Ringolsby: Barmes' Star turn in jeopardy, so questions linger
June 13, 2005

With shortstop Clint Barmes out, the Colorado Rockies' All-Star representative is a mystery.

The most likely selection? Whoever is the Rockies player of the month for June.

The only sure thing is that the Rockies will have a rep. Every team does. It's required.

Todd Helton has suggested Barmes should get the nod, even if he is hurt. If that happened, not only would Barmes be recognized for his strong start of the season, the vacancy created by Barmes being on the disabled list could go to a deserving player from another team.

Helton, rookies Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe and center fielder Preston Wilson are all in positions where a big three weeks would add to their candidacy.

THE STRETCH of games on 23 consecutive days that the Rockies ended Thursday had to receive special approval. The Basic Agreement limits teams to being scheduled to play 20 consecutive days without the players approving it by majority vote. Both management and the Major League Baseball Players Association review the schedule before approving it.

The 20-day limit went into effect in 1977, according to Paul Rivard of the Society of American Baseball Research, but has been exceeded previously. The Rockies' 23-day stretch is one day short of the longest since 1977, which was on the schedule for Milwaukee in 1999 and the Chicago White Sox in 1991. Toronto originally had a 23-day stretch in 1995, but after the lockout, which shortened the season to 144 games, revised schedules were made, a number of which exceeded 20 days, including a 31-day stretch for the White Sox.

Fourteen teams have had 21-day stretches, including eight in 2000 alone.

Before 1977, it was common for teams to exceed 23 consecutive days of games. In 1976, Boston was scheduled for 34 days at one stretch; the year before that, the Yankees, Tigers and Cubs all had 41-day stretches. The longest stretch of consecutive days of play was 60 for Detroit in 1931.


I like the idea of Barmes getting the spot and just filling it. I'd like to see a young guy get it or Preston, but it's hard to say right now.