Hit by a Pitch

Here’s a quick post to answer a common reader question: What is Jake Plummer doing now?

Answer: He’s playing handball in California.

Aside from an awesome win, there were two really good things about going to Sunday’s Rockies game: our seats were sheltered from the constant rain and our seats were near a big speaker, so we could really hear the music. I’ve been obsessed with at-bat or entrance music for a while now, and apparently I’m not alone — people find this site every day because they want to know about the at-bat music of various Rockies players. My list isn’t finished yet, but I might as well share what I have so far. I will do my best to update this list and keep it current.

Garrett Atkins: What I Are by Timbaland (I thought this was a remix of Justin Timberlake’s Bringing Sexy Back for the longest time)

Jamey Carroll: Pink Houses by John Mellencamp

Manny Corpas: Impacto by Daddy Yankee

Josh Fogg: Slow Ride by Foghat

Brian Fuentes: For You by Stain’d

Brad Hawpe: Rockstar by Nickelback

Todd Helton: Back in the Saddle by Aerosmith

Kazuo Matsui: Tricky by Run DMC

Ryan Spilborghs: The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani (everybody at Coors Field sings along with this — WOOOO OOOOH WOOOO OOOOH!)

Troy Tulowitzki: I’m a Flirt by R Kelly

I’m not sure about these:

Matt Holliday: The Great Divide by Scott Stapp, but I can’t remember if he’s still using it

Willy Taveras: used to have Yeah by Usher, but has a new song — reggaeton, Spanish, very fast; the closest thing I’ve found so far is El Mambo de las Shorty’s by Tito El Bambino (but don’t rely on that because I’ve only heard Willy’s new song a few times)

Yorvit Torrealba: He’s used various Daddy Yankee songs, but his current song is NOT Impacto as reported elsewhere on the internet. I’ve listened to snippets of a million Daddy Yankee songs, and haven’t been able to figure out if his current song is by Daddy Yankee. I’ve also started listening to snippets of other reggaeton, and if I listen to much more, Ben is going to throw my computer out the window.

Update: Torrealba’s song is Salio El Sol by Don Omar. Thanks to Karlosest2403!

I accidentally say “reggaetron” every time I mean to say “reggaeton” and now I’m convinced that Reggaetron, a gigantic robot set on world destruction by means of super-powered lasers and a blend of reggae, dancehall, merengue, hip hop, and bachata is going to appear at Coors Field one day soon.

Rockies

Update: The 2008 version of the Rockies At-Bat Music post is here.

Update: The 2009 version of the Rockies At-Bat Music post is here.

If you don’t know, now you know.

It’s nice to see Jeff Francis on the cover of Sports Illustrated, but let’s hope the SI Curse doesn’t mess with the Rockies. Even ESPN spent a few minutes covering the Rockies last night, although much of the NLCS discussion focused on the greatness of Brandon Webb (I assume because the people at ESPN have known about Brandon Webb for more than a few weeks). Whatever. The NLCS gets underway tonight, with game 1 starting at 6:37 p.m. in hot (temperature-wise) Arizona. I’m no good at predicting anything, but I expect a low score in this Francis-Webb matchup.

The Rockies will be sporting a new look on offense. Center fielder Willy Taveras returns to the lineup after being sidelined with a strained right quad since September 8. The speedy Taveras, who leads the team in stolen bases (33), will be leading off. Taveras has been solid when healthy, but big changes to the lineup that brought us this amazing 17-1 streak have many Rockies fans worried. Kazuo Matsui will move from first to second, and Troy Tulowitzki (who was batting second) will move down to seventh.

Probable pitchers as of 10/11

Game 1: Jeff Francis (LHP)
Season: 17-9, 4.22
Career vs. Diamondbacks: 7-2, 3.54

Game 2: Ubaldo Jiménez (RHP)
Season: 4-4, 4.28
Career vs. Diamondbacks: 0-0, 2.77

Game 3: Josh Fogg (RHP)
Season: 10-9, 4.94
Career vs. Diamondbacks: 6-1, 3.71

Game 4: Franklin Morales (LHP)
Season: 3-2, 3.48
Career vs. Diamondbacks: N/A

Complete Rockies NLCS roster

RHP: Taylor Buchholz, Manny Corpas, Josh Fogg, LaTroy Hawkins, Matt Herges, Ubaldo Jiménez, Ryan Speier

LHP: Jeremy Affeldt, Jeff Francis, Brian Fuentes, Franklin Morales

Catchers: Chris Iannetta, Yorvit Torrealba

Infielders: Garrett Atkins, Jamey Carroll, Todd Helton, Kazuo Matsui, Troy Tulowitzki

Outfielders: Jeff Baker, Brad Hawpe, Matt Holliday, Seth Smith, Ryan Spilborghs, Cory Sullivan, Willy Taveras

Aaron Cook (out since August 10 with a strained oblique) and Mark Redman are not on the NLCS roster.

Pro-Rockies notes

• By all reports heard in Denver, fans here are way more excited about this series than fans in Arizona.
• Francis was hot in the NLDS (1-0, 3.00, 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K).
• The Rockies are 10-8 against the Diamondbacks this year, 5-4 at home and at Chase Field. Although the Rockies’ one loss in the last 18 games was to the D-Backs, they won twice in that series (by a score of 11-1 in game 2, which featured Troy Tulowitzki’s first career grand slam — I was there and it was awesome).
• Our guys do well against Arizona:
  • Jamey Carroll: 7 for 19/.368 (11 R)
  • Brad Hawpe: 19 for 54/.352 (3 HR, 18 RBI)
  • Todd Helton: 24 for 64/.375 (16 BB)
  • Matt Holliday: 26 for 72/.361 (13 RBI)
  • Kazuo Matsui’s career average vs. Brandon Webb: .423
  • Brandon Webb vs. Rockies this year: 1-3, 5.77
  • The Rockies hit .290 against Jose Valverde, who had 2 blown saves against the Rockies, most recently on August 31 at Chase.

HBP prediction

This means nothing, but I’m saying Rockies in 6. See you at game 3!

Rockies

• World Series tickets for Rockies home games go on sale Monday October 22 at 10 a.m. Holy crap!!
• Willy Taveres might be ready to play in the NLCS, which starts Friday.
• I’ll be at the first-ever NLCS game played at Coors Field this Sunday.
• The Nuggets beat the Clippers 119-107 in the first preseason game of the year.
• Sometime over the summer, DerMarr Johnson up and went to Italy.
• Brandon Marshall is an asshole.
• The greatest event of the year is later this week: the Great American Beer Festival.