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| Carlos Gonzalez (left) and Troy Tulowitzki (right) come into 2012 with a chip on their shoulder after winning only 73 games in 2011. |
The Rockies have two franchise players in Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzaelz. They are surrounded by six other veterans in the lineup. What they don't have is pitching.
Rafael Betancourt is finally getting his shot to close in Colorado and Jhoulys Chacin will be the best starter the Rockies have to start the season. Betancourt clearly out-pitched Huston Street last season After that comes a small drop off in experience. The Rockies have attempted to bolster their pitching staff this offseason by trading Seth Smith to Oakland for Josh Outman and Guillermo Moscoso. The Rockies will rely on Matt Belisle and Rex Brothers help Betancourt shore up the back of the bullpen. The Rockies expect two of the arms they acquired in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, to make some contribution to the major league squad this season. They also picked up Jeremy Guthrie this offseason, who has lost 17 games in two of the last three seasons in Baltimore.
The Rockies expect to get Jorge de la Rosa back from Tommy John surgery between May and June which will help them have some balance in their rotation if he is effective upon his return.
The biggest acquisition for the Rockies was that of longtime Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer. They also picked up Tyler Colvin, Marco Scutaro and Casey Blake. Colvin will get a chance to redeem his awful 2011 campaign in Chicago with a chance to come off the bench in Colorado if his spring training is good enough. Scutaro comes from the is expected to help shore up second base for the Rockies; a position that eight people started for the Rockies last season. Casey Blake left L.A. for Colorado after an injury-plagued 2011 season and is expected to make contributions to the lineup and clubhouse if he can stay healthy for most of the season.
Speaking of the clubhouse, Juan Nicasio is back and ready to go. Yes, this Juan Nicasio. This man will have the respect of every player in the clubhouse and has earned every bit of his man card. Or as manager Jim Tracy puts it:
"Courage is not a strong enough word to describe what he's done."
Nicasio is expected to return to his middle relief role while the Rockies sort out their pitching staff this season.
The Rockies have a lot of experience in their lineup, and experience and chemistry are the only things that will help this team achieve anything in 2012.
X-FACTORS:
Rotation: Jorge de la Rosa. If he can have a successful comeback from Tommy john surgery, that may be enough to keep the Rockies out of the cellar.
Lineup: OF Dexter Fowler. He needs to set the table for the rest of their lineup. I see 30 steals in Fowler's future.
Bullpen: Rafael Betancourt. Betancourt gets his first shot start a season as the closer. His success makes the Rockies bullpen legitimate with Belisle and Brothers behind him.
The Kids: RP Rex Brothers. This is the second season for who the Rockies project as their closer for the future. Rex has a chance to shine in relative anonymity pitching behind Rafael Betancourt in the the pen.
ROYAL LIST:
#30. LHP Drew Pomeranz: One of the arms the Rockies got in return for parting ways with Ubaldo Jimenez.
#42. 3B Nolan Arenado: Good chance you could see this kid in September. Should fare better than Ian Stewart.
#86. RHP Chad Bettis: Another kid that should be getting some looks in December.
#87. C Willin Rosario: Future is questionable after post-injury performance in 2011.
PREDICTION: 5th Place NL West
-I predict a lot of growing pains in the pitching staff and a lot of inconsistency in the lineup. Even if things go right for this team, others are too good for them to take aim at the wild card.
Rafael Betancourt is finally getting his shot to close in Colorado and Jhoulys Chacin will be the best starter the Rockies have to start the season. Betancourt clearly out-pitched Huston Street last season After that comes a small drop off in experience. The Rockies have attempted to bolster their pitching staff this offseason by trading Seth Smith to Oakland for Josh Outman and Guillermo Moscoso. The Rockies will rely on Matt Belisle and Rex Brothers help Betancourt shore up the back of the bullpen. The Rockies expect two of the arms they acquired in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, to make some contribution to the major league squad this season. They also picked up Jeremy Guthrie this offseason, who has lost 17 games in two of the last three seasons in Baltimore.
The Rockies expect to get Jorge de la Rosa back from Tommy John surgery between May and June which will help them have some balance in their rotation if he is effective upon his return.
The biggest acquisition for the Rockies was that of longtime Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer. They also picked up Tyler Colvin, Marco Scutaro and Casey Blake. Colvin will get a chance to redeem his awful 2011 campaign in Chicago with a chance to come off the bench in Colorado if his spring training is good enough. Scutaro comes from the is expected to help shore up second base for the Rockies; a position that eight people started for the Rockies last season. Casey Blake left L.A. for Colorado after an injury-plagued 2011 season and is expected to make contributions to the lineup and clubhouse if he can stay healthy for most of the season.
Speaking of the clubhouse, Juan Nicasio is back and ready to go. Yes, this Juan Nicasio. This man will have the respect of every player in the clubhouse and has earned every bit of his man card. Or as manager Jim Tracy puts it:
"Courage is not a strong enough word to describe what he's done."
Nicasio is expected to return to his middle relief role while the Rockies sort out their pitching staff this season.
The Rockies have a lot of experience in their lineup, and experience and chemistry are the only things that will help this team achieve anything in 2012.
X-FACTORS:
Rotation: Jorge de la Rosa. If he can have a successful comeback from Tommy john surgery, that may be enough to keep the Rockies out of the cellar.
Lineup: OF Dexter Fowler. He needs to set the table for the rest of their lineup. I see 30 steals in Fowler's future.
Bullpen: Rafael Betancourt. Betancourt gets his first shot start a season as the closer. His success makes the Rockies bullpen legitimate with Belisle and Brothers behind him.
The Kids: RP Rex Brothers. This is the second season for who the Rockies project as their closer for the future. Rex has a chance to shine in relative anonymity pitching behind Rafael Betancourt in the the pen.
ROYAL LIST:
#30. LHP Drew Pomeranz: One of the arms the Rockies got in return for parting ways with Ubaldo Jimenez.
#42. 3B Nolan Arenado: Good chance you could see this kid in September. Should fare better than Ian Stewart.
#86. RHP Chad Bettis: Another kid that should be getting some looks in December.
#87. C Willin Rosario: Future is questionable after post-injury performance in 2011.
PREDICTION: 5th Place NL West
-I predict a lot of growing pains in the pitching staff and a lot of inconsistency in the lineup. Even if things go right for this team, others are too good for them to take aim at the wild card.
nicasio is such a man takes some real balls. and fowler is gonna be good he will be 40+steals soon
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