MLB Denver

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Florida Marlins (44-43) at Colorado Rockies (37-51) - 3:05 PM ET

As if 18-17 wasn't enough, the Rockies and Marlins played a 12-6 game proving once and for all that the humidor is dead Coors Field can still play host to some Nintendo games ... and that the Marlins pitching staff needs to step it up if they're going to hope to remain in contention for the N.L. East. The Marlins turn to Mark Hendrickson, who started out the season pitching like their ace but has been positively awful his last seven starts (37 earned runs in his last 34 innings). Not the guy you would expect to bounce you back from giving up 30 runs in two games. As for the Rockies, hey ... if they have another run in them, they're only six games back in the N.L. West so that division can still be had. Speaking of which ...

All this talk about Coors Field not being the offensive haven that it once was between the humidor and better Rockies pitching had to make some long for the days of nutso scores. For one night, and on July 4th of all nights, the old Coors made a grand return to the big stage as the Rockies defeated the Marlins ... ready ... 18-17.

The game featured the largest comeback in Rockies history, as they were once down in the game 13-4. It also included two dingers by Matt Holliday, one of which was a grannie in the seventh to cut the Marlins lead to 17-16. And it also included the latest blown save by Kevin Gregg in the ninth, his second in two nights, and fifth in his last 20 opportunities. Before the game, Fredi Gonzalez had said that Gregg was not in danger of losing his job. Maybe that has changed after tonight. I doubt it though ... heck, everyone was hitting tonight.

One of the complaints about interleague baseball is that, with a few exceptions, the games are between teams with no historical rivalry which means less games between teams that do have such background to their meetings. On the surface this week's series between the Royals and the Rockies would fit the bill unless the thought of Clint Hurdle managing against the team he played against boils your potatoes.

Leave it to those two rapscallions, Ramon Ramirez and Yorvit Torrealba, to gin up some controversy where none existed. The Denver Post reports that the two players had a conversation before Ramirez walked Torrealba on four pitches in the ninth inning, a couple of which appeared to be in the general direction of the catcher's head and back.

Ramirez insisted afterward that the ball was wet from perspiration, saying "it slipped." Torrealba wasn't buying it. He said he was prepared for Ramirez to throw at him, though he wouldn't reveal why. "Ask him. It's all good," Torrealba said. "Every time I talk about stuff, I get fined or suspended."

Ramirez was traded by Colorado before the season and some Rockies said that he told them he was going to do some drilling when the two teams met. He pitched Monday and in the eighth inning on Tuesday without incident, however. We'll see if the two teams continue bucking for inclusion in our next edition of Old Boss, New Boss this evening.

Now that the exciting action of MLB's amateur draft has completed it's first round, it's time to take a look at our country's next millionaires. Find out which team drafted the son of the former offensive lineman pictured here and peruse our quick glance at the NL West first round selections.

San Francisco Giants (5) Gerald "Buster" Posey, Catcher, Florida State: Posey was supposed to go number one to Tampa Bay, but a little matter of money nudged the Rays off the scent, and Buster Posey went to the other side of the country to join the San Francisco Giants. Posey's asking price of $12 million wasn't enough to scare the Giants off ... although $12 million has to be nothing to a team who's paying Barry Zito a gazillion dollars to go 1-9 for them. Posey has only been a catcher for two seasons after converting from shortstop, but has been a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's best collegiate catcher.

Los Angeles Dodgers (15) Ethan Martin, RHP, Stephens County School, (GA): Scouts took note of Martin after his performance in the LaGrange Invitational, where he struck out 12 hitters and gave up four hits in a 6-4 Stephens County win over American Heritage ... a game where Martin hit 99 on the gun four times. Martin can also get hitters out with a power breaking ball and a splitter. Here's your Ethan Martin oddity: Remember that incident where the pitcher and catcher conspired to hit the home plate umpire in the face with the pitch? The pitcher was Cody Martin ... Ethan's brother. Ethan played in that game at shortstop, and had vehemently argued with that umpire after striking out, which came just before the incident.

MLB's vice president of on-field operations Bob Watson brought the hammer down on Matt Kemp and Yorvit Torrealba for their impromptu wrestling exhibition during Tuesday's game. Kemp has been suspended four games; Torrealba, three. Both players were also fined an undisclosed amount. Kemp doesn't sound all that surprised about the punishment. From the LA Times:

"It was just out of frustration," he said Tuesday. "It was really stupid. It was not a good decision on my part. But it happened and you've got to deal with whatever it is that comes after that."

Kemp may be contrite, but he's still appealing the suspension. That's pretty much just a formality, though, since doing it allows him to play in the series that starts today against the Cubs. The Rockies are off today, so it's not clear if Torrealba will appeal or not, but it's customary for most players to appeal these things until the timing works out best.

MLB has already scrubbed most videos of the fight off the English-speaking tubes, but this Italian site is still showing it, in case you've somehow managed not to turn on a TV this week and see it a dozen times over.

I can understand the frustration that the Dodgers and Rockies must be feeling right now. The Rockies have followed up their World Series berth with a competition against the Mariners for worst team in the league, and matters haven't been helped much by injuries to Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holiday.

For the Dodgers, they've lost nine of their last 12 games, and have about $50 million in payroll sitting on the disabled list right now. So when two teams who have a lot to be pissed off about face each other, sometimes, the littlest things can set one of those teams off.

In this case, that littlest thing was Matt Kemp being tagged out by Yorvit Torrealba after a dropped third strike. The anger Kemp felt after such an insult was so great, apparently, that it completely erased any sound from existence.

(Via Walkoff Walk)

Woody Paige is, of course, insane. But I suppose he borders on reasonable enough -- the idea that Colorado should trade Matt Holliday is in fact a good one -- that we give him a pass. However, when you look at what he thinks Colorado should consider getting in return for its MVP runner-up, well, there is no way you can legitimately rationalize that he knows where he is or what he is doing.

His first idea -- Holliday and Garrett Atkins or Brad Hawpe for Cliff Lee, a middle reliever and an outfield prospect -- is closer to reality than the rest of his thoughts, but it's a bad deal for the Rockies. And not because of Lee's "four superb pitches", either! The rest, though, are borderline insane.

Or, consider: The Rockies acquire Cleveland pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who got off to a terrible start before settling. It would be 2007 Cy Young winner for MVP runner-up.

Sabathia will be a free agent at the conclusion of the season. But it would make sense for dollars to the proven 27-year-old left-hander - probably close to $100 million over five years. He would be precious for years for the Rockies' pitching staff. The Monforts have to get over the Hampton/Neagle debacle. There is a humidor at the ballpark, and the Rockies always need a (No. 1) starter.

Yes, adding a #1 starter would be nice. But who is more likely to re-sign as a Rockie? The hitter with the home splits that make him look like Hercules ... or the pitcher in a place where pitchers stink? Exactly. But wait! There's more!

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Florida Marlins (30-23) at Philadelphia Phillies (32-24) - 7:05 PM ET

Last night, the Phillies took over first place in the East over the surprising Marlins by giving them the proverbial thumping of 12-3. It's not that the Marlins have been that bad over this recent stretch ... they did sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks at home, after all. But the Phillies have been scorching hot during an 8-2 run which has seen Chase Utley make President George W. Bush look pretty smart.

Utley has 15 RBI's in his last five games, a stretch where Phillies scored 60 runs. That's the kind of steamrolling that an upstart team like the Marlins can really do nothing about. Starting today, with Ricky Nolasco going to the mound to face Cole Hamels, the Fish are going to have to start to figure out how to stay in this race, and not get discouraged over the fact that they're now out of the lead. With Philly, Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Philly again coming up on the schedule, this is a key time for the Marlins.

Clint Barmes, already replacing the DL'd Troy Tulowitzki, and Brad Hawpe were placed on the disabled list Friday, and Matt Holliday, who left the game Saturday with a strained hamstring, joined him on Sunday. In other words, the Rockies are in a tremendous nightmare right now.

They have had issues with their closer situation, the middle infield is stripped nearly bare, and now the best hitter on their team is going to miss some significant time. It does not exactly help that Colorado is already 10 games under .500 and the same number back of Arizona for the NL West lead.

The injuries give the Rockies a much different team than the one they had on opening day. Five of their top six players are on the DL, including shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who is out until the All-Star break with a torn left quadriceps.

Hurdle said he is not using injury as an excuse for Colorado's 19-30 record.

"We're not backing off any concept of winning or what we need to do," he said. "We weren't blowing up the ball with all these guys in the lineup, truth be told. We'll find a way to see what kind of identity our offense can take and give these guys an opportunity and freedom to get some at-bats.

Hurdle can say that all he wants, but the fact of the matter is that without the best hitters in their lineup and an already suspect pitching staff, the Rockies are not going to make up any ground on the Diamondbacks.

That's not to say that the defending National League champs should just pack it in and call it a season; it is still early. But it does seem like a legitimate stretch for them to actually make a move with such a depleted lineup. Don't be shocked to see Holliday on the move once he's healthy is all I am saying.