And whatever happened to Luis Vizcaino?
| July 5, 2009 | 1:46 PM
More journal entries from Steve Foster »
That Colorado Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe was named to the All-Star team should hardly come as a surprise. He’s deserving (batting .331 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI entering Sunday’s game against Arizona) and since early May has been pretty much destined for the All-Star team, despite much hand-wringing in the past few days about his chances.
The pleasant surprise is Jason Marquis (10-5, 3.87 ERA), who was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career. Initially an afterthought in the offseason and to many, proof that the Rockies’ season was doomed — if you had to turn to Marquis, with his high ERAs and propensity to give up home runs, how could it be anything but?! — the only joy most fans felt upon Marquis’ arrival was that it was a small price to pay to dump reliever Luis Vizcaino on the Cubs.
Since then, however, Marquis has been the Rockies’ most consistent starter all season and the biggest winner in the National League, including a gem Tuesday night against the Dodgers. And what of Vizcaino? He lasted less than a month with the Cubs and signed with the Indians in mid-May. But the Indians sent him and his 5.40 ERA packing last week.
The Rockies have burned many times in one-sided trades — three names: Brad Ausmus, Josh Bard, Chone Figgins — but at least this time, they overwhelmingly got the better end of the deal.
all-star game, brad hawpe, colorado rockies, jason marquis, luis vizcaino
