| Jordan Walgreen. 13th February, 2009 - 12:18 pm
 In the first edition this year for the Rockies, Todd Helton, the fifth starter slot and Troy Tulowitzki are discussed.
1. Will Todd Helton be a contributor? If so, for how long?
Todd Helton has spent the entire winter rehabbing after having arthroscopic surgery on his lower back Sept. 30 to relieve pressure on a bulging disc.
Helton has progressed through his rehab well and is hitting at full speed.
Going into spring training, there are two questions on the minds of the Rockies organization and fans alike: How many games will Helton play, and will he even be close to the Helton we have seen dominate the batter's box for the past 11 years?
In 2008 Helton only appeared in 83 games while hitting .264 and 29 home runs, but by the end of the season it was rumored that he couldn't even walk.
Helton has a lifetime batting average of .328 and when healthy is the heart of the Rockies lineup. For the Rockies to have success in 2009, Helton needs to produce runs for more than 130 games.
2. The Rotation and the Bullpen
With Jeff Francis apparently out for the season and Jorge De La Rosa being named the early fourth starter, the Rockies must pinpoint and fine-tune the rotation.
Joining De La Rosa in the other three spots will be Aaron Cook, Jason Marquis, and Ubaldo Jimenez—then it gets interesting.
The good news for the Rockies is there will be no shortage of competition for that fifth spot.
Going into camp the Rockies will work out a host of pitchers, including six that have been with the Rockies organization at some point in their career.
Battling for the fifth spot will be:
Greg Smith 7-16, 4.16 ERA in 2008
Jason Hirsh 0-0, 8.31 ERA in 2008
Franklin Morales 1-2, 6.39 ERA in 2008
Matt Belisle 1-4, 7.28 ERA in 2008
Josh Fogg 2-7, 7.58 ERA in 2008
Glendon Rusch 5-5, 5.16 ERA in 2008
Randy Flores 1-0, 5.26 ERA in 2008
With that many options, Clint Hurdle and the rest of the Rockies coaching staff will have their plates full evaluating every pitch thrown by this cast.
At this point there doesn't appear to be a favorite, but this is by far the most pitching talent the Rockies have ever brought to spring training.
The other pitcher duel will be for the closing spot where newly acquired Huston Street will battle Manny Corpas, which should be the most intriguing part of Rockies spring training.
Breaking down the 2008 numbers, it looks like Street has the upper hand.
Corpas 4/13 saves with a 4.52 ERA vs. Street 18/24 saves with a 3.78 ERA.
But don't count Corpas out; if he can return to the dominating form he showed in the 2007 season, this matchup will get good and may even spill over into the regular season.
3. Troy Tulowitzki's swing, health, and mental state
In 2007 Tulowitzki had what may the best rookie year for a shortstop in history, hitting .291 with 24 home runs and a record .987 FPCT. The Rockies rewarded Tulo with a six-year, $30 million contract, and that is when reality set in for the 24-year-old.
The 2008 season proved to a challenge on several levels for Tulowitzki, as a torn left quad and a lacerated right hand kept him out of 59 games.
Tulowitzki went 48-377 with a .263 average, which he was able to bring up with a late season push where he hit .327.
All of these challenges seem to be in the rear view for now, Tulowitzki has to come to spring training with his head on right and the experience of last year and his big contract far from his mind.
If he can stay true to his skills and focus on every at bat, Tulowitzki could emerge as the leader of the Rockies organization and a household name throughout the league. |
