Colorado Rockies news and links for Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Twenty-nine years ago this week, Cal Ripken Jr. played his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig’s record. He added three more seasons, playing every Baltimore game from May 30, 1982 to Sept. 19, 1998. His record of playing 2,632 games in a row is not made to be broken.
It’s unimaginable with injuries and planned days off to prevent them that anyone will ever break that record. Just look at who’s No. 3 on the consecutive games played list: Everett Scott played in 1,307 games (1916-1925) and that isn’t even half of Ripken’s. The highest active streak in Major League Baseball is held by Atlanta’s All-Star first baseman Matt Olson who has played in 595 straight games dating back to May 2, 2021.
When it comes to Colorado’s all-time Iron Man, that distinction goes to Blake Street Bomber and current special assistant to GM Bill Schmidt, Vinny Castilla. From June 26, 1997 to June 14, 1999, Castilla played in every Rockies game, totaling 307. Castilla also has an impressive streak of starting 222 straight games, including every single one in the 1998 season. The last time a Colorado Rockie player appeared in every game in a season was in 2000 when Neifi Perez did it.
For the 24th consecutive season, no one in purple will play 162 games this year either. This year, Ezequiel Tovar leads the Rockies with 133 games played (of 137), while Brenton Doyle and Ryan McMahon have each played in 131 games.
However, there is a player who could be emerging as the newest potential Iron Man for the Rockies — Michael Toglia.
On Sunday, Toglia started his 66th straight game at first base, breaking the previous consecutive streak at first base in Colorado history — 64 games set by Todd Helton in 2006. Toglia has started every game since being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on June 6 for a total of 77. Seven of those have been at DH.
This reliability and consistency is not new for Toglia. In his collegiate career at UCLA, he missed one game, playing in 56 of 57 during his freshman season in 2017. He never missed a game again as a Bruin, starting all 59 games as a sophomore and all 63 as a junior in 2019.
It’s a happy accident that Toglia has taken over the starting duties at first after Kris Bryant had planned on spending the most time there as part of a first base-right field-DH rotation. It could end up being a Wally Pip situation where Bryant was placed on the IL on June 6 and Toglia seized the opportunity, which also existed because of Elehuris Montero’s poor play.
Toglia started the season on the 26-man roster but hit .106/.143/.362 with four homers, eight RBI, one walk and 20 strikeouts in 49 plate appearances over 15 games (12 started). Since being called up, Toglia has hit .240/.333/.491 with 17 homers, 38 RBI, 39 walks and 93 strikeouts in 310 plate appearances in 77 games.
That brings his totals on the season to .220/.307/.471 with 21 homers, 46 RBI, 40 walks and 113 strikeouts in 359 plate appearances over 92 games. Toglia’s 49.5 hard hit percentage is in the top eight percentile in MLB and his 31.5% strikeout rate is down from 36.7% in 2022. The improvement needs to continue, but Toglia is headed in the right direction.
Toglia is the 32nd different first baseman to start at first since Helton retired after the 2013 season. It’s a giant list that includes successes like Justin Morneau, Mark Reynolds and C.J. Cron, as well as failed other-position converts like Ian Desmond and Daniel Murphy. While we baseball fans shouldn’t hold their breath for Ripken’s record to be broken, it’s likewise that Rockies fans shouldn’t count on a first baseman to suit up for 17 years and end up in the Hall of Fame. But just as Bo Nix will look to end the Broncos quarterback carrousel of 13 starters since Peyton Manning retired after the 2015 season, Toglia could be the one to offer long-term stability for the Rockies.
It’s also only fitting that Toglia passes Helton’s consecutive games started at first base mark since Helton is working with the Rockies first-round pick from the 2019 MLB Draft (23rd overall) due to the fact that Helton has been working with Toglia since 2022. In typical Toddfather fashion, No. 17 had some tough love for Toglia in an article by MLB.com’s Thomas Harding on Aug. 17.
“… When I showed up and I looked at the scoreboard and it said .219, I was a little disappointed,” Helton told Harding. “Then I looked a little further into it, and I think he has 10 home runs on the road and nine at home, so there’s some growth. I think he will hit for average as he gets more comfortable, but he’s going to have to make some big-time adjustments to do that.”
Then came the optimistic love.
“He’s a smart kid,” Helton said. “He works hard. I think he can make those adjustments.”
Maybe Toglia could not only be the Rockies starting first baseman for years to come, but the Rockies new Iron Man as well.
★ ★ ★
Rockies Journal: Drew Romo unconcerned about funky throws back to mound | Denver Post ($)
On Saturday at the Rockies game, I got to see it for myself. When Drew Romo throws back to the mound, it’s a strange lob more fit for a 70-year-old politician throwing out a first pitch than the 35th overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft. Patrick Saunders wrote about it on Saturday, explaining that Romo got the yips throwing the ball back to the pitcher while working his way up through the minors. The “funky throw” is Romo’s “way to compensate” so he doesn’t airmail it into center field. Romo, the coaching staff, and the front office don’t seem to be concerned as long as Romo can keep runners on the basepaths under control.
New Padres Catcher Elías Díaz Shares Thoughts on Joining Former NL West Rival | SI.com
The Padres signed former Rockies catcher Elias Díaz to a minor league deal on Aug. 27 and was called up to the Padres active roster on Sept. 1. Díaz struggled with injuries this season after being an All-Star in 2023 and hasn’t played an MLB game since Aug. 13, but he did play four games for Triple-A El Paso.
★ ★ ★
On the Farm
Triple-A: Alburqurque Isotopes
The Isotopes were off on Monday and begin a six-game series at Tacoma Rainiers on Tuesday.
Antonio Senzatela will make his second rehab start with the Yard Goats on Tuesday when Hartford starts hosting a six-game series against Altoona Curve. Senzatela struggled in his first Yard Goat outing, giving up three runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Combined with his two starts for Spokane, Senzatela has posted a 4.82 ERA in 9 1⁄3 innings with five runs on nine hits, two homers, three walks and 10 strikeouts.
High-A: Everett AquaSox 6, Spokane Indians 5
GJ Hill hit a two-run homer to cap off a three-run second inning to help the Indians take an early 4-0 lead, but the AquaSox came back with two runs in the ninth to send it to extras and then win it on a hit-by-a-pitch with bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th. Victor Juarez had a great start for Spokane, giving up one run on five hits (one homer) with five strikeouts in 5 1⁄3 innings.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 5, San Jose Giants 1
Ismael Luciano improved to 4-0 in six solid innings, giving up only one run on one hit with three walks and seven strikeouts in Fresno’s win on Monday over first-place San Jose. Fidel Ulloa added two scoreless innings with four strikeouts and Konner Eaton finished with two more strikeouts in a scoreless ninth. Ben McCabe hit a two-run single and Aidan Longwell added an RBI single and a sac fly to lead the Grizzlies at the plate.
★ ★ ★
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!