Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
A recent story from another media outlet noted Jake McGee’s much-improved performance this year with the Dodgers and his increased fastball usage. Is that a reflection of the Coors Field effect on pitchers? Or is it a reflection on the Rox organization that such a seemingly simple tweak escaped notice for his four years in Denver?
— Dave G., Fort Collins
Dave, the article you are referring to was written in The Athletic by Nick Groke, my former colleague at The Denver Post.
It was a very interesting piece, noting that McGee’s fastball usage is up this year, but also explaining that his fastball velocity has increased. According to FanGraphs, McGee’s fastball this season is averaging 95.1 mph as opposed to 93.4 mph with Colorado last season. He’s still not throwing as hard as he did in 2014 with Tampa Bay when he was almost exclusively a fastball pitcher, thanks to a heater that averaged 97.5 mph.
The Rockies originally signed McGee primarily because they thought his fastball would play at altitude. Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t. Last season, he allowed 17 of 26 inherited runners to score (65.4%), which was the highest percentage in the majors (minimum 25 inherited runners). That is one of the big reasons why the club released McGee.
But back to your basic question. The Dodgers just might have discovered a tweak to McGee’s mechanics that enabled him to “rediscover” the magic of his fastball.
“It was kind of cool to have that feeling again, to be on the mound and be my old self again,” McGee told The Athletic. “When I get feedback like that, swings and misses, it’s hard for me to go to something else, even though they know I’m throwing a fastball 98 percent of the time right now.”
At sea level in Los Angeles, McGee’s fastball does appear to have more life and movement, making it more of a swing-and-miss pitch. But I don’t think the Rockies “misdiagnosed” McGee. I think part of the problem was a painful and troublesome left knee that at times plagued McGee last season.
For the record, as I write this, McGee is 2–1 with a 3.86 ERA for the Dodgers, striking out 17 and walking only three over 11 2/3 innings. His WHIP is an impressive 0.943.
However, his last outing was not good. He took a loss against Texas last Friday, allowing four runs on four hits and notching one strikeout in just one-third of an inning.
We’ll see how this plays out.
Paraphrasing Clint Hurdle, “This is not the try-hard league; it’s a do-good league.” I get the sense these fellows have got themselves all tensed and tangled up trying too hard. They’ve got to be a better team than they’re showing us lately. It can’t be Buddy’s fault; he’s pretty easy going. Right? Also, do you guys in the media get to be in the press box or in the stands for home games? Can you share some of how the job works day today in the 2020 COVID season?
— John, Denver
John, I agree with you that the Rockies are too tight. Part of that is a byproduct of losing, so it then becomes a vicious cycle. But the veteran leaders on the team — Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon — are all grinders. They lead by example and by their work ethic, but I get the sense that they are kind of islands unto themselves. Of course, I don’t get to see the team in the food room, weight room, team plane, etc., so I can’t accurately gauge the internal mood of the team.
I do wonder if it would do the Rockies some good to get really ticked off, and that includes Black, who tends to be very even-tempered.
That said, I found it interesting that general manager Jeff Bridich talked quite a bit about the personality and spark he believes new outfielder Kevin Pillar will bring to the team.
As for the second part of your question, I find it interesting that you’re interested in “ink-strained wretches” such as myself. But thanks for the question!
Things have changed a lot this season. I am not traveling to the Rockies when they play on the road. I road games on TV from my home office, keeping score as I always do, while tweeting and following the game on MLB.com’s Game Day. The Rockies media relations folks set us up with several pregame Zoom sessions before each game and then a few after the game. I want to say — once again — that the Rockies media relations crew has been amazing getting the players to talk to us.
When the Rockies are at home, I cover the game from the press box at Coors Field. There were quite a few people there for the home opener but now there are usually only seven or eight writers in the press box. I much prefer covering games in person. I get a much better feel for the game and you can see things that aren’t captured by TV cameras. Of course, having access to TV replays is essential, too, so there is a TV in the pressbox close at hand.
What I miss the most during this weird season is the personal interaction with the players in the clubhouse. I can gather news on my own and I don’t have to rely on Zooms and share everything with the rest of the media. It’s more difficult to be a reporter this season and get a true sense of what’s going on with the team.
Do the Rockies seriously think (and do you as well) that Wade Davis has something left and can be a closer again?
— Gary J Gaudin, Thornton
Gary, Davis is still on the injured list and the Rockies aren’t telling us much about his sore shoulder. For him to be out this long suggests that it’s a pretty big deal. The Rockies’ acquisition of right-hander Mychal Givens at the trade deadline is another indication that Davis probably won’t be counted on this season. He might pitch, but I can’t see him as a closer. Frankly, I was surprised that Davis was essentially given the closer role during the abbreviated spring training. I thought Scott Oberg had earned the role and was a much better choice, but now he’s been lost for the season with reoccurring blood clots in his right arm.
Garrett Hampson has been very successful bunting in inopportune situations. Why don’t other players bunt more frequently, especially when the shift is on?
— Judy Frieman, Denver
Judy, that’s a great question. The simple answer is that most players are terrible bunters and they don’t do it very often. They practice it as an afterthought at the beginning of batting practice. Hampson learned to bunt in high school and at Long Beach State, where all players were required to be decent bunters. I wish Raimel Tapia was a better bunter, and Sam Hilliard, too. But it’s just not part of contemporary players’ skill set.
The current thought is that by bunting, you are essentially giving away an out. With the emphasis on home runs, that’s a no-no.
If you want to read more, take a peek at this story in Sports Illustrated entitled “Bunting for Dummies.”