Character and Chemistry - Reader comments at The New York Sun

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Reader comment on:
There's No Denying Rockies Have Been Lucky

Submitted by JR, Oct 17, 2007 22:32

I would agree that the Rockies were mediocre until this last August when several things changed. First, the Rockies starters were decimated with injuries to Cook, Lopez and Hirsch. This lead to the elevation of Jemaniez and Morales to the bigs. Second was the emergence of both character and chemistry. This is probably due in large part to the leadership of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and the amazing on field management of the pitching staff by Yorvit Torrealba.

Apparently in May there was an incident in the club house where Tulo raised hell over the club's attitude toward losing, i,e,. its acceptance. Attitudes changed but the chemistry didn't congeal until the later part of August. Why? Because its baseball and learning to win is harder than accepting losses. Things started to click, for whatever reason and the rest as they say is history.

Torreable isn't getting the credit he deserves. He's not a great hitter but adequate. He's not a great thrower for sure given the people that run on him. But to watch him call a game is a thing of beauty. To watch him frame pitches is amazingly subtle. To see him work the pitcher's psyche is nothing short of awe inspiring.

Is this a great baseball team? Probably not over the course of a 162 game season. Yet, they are hot now and that's what matters. Should they be given credit for over achieving, sure. But to reach those heights the intangibles had to kick in. And for all of the money in New York and Boston I'd rather have a team of average or slightly above average talent who believe they can win than a group of ultra talented players who don't know or care if they can. You can't buy chemistry or character and both are abundantly evident in the Rockies club house.

Lastly, let's not forget that the Rockies played a bunch of "stinkers" in places like DC and against the Royals at home this year. But they were 10-8 in inter league play and swept the top four payroll teams in the league in the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Dodgers at one point or another. Great teams don't have many stinkers but good teams rise to the occasion and that is the real story behind the Rockies in September and October.

Destiny? Luck? Maybe, but hard work, dedication and determination create both.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
I find it absolutely hilarious that this king of cynical and completely idiotic article comes from a man who writes... [MORE]	Who Cares	Oct 23, 2007 21:11
Although Holiday never touched home plate there was a Rockies HR earlier in that game that wasn't seen/taken away by... [MORE]	Jose	Oct 23, 2007 19:59
You fail to mention the previously blown call in the Padres game that denied the Rockies of a home run... [MORE]	Anonymous	Oct 23, 2007 19:38
Have a comfy seat in front of the tv, Mets fan, and wish you had a "lucky" team like the... [MORE]	Pete	Oct 19, 2007 02:48
A pithy epistle by one of the doubting Thomases of the New York intelligentisia - (and yes, I am a... [MORE]	John Joseph	Oct 19, 2007 00:44
While I have nothing to say to his spelling, Appauled Rockies Fan put your article into a pretty good perspective.... [MORE]	John	Oct 18, 2007 21:52
You obviously haven't watched the Rockies play much...This luck you speak of is nothing more than what happens for a... [MORE]	J.R.	Oct 18, 2007 18:44
they play 162 games in baseball to eliminate flukes. that's why the season isn't 35 games long or even 100... [MORE]	wilbur M	Oct 18, 2007 17:52
Had the umps not blown the homerun call in the 7th inning of the San Diego game there would have... [MORE]	mortsahl	Oct 18, 2007 16:47
Obviously the author of this article is jealous that his New York teams are going to be sitting at home... [MORE]	baseball fan	Oct 18, 2007 16:13
Tim, are you bent out of shape that your beloved Mets and Yankees aren't still playing? Don't play the luck... [MORE]	Ian	Oct 18, 2007 14:51
Fact: The Rockies won 90 games during the regular season, tied with Arizona for the most in the the National... [MORE]	Joe	Oct 18, 2007 13:39
What was the press saying about these two teams at the start or middle of their respective seasons, and what... [MORE]	D	Oct 18, 2007 13:32
I know it's reeeeeeally hard for you to accept that the Mets blew it down the stretch. But while you're... [MORE]	Larry	Oct 18, 2007 13:15
"Winning eight straight games against the best teams in the league is incredibly impressive — but there were 35 eight-game... [MORE]	DomCasual	Oct 18, 2007 12:15
like the mets losing 43 games to the nationals and marlins in september? is this supposed to be hyperbole? maybe,... [MORE]	dan	Oct 18, 2007 11:52
I can't tell if this article is 1) a stereotypical "everyone is writing about something, so to make myself seem... [MORE]	DiscoStu	Oct 18, 2007 11:17
You call it a Fluke, we call it Destiny! You may not be impressed but we are ecstatic! I wouldn't... [MORE]	Brandon	Oct 18, 2007 10:34
Read a couple of your articles and you are listed in the wrong setion. You should be over there with... [MORE]	Tom	Oct 18, 2007 09:07
Not quite sure whether the straw man you attack in your article is one you claim to be the creation... [MORE]	Burnham Whittington	Oct 18, 2007 00:58
NO one in their right mind would make the argument that a 21 0f 22 game streak and still counting,... [MORE]	G	Oct 18, 2007 00:37
I would agree that the Rockies were mediocre until this last August when several things changed. First, the Rockies starters...	JR	Oct 17, 2007 22:32
This sounds like a NY sportswriter that cannot deal with the Rockies beating up on his NY teams. Deal with... [MORE]	Dennis Wernsman	Oct 17, 2007 22:31
Get over the fact that the Yankees and Mets are playing golf instead of baseball. [MORE]	Guy	Oct 17, 2007 21:49
Tim how young you must be the games that are played by players only fools would believe in what you... [MORE]	Rick Medina	Oct 17, 2007 20:53
I guess the entirety of MLB is lucky that even with the Yankees' payroll they have been under-performing in the... [MORE]	Paul	Oct 17, 2007 20:40
Your article about the Rockies was great! Well written, well argued, fun and provocative. Exactly what sports journalism should be. It... [MORE]	Kimber Sterling	Oct 17, 2007 19:21
It's unbelievable to me that you can attribute the success of the Colorado Rockies to a lucky streak at the... [MORE]	Gene Van Horne	Oct 17, 2007 18:47
Its extremely surprising the lack of basic baseball knowledge you exhibited in your article on the Colorado Rockies.By the way... [MORE]	ken Adair	Oct 17, 2007 18:40
You have a vote on Year End Awards. You can say that leading the league in BA, RBI's and Hits... [MORE]	Steve R	Oct 17, 2007 18:37
if this were to occur in NEW YORK, they would be heralded as the best baseball team EVER! Yuo argument... [MORE]	brian	Oct 17, 2007 18:19
All I have to say is that this average bunch of ballplayers from the hinterlands swept the Yankees in June... [MORE]	JT	Oct 17, 2007 18:07
The flukes will be playing in the World Series, while the Yanks and Mets, etc. will be watching. Thank you... [MORE]	Jerry	Oct 17, 2007 18:04
Let me get this straight, teams lose (or collapse mind you) and teams win, yet the winning team is "lucky."... [MORE]	David D Nelson	Oct 17, 2007 18:03
Cant give credit where credit is due. Probably never picked up a bat in his life, but has the experience... [MORE]	Scott	Oct 17, 2007 17:54
Exactly what blown call do you keep referring to, if its the play at the plate w/holliday maybe you should... [MORE]	Anthony Streno	Oct 17, 2007 17:54
You gladly say that the call was blown when Matt Holiday scored the winning run in the Play-In game, but... [MORE]	Bret	Oct 17, 2007 17:51
Like you said in your article if the Mets could win 2 games against bottom feeders ,but it is hard... [MORE]	Joel Stendahl	Oct 17, 2007 17:51
Your comment about the blown call is likely referring to the "missed" slide by Holliday. However, if the umpires had... [MORE]	Another rockies fan	Oct 17, 2007 16:43
A few comments: 1) Keep in mind since June the Rockies have been the best team in the NL. Also... [MORE]	E	Oct 17, 2007 14:36
It seems to me that the East coast media who haven't had the chance to witness what the Rockies have... [MORE]	fp	Oct 17, 2007 18:13
Im sure hes a smart reporter but this article is ridiculous. How can someone praise a team like he did... [MORE]	nate	Oct 18, 2007 14:03
come on! rockies have the best team batting average in the league, best ERA since the all-star break, best defense... [MORE]	anthony	Oct 17, 2007 13:10
The Rockies won 90 games this year...The NL West was better than people (i.e., provincials from east of the Mississippi)... [MORE]	Karl Magnuson	Oct 17, 2007 12:38
Hah hah - the title says it all. See ya next year! We'll sweep your butt again. [MORE]	Dean Allman	Oct 17, 2007 12:14
Couldn't disagree, but teams like this, or like St. Louis last year, or the Mets in 1969, bring a level... [MORE]	Arthur Mortensen	Oct 17, 2007 11:15

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