The NL Champs Lack Pitching

[LouGehrig]

Baseballs used at Coors Field are stored in a humidor, which has resulted in a decrease in offense, but despite lower scoring games, the Rockies lack solid starters. The Rockies will not make the playoffs in 2008.

http://major-league-baseball.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_nl_champs_lack_pitching

[Old Sweater]

Baseballs used at Coors Field are stored in a humidor, which has resulted in a decrease in offense, but despite lower scoring games, the Rockies lack solid starters. The Rockies will not make the playoffs in 2008.

http://major-league-baseball.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_nl_champs_lack_pitching


youngster Franklin Morales, and journeymen Mark Redmond, and Kip Wells. It is a group that does not inspire confidence.



Love it when these guys can't even spell the names right after their in depth research....LOL

The Rockies have most of the staff coming back that was 8th in the NL ERA last year with a 4.68. Aslo the Rockies road ERA was only .05 lower then at home last year which is really quite remarkable since there is 15% more contact at Coors Field compared to sea level.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Love it when these guys can't even spell the names right after their in depth research....LOL

Mark McGuire and Cal Ripkin, Jr. anyone? :laugh ;)

[Imgran]

Underestimate Ubaldo Jimenez, Jeff Francis and Franklin Morales at your peril.

[Old Sweater]

Underestimate Ubaldo Jimenez, Jeff Francis and Franklin Morales at your peril.

Francis
Cook
Ubaldo
TBA/Hirsh at this point
TBA/Morales/Kip Wells/Josh Towers/Mark Redman

I'm looking for Cook to have a breakout season.

Closer/ Manny Corpas
8th/Brian Fuentes
7th/Luis Vizcaino
Others/ Matt Herges/Ryan Speier?/Taylor Buchholz?/Kip Well?/Josh Towers?/Mark Redman lefty?/Franklin Morales?

Best I've felt about the pitching since 1993 at the start of the season.

[Imgran]

I thought Morales was better than that. He throws hard as a lefthander, has good offspeed stuff, and he can strike people out. He might be a bit green yet but he looks like your prototypical high-ceiling power lefthander, a la Bedard, Santana etc. all starting out with similar command problems. Just knowing what I'd know I'd guess he's roughly in Jon Lester's neighborhood right now unless that command's a whole lot worse than it looked, and Lester looks to put up 170 average to slightly above average innings out of the #4 spot in the rotation this year. Morales can match that next year at age 22. Impressive.

If he can overcome the command issues a lot of high-ceiling lefties have at his age he might make something of himself. And you never know when it's gonna happen either. Even without much progress with his command he's pretty danged good anyway so I hope he gets a good long look at being a 5th starter for you.

[Zagi-CRO]

Francis
Cook
Ubaldo
TBA/Hirsh at this point
TBA/Morales/Kip Wells/Josh Towers/Mark Redman

I'm looking for Cook to have a breakout season.

Closer/ Manny Corpas
8th/Brian Fuentes
7th/Luis Vizcaino
Others/ Matt Herges/Ryan Speier?/Taylor Buchholz?/Kip Well?/Josh Towers?/Mark Redman lefty?/Franklin Morales?

Best I've felt about the pitching since 1993 at the start of the season.

I think the Rockies may have this rotation:
Jeff Francis
Aaron Cook
Franklin Morales
Ubaldo Jimenez
Jason Hirsh



and closer Corpas, others Vizcaino, Fuentes, Herges, Speier.

[Old Sweater]

I thought Morales was better than that. He throws hard as a lefthander, has good offspeed stuff, and he can strike people out. He might be a bit green yet but he looks like your prototypical high-ceiling power lefthander, a la Bedard, Santana etc. all starting out with similar command problems. Just knowing what I'd know I'd guess he's roughly in Jon Lester's neighborhood right now unless that command's a whole lot worse than it looked, and Lester looks to put up 170 average to slightly above average innings out of the #4 spot in the rotation this year. Morales can match that next year at age 22. Impressive.

If he can overcome the command issues a lot of high-ceiling lefties have at his age he might make something of himself. And you never know when it's gonna happen either. Even without much progress with his command he's pretty danged good anyway so I hope he gets a good long look at being a 5th starter for you.


Oh yeah, when Franklin Morales is on he is lights out. If his buddy Manny Corpas hadn't blew the save in the bottom of the 9th Morales would have beat the Padres and Jake Peavy 1-0 but all turned out good for the Rockies in extra innings with a 2-1 win. More consistent control for Morales and look
out NL. A lot of fans that don't follow the Rockies much forget the only reason he was brought up last year was because of injuries to other starters Lopez(2nd DL trip)Hirsh/Elmer Dessens(who replaced Hirsh) and Cook. That is what really made that late season miracle streak impressive for me. The Rockies had lost 4 starters towards the end of the season. Mark Redman done OK and Franklin Morales done a good job as did Elmer Dessens before he got injured.

I just hope that Morales don't get bullpen duty if he don't make the rotation. There is rumor of this since Redman and Morales are the only leftys to take Affeldt's place for having 2 leftys in the bullpen. Morales has said he would gladly accept bullpen duty to help the club but I believe he would be better off with the Sky Sox working on his control.

[Old Sweater]

I think the Rockies may have this rotation:
Jeff Francis
Aaron Cook
Franklin Morales
Ubaldo Jimenez
Jason Hirsh



and closer Corpas, others Vizcaino, Fuentes, Herges, Speier.


Your choice of the bullpen I agree with except I think that Redman or Morales may be added for another lefty.

No way does Morales get the 3 spot. The only 3 penciled in are........

Francis
Cook
Ubaldo
Hirsh (his spot to lose in ST)
Rockies Idol try out like the 2nd base job. Kip Wells got a 1 year 3.1mil deal compared to Towers 1 year 1mil deal if you want to follow the money that the front office hates to eat.