More Clintoris Love

**realmofotalk** · 10-24-2007 05:00 AM

It's an easy call: Hurdle has been masterful

By Ryan Fagan - SportingNews

Eric Byrnes was standing in his locker as the final few reporters lingered in the Diamondbacks' clubhouse after Game 3 of the NLCS.

The look on his face screamed exasperation, not at the questions being asked, but at trying to figure out a way to beat the guys in the locker room across the stadium. A few days earlier, Byrnes had rankled some by claiming his team had played better than the Rockies, yet were trailing 2-0 in the series. And now, his expression clearly revealed the result of the third game. "They just know how to win games," Byrnes said quietly. "They've been winning games for three weeks now. They know how to win games and they have a belief that every time they take the field, they're going to win."

The Rockies believe in their abilities, sure, but they also trust their manager, Clint Hurdle. That trust has been a long time in developing.

Hurdle was the whipping boy for media and fans for a long, long time. When he was given a two-year contract extension at the beginning of the 2007 season -- as was general manager Dan O'Dowd -- he was raked over the coals again.

Why in the world would ownership reward a guy who was 352-436 in his first four-plus years?

Because the Rockies had talent and were on the verge of something special, and Hurdle was the man to take them to the promised land. He knew his team.

They'd suffered the bumps and bruises and bashings together. He watched as the youngsters who are this team's foundation struggled to make the adjustments to the big leagues. He nurtured players' strengths and helped erase their weaknesses.

And now, he's pushing all the right buttons. Not the conventional buttons, mind you, but the right buttons. He put Willy Taveras in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the NLCS, even though Taveras had been out since mid-September with an injury. Taveras batted just .167 against Arizona in the series, but he made three of the biggest plays of the series: He scored the go-ahead run in the third inning of Game 1 after singling and stealing second off Brandon Webb; he made a diving catch in Game 2, and he drew a bases-loaded walk later in that contest. Without Taveras in the lineup, the Rockies probably don't win either game.

In Game 4, Hurdle lifted starter Franklin Morales for a pinch hitter with two outs in the fourth inning, even though Morales had only allowed one run to that point. Hurdle knew his bullpen was deep and talented and up to the job, so he put Seth Smith -- a good contact hitter -- into the big spot and Smith came through with a two-run bloop double that put the Rockies in control.

Hurdle has plenty more decisions ahead of him, decisions that have to follow the trend if the Rockies are going to put a mind-boggling cap on their already unbelievable season. He already has made one tough choice, putting righthander Aaron Cook on his World Series roster and anointing him the Game 4 starter. Cook has looked solid while rehabbing a strained muscle in his side, but he hasn't pitched in a game since Aug. 10, and the World Series is no place to try to shake off any rust.

But Cook, Colorado's opening day starter this year, is the only player other than Todd Helton and Brian Fuentes who has been with the Rockies since 2002, when Hurdle replaced Buddy Bell in late April. So it's a safe bet that Hurdle knows what he'll get out of Cook. If he's right, and the Rockies win the World Series, maybe Byrnes had it right with his comment at the end of Game 3: "The timing with which they're doing this, I think, probably makes this the most impressive streak in major league history."

Ryan Fagan is a staff writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com.

Not to take anything away from Hurdle, but it certainly helps to have Jeff Francis and Ubaldo Jimenez as your go-to-guys instead of Mike Hampton and Denny "$40 for fellatio" Neagle.

**HollywoodLeo** · 10-24-2007 06:09 AM

This time last year every Rockies fan wanted Clintoris out of town. (Hell, I think Bowzer still wants him out.)

**Bowzer** · 10-24-2007 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by HollywoodLeo

This time last year every Rockies fan wanted Clintoris out of town. (Hell, I think Bowzer still wants him out.)

I'm not calling for his head badly right now, simply because he has let the kids play (and they obviously have the talent to do what they have done). However, my statement still stands: The Rockies still would've made the playoffs if a monkey had been their manager. "But I hear the players love him."

**Rockiesfan_H** · 10-24-2007 11:26 AM

I like the guy, and I admire what he and his family have gone through with their young daughter. After seeing interviews with him about how they deal with her illness and how he can still keep it light, I have a lot of respect for him.

I do admit I raised my eyebrows a bit when they gave him the extension before the season began, but they obviously knew something big was brewing.

He makes some real head-scratching calls and decisions, but they are working so maybe he really is THAT in tune with his team?

**Bowzer** · 10-24-2007 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Rockiesfan_H

I like the guy, and I admire what he and his family have gone through with their young daughter. After seeing interviews with him about how they deal with her illness and how he can still keep it light, I have a lot of respect for him.

I do admit I raised my eyebrows a bit when they gave him the extension before the season began, but they obviously knew something big was brewing.

He makes some real head-scratching calls and decisions, but they are working so maybe he really is THAT in tune with his team?

He pulled Jeff Francis who had a shut out at the time against the Royals IIRC. He had only 73 pitches and had just given up a lead off single. Clintoris pulls him. Then the pen blows it. Yea, yea one will say it is the pen's fault. But, that is just an example of the headscratching shit he pulled at the beginning and middle of the year. He had man-crushes on John Mabry and Steve Finley earlier this year. The man-crushes were mind-bottling (yes mind-bottling). He even platooned Taveras and Finley at Center at the beginning of the year. Spilly wasn't even called up yet. He fell in love with LaTroy Hawkins who I didn't think could get an out at the beginning of the year. He stayed with Fuentes who was injured through a 1-9 road stand where Fuentes blew 4 saves in a row. But on the otherhand, he has changed his ways a bit FOR NOW. I like how allowed Hawpe to face lefties at the end of the year (if he hadn't we would not be playing right now). But I still don't like how he would never play Hawpe against lefties (even shitty lefties) at the beginning and middle of the season. There is a lot more that he has done that I could note but I don't feel like writing a thesis. He goes with the numbers at inapportune times and takes chances at bad times. But he has cut down on that. Like I've said before, he's letting the boys play. He isn't a great "manager." You'd have to bribe me to say he is a good "manager." He is just striking gold with whatever decision he makes. I do however appreciate a manager taking chances especially when the team is hot (pulling Morales for Smith who can't get out). This series I'm afraid we may see Hurdle hurt the team with his managerial shortfalls. I hope I'm wrong. I do like him as a person, but that has no bearing on my opinion of him as a manager.

**Rockiesfan_H** · 10-24-2007 03:19 PM