Torrealba Bats Fifth; Hawpe On Bench
Manager Jim Tracy moved catcher Yorvit Torrealba up to the fifth spot in his lineup for Game 3 of the National League Division Series and omitted right fielder Brad Hawpe for the second straight game.
Torrealba has batted sixth exclusively dating to Sept. 16 and has not hit fifth this season. Tracy said he expected more offense from Todd Helton, who went 1-for-9 in the first two games with one RBI, and Troy Tulowitzki (2-for-7 with one RBI), the third- and fourth-place hitters, and in that case, Torrealba “would be the guy right now versus a left-handed pitcher that you would want to take the at-bat with a lot of traffic out there.”
Third baseman Garrett Atkins hit fifth in the first two NLDS games and was moved down to sixth. Ryan Spilborghs will hit seventh and play right field in place of left-handed Hawpe against Phillies left-hander J.A. Happ.
Tracy said benching Hawpe, who was a first-time All-Star this year, is “not easy, believe me.” Hawpe hit .240 in the second half with nine homers and 27 RBI in 65 games. From the beginning of September, he went 15-for-72 (.208) with four homers, 10 RBI and 30 strikeouts.
“He’s been struggling here as of late,” Tracy said. “When I sit down to write a lineup, it’s with the best interests of every guy in that clubhouse in mind and not one specific individual. I can’t do that.”
Jim Tracy is showing some real guts here … it’s tough to sit Hawpe after how Hawpe has established himself as our rightfielder for the last 5 years. Still, it’s the right call against Happ. While I question hitting Yorvit 5th, I’ll admit that everytime I’ve questioned his playing time or spot in the batting order over the past 6 weeks I’ve been proven wrong. This is as close to an optimal lineup/batting order as I can see, so Tracy is right: it gives the club the best chance to win.
How Cam Seth Sith sit for three games???
I sure would like the Rockies to try and move Brad Hawpe in this offseason. We probably wouldn’t get fair market value given the fall off in his second half production but it’s better to move him now when we can still get something for him. Perhaps a young arm or two for our bullpen.
Oh, and let’s offer Atkins a minor league deal with the hope he balks and takes a walk. I’d hate to see us waste arbitration money on him.
Unless Atkins all of a sudden becomes the Atkins of 2007 he will be non-tendered. The decision has been made, Stewart is ready, cheaper and a better defender at a key defensive position. I am writing in the 5th inning tonight and Atkins has been big at the bat, but the Ruiz single in the 4th would have been picked by Stewart (Atkins has always been slow to his left). How can they sit Smith? Simply, he has not hit lefties in September and since his player of the week has struggled in general. We will see him tonight, at some point, but it will be where he faces a right hander. I said it before, getting the Phillies was the worst draw precisely because it means keeping two (or three if you count Hawpe) potentially explosive bats on the bench.
That being said we are more than holding our own with the defending champs. Not bad for a team that John Kruk probably still doesnt think made the playoffs.
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