (Jun. 14th through 22nd, but he missed the game on June 23rd. He hopes to play the final three games in LA, then DH at Seattle starting Jun. 28th.

In left field, Todd Hollandsworth has hit .345 with two HR and seven RBI to solidify his spot, while Benny Agbayani has hit a paltry .143 with two RBI over the last two weeks.

INJURIES:

Kent Mercker’s left hand was so swollen recently, it looked like he was wearing a boxing glove. Mercker broke his fifth metacarpal - which required pins to realign - and severely cut his finger June 5 against the Dodgers. If the bone continues to heal quickly, Mercker hopes to begin playing catch in about two weeks. The only pitch Mercker uses his pinkie to grip is his changeup.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVE:

The Detroit Tigers talked with the Rockies about a trade for left-handed pitcher Denny Neagle that would have brought struggling second Damian Easley and outfielder Craig Paquette to the Rockies, according to reports out of Detroit. The Rockies have explored the possibility of trading Neagle since last winter.

Neagle is in the second year of a five-year, $51 million deal. The Tigers are looking for a veteran pitcher so they can trade Jeff Weaver, and also want to unload Easley, who is batting .151 and is in the second year of a four-year, $26.5 million deal.

But with a no-trade clause in his contract, there’s little chance of Neagle ending up in Detroit. Neagle has specifically stated that his choice is to remain in the National League, where he has spent the majority of his career, and that he definitely wants to go to a contending team. That counts out Detroit.

ON THE FARM:

There has been a lot of talk and movement in the Colorado minor league organization recently. It was highlighted by the promotion of pitchers Aaron Cook and Jason Young to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Cook mainly relies on two pitches right now, and needs to add a changeup to his repertoire. He’s more comfortable throwing a changeup to left-handed hitters, but is working hard on using it against right-handers. That will be a major step on the road to Denver.

Cook is one of the players the Rockies' player development staff is challenging to move up a level in competition. Cook's 1.61 ERA in 101.2 innings leads the organization's starters. When a young pitching prospect starts to rise such as Cook has progressed this year, the first question is when will he make it to the major leagues.

Bob McClure, the pitching coach for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, thinks Cook should remain with the Sky Sox the rest of the season. McClure speaks from the experience of coaching and watching Rockies starters Jason Jennings and Shawn Chacon move up the ladder to the big leagues.

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Jase Wrigley was also promoted from Carolina to Colorado Springs, and the Rockies signed veteran reliever Donne Wall to a Colorado Springs contract. The Sky Sox needed bullpen help because relievers Bobby Chouinard (biceps tendinitis), Bobby Muoz (strained neck) and Cam Esslinger (sore shoulder) are sidelined because of injuries.

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Hurdle had some thoughts about the interesting things going on in the farm system. But he didn't mention pitching. Instead, he talked about position players Jack Cust, Ben Petrick, John Barnes and Ross Gload.

The Rockies' manager noted that he's watching with interest to see if Petrick can pull off his switch from catcher to outfielder. When the Rockies sent Petrick to the Sky Sox, he was hitting just .163 with no home runs and just three RBIs. Playing primarily as an outfielder with the Sky Sox, Petrick is hitting .328 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs in 41 games. His 41 hits include seven doubles and three triples.

Hurdle looks at Cust as a potential impact player. Cust leads the Rockies' organization in home runs with 17. He's the Sky Sox's lone representative in the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game on July 10 in Oklahoma City.

Gload and Barnes could be interesting role players. Barnes, an outfielder claimed off waivers in September from Minnesota, is hitting .285, but the more interesting numbers show just 12 strikeouts in 221 at-bats. Gload has been an impact player for the Sky Sox. After starting the season on the disabled list, Gload leads the Sky Sox in RBIs with 40, and he's tied with Petrick for second in home runs with 11.

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One of the more interesting moves involved right-handed pitcher Matt Roney, the Rockies No. 1 draft pick back in 1998. Roney was jumped from Asheville to Double-A Carolina.

Roney's promotion came on the heels of his complete-game 1-0 victory over Macon in the South Atlantic League. His stay in Double-A will be determined by his performance. His record was 4-6 at Asheville, but his 88 strikeouts lead all Rockies' minor-league pitchers.

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Right-handed pitcher Chin-Hui Tsao, the top-ranked prospect in the Rockies organization, will make a third start at short-season Class A Tri-City in his comeback from reconstructive right elbow surgery.

There had been speculation Tsao would be moved to Class A Salem after his second start for the Dust Devils, but the Rockies wanted Tsao to increase his workload before moving up.

The Rockies hope Tsao, who was clocked consistently at 94 mph with his fastball during his comeback, will reach Class AA Carolina before the end of this season.

QUICK VIEW:

HOT:

Larry Walker (before his elbow started acting up), Brent Butler, Todd Helton, Todd Hollandsworth, Gary Bennett

NOT:

Benny Agbayani, John Thomson, Bobby Estalella, Terry Shumpert, Greg Norton