Rockies Season Preview From CBSSports.com
CBSSports.com Staff Writer David Andriesen is out with his take on how he thinks the Rockies 2011 season will go, and he has good things to say about the Rockies prospects. Here are the notes from his article NL West Preseason Outlook:
2010 record: 83-79
Finish: Third place Manager: Jim Tracy, third season
Spring training site: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Pitchers & catchers' first workout: Feb. 15
First full workout: Feb. 22
Key additions: Jose Lopez, Ty Wigginton, Matt Lindstrom
Key losses: Miguel Olivo, Clint Barmes, Brad Hawpe, Octavio Dotel
Offseason grade: B+
The Rockies primarily spent the offseason tending their own fire, locking up Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez and re-signing Jorge De La Rosa.
2011 outlook: Banking on a playoff return
Offense: The Rockies were third in the NL in runs last season, and should be powerful at the plate again behind Gonzalez and Tulowitzki. The shortstop had a ridiculously strong finish to 2010 after returning from a wrist fracture, and while it's not reasonable to expect that to continue, he should be able to put up some big numbers for a full season.
Defense: The Rockies are about average defensively.
Pitching: The health of the rotation will be a key for the Rockies, who needed 35 starts last season from players outside their starting five. Ubaldo Jimenez could win 20, and 23-year-old Jhoulys Chacin could be poised for a big year after putting up a 2.98 ERA in 21 starts last season (He pitched out of the bullpen seven times). Matt Lindstrom, acquired from the Astros, is a nice addition to the bullpen.
Intangibles: The Rockies have room to improve their baserunning; their conversion rate on steals was 18th in baseball last season. But they don't have a lot of running threats beyond Dexter Fowler and Gonzalez.
Key player: Todd Helton.
Fun fact: Helton's combined batting average in 2007 and 2009, when the Rockies made the playoffs, was .322. In 2008 and 2010, when they finished in third place both years, it was .260. At the risk of stating the obvious, a healthy and productive Helton will make the Rockies a much better club.
Top prospect: Left-hander Christian Friedrich. He had a tough 2010, thanks in part to an elbow problem, but has great stuff (career strikeouts per nine innings of 10.7) and could make it to Colorado this season.
For the season to be successful: If the pitching holds up, there's no reason the Rockies can't be a playoff team.
