^ That was my assessment when I went down there last year...but it was even worse in stifling 100 degree-plus heat...on a separate note, just saw this 462-foot HR for the first time...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-l ... 58074.html

I did get lucky in that respect. Highs have only been in the lower 80's and not as humid as you'd expect. A pretty good trip all things considered. This is the time to come down here, at least as a Northerner.

Yeah, they showed G. Bush nibling on some home made cookies during the game.

Astros handed them the game but I'll take it. That Tulo homer was a blast though.

Looks like the Rockies are returning the favor to Houston tonight....3 errors last inning. And Moyer is getting hit pretty hard tonight, not looking sharp at all.

Rockies just have not looked like a contending team at all from what I have seen of them so far this season. Obviously 2 regular season games and 1 spring training game is a small sample but still, not very encouraging. And it isn't like I think they are a playoff contender, but I did go into this season hoping for a winning record. I thought it would be the starting pitching that held them back, not their pitching, fielding AND hitting.

Yeah the offense will improve adding Cuddyer and Scutaro, along with Fowlers improvement (he reportedly added 12 lb of pure muscle to his scrawny frame) but its brutal they're leaning on a 49 year old and two rookies to fill out 3/5 of their rotation. Everyone touted bringing in Guthrie, who always pitches 200 innings a year, but they'll need him to pitch 270 to keep that bullpen from being gassed in August. A bullpen featuring Raphael Betencourt as the closer. Its the same model as the Rockies of the 1990's. Thinking they finish at .500 (the Vegas line, 81 wins) is crazy. In that division, SF and Arizona are near 90-ish win teams and LA is on the rise. The Rox would have to get lucky or add a big piece to compete. They don't seem to be a team that'll bring a established piece mid-season. It'll take more than that offense.

I was rooting for a Guthrie trade the moment I heard about the idea...which had been discussed for a few months prior. I think the original rumor centered around Seth Smith. Problem is is that he's a nice mid rotation guy for Colorado, not their #1.

The Moyer situation is what it is, I doubt he last the season. They probably ride whatever hot streak he can give them (and that may just his Spring Training performance if today was any indication) and then call on one of their #5 starter candidates, of which they have a million.

I like the foundation of the Rockies staff but, yeah, it needs time. I like Pomeranze's prospects, I think Chacin and Nicassio are solild guys, Guthrie is a nice mid rotation anchor, and they have some nice prospects for the 5 spot (such as Alex White and Tyler Chatwood, though they could also end up landing in the bullpen depending on how things work out). Nothing crazy but solid. They have a nice bullpen but Betancourt as the closer has me concerned. He did fine last year in non-stressgul situations, not convinced he can continue with now that there's more pressure on him. Brothers is the Rockies closer in waiting but much like the starting pitching youngsters, he's not quite ready for primetime.

Hitting...I dig the Scutaro addition. He works just about every count, just like Helton, a very professional hitter. Cuddyer and Tulo have both been on fire, I like Fowler a lot and hope his hot 2nd half of last season can continue into this season but we'll see, not sure I have that much faith in him. Plus, their issue for the past 2 years has been situational hitting and Rockies have yet to show that anything has changed in that regard. We'll see.....

The '90's comparison seems apt.

I don't know a lot (or haven't seen actually) all the youth they're leaning on in the rotation, but with that size of a field you'll need some judgment or a spectacular defensive outfield.Cuddyer won't help in that regard.

Cargo and Fowler both have a lot of range so hopefully that can make up for Cuddyer's limitations. Besides he cant be any worse than Hawpe was out there.

Need one more for a Yahoo H2H $50 pay league. It's drafting at 10:30 PM Eastern tonight. Usually a pretty competitive league, troutman was in it a couple years back. It's getting started very late this year, but the commissioner is giving folks until Tax Day (next Sunday) to pay up before booting people. I don't think that'll happen though.

League No: 189773
Password: 123456

Just joined...kinda hesitant since money is currently tight but figured what the hell.

So how does it work? Who do I pay and whats the payout system for winning? All to the winner or is it broken down?

Last year he actually had a vote as to the payout structure. We went with top three spots getting paid, for both the regular season and playoffs.

I'm surprised he hasn't posted payment details yet. I'm sure it's coming. I will post a message on the league board. This year is a little dicey just because we always had everyone paid before the draft, but I recognize most of the teams so I imagine the problems will be minimal, but again, I haven't seen it go like this before. I hope things don't fuck up.

This dude is straight up though. If the league goes to shit, the commissioner will refund you your money. troutman won some money I think and he can attest that this dude pays the day after you qualify. Like once you qualify for second place money, he will PayPal both players the second place money and send the remainder of the first place money after both players have squared off H2H.

Next year I'm starting my own pay league for sure and to ensure nothing like this could potentially fuck up.

Yeah after perusing the Manager's list, I'm sure we'll have at least eight teams paid for once we get going. There are four managers I do not recognize.

Al east- Yankees
Central- tigers
West- angels
Wildcard- rays
Wildcard- texas
Nl east- braves
Central- cardinals
West- giants
Wildcard- Philly
Wildcard- cincy
World series- tigers over the giants

The way they have opened this season, I might have some egg on face for the omitting them.

I guess whatever happens, happens. As long as the guy is straight up I am good either way.

He is.

You need to log in! Draft is in five minutes.

Logged in but my computer isn't loading the draft programs..pissing me off

Never mind...just came up. Looks like I got Cano.

Man, I ended up with Kemp, but I'd much rather end up with a true 1st round guy and a hammer SP, and all those guys were gone by the time I got around to drafting next (#23). Those guys being Halladay, Kershaw, Verlander and Lee. It drops off pretty severe after that imo. I'm going to have to rely on way too many AL guys to get me through my pitching and I don't like that in a mixed league. I'd rather have drafted #10, like I did in my other league which went earlier today.

My offense is gonna be tough to beat though. I feel like Aramis Ramirez, David Ortiz and Francouer slid pretty far down the ladder. And if Doumit can stay healthy platooning between OF/C/DH positions, that's a steal at catcher too.

AL East is a fucking mess.

And leave it to Ozzie Guillen to utter the one single phrase guaranteed to destroy all enthusiasm for baseball in Miami. Nice work, champ.

I kind of think that diminishes what a great job the Rays have done in setting their team up. They aren't really a flash in the pan or anything. It's pretty awesome, with them ($58 MM payroll) taking out the Yankees ($207 MM payroll) in the opening weekend.

Baltimore, yeah that's a fluke.

Cespedes for four years/$36 MM is looking pretty good right about now.

It seemed like there was a huge run on pitching early so I stuck with offense until it calmed down a bit. The selection of the 2nd tier pitching definitely opened and it was easy to get a lot of those guys.

I slept on paying attention to the set up for the league and I didn't notice that Holds were a scored stat. In a way that kind of helped me out because I wasn't going to bother valuing saves too much but everyone else did, snatching up every closer known to man. As such, I am just going to go for holds, concede saves, and call it even if I can.

For starting the league so far into the season I'd have expected that the free agent pool would be made open immediately rather then the standard 3 day waiver period. Teams with guys on the DL get screwed if they need fill a roster spot.

Cespedes is a monster

Barry freaking Zito throws the first complete game shutout of the season. In Colorado, no less.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320409127

Yeah, but it was also against Colorado.

I know its only 4 games into the season but the Rockies look like crap. Hopefully this can be a reversal of last year where they started off the season hot but that was short lived and they then imploded but who knows. They definitely don't have the pitching that can get them out of a hole, so their hitting and fielding better wake up.