2009 MLB Preview - Colorado Rockies

Colorado Rockies
Manager: Clint Hurdle (8th season)
2008 Record: 74-88 (3rd NL West)


Added: SP Jason Marquis (CHC), SP Greg Smith (OAK), RP Huston Street (OAK), RP Alan Embree (OAK), RP Jose Capellan (KC)
Lost: OF Matt Holliday (OAK), OF Willy Taveras (HOU), RP Brian Fuentes (LAA), RP Luis Vizcaino (CHC)

Projected Lineup (2008 Stats)
1. 2B Clint Barmes (.290, 47 R, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 13 SB) 2. SS Troy Tulowitzki (.263, 48 R, 8 HR, 46 RBI) 3. 1B Todd Helton (.264, 39 R, 7 HR, 29 RBI) 4. 3B Garrett Atkins (.286, 86 R, 21 HR, 99 RBI) 5. RF Brad Hawpe (.283, 69 R, 25 HR, 85 RBI) 6. C Chris Iannetta (.264, 50 R, 18 HR, 65 RBI) 7. LF Seth Smith (.259, 13 R, 4 HR, 15 RBI) 8. CF Ryan Spilborghs (.313, 38 R, 6 HR, 36 RBI)

Projected Starting Rotation (2008 Stats)
1. Aaron Cook (16-9, 3.96 ERA, 96 K) 2. Ubaldo Jiminez (12-12, 3.99 ERA, 172 K) 3. Jason Marquis (11-9 4.53 ERA, 91 K) 4. Jorge De La Rosa (10-8, 4.92 ERA, 128 K) 5. Greg Smith (7-16, 4.16 ERA, 111 K)

Bench
C Yorvit Torrealba, IF Omar Quintanilla, IF/OF Ian Stewart, OF Jeff Baker, OF Scott Podsednik

Bullpen (2008 Stats for Closer only)
Manny Corpas (4 SV, 79.2 IP, 93 H, 50 K, 4.52 ERA), Huston Street, Taylor Buchholz, Alan Embree, Glendon Rusch, Jason Grilli, Ryan Speier

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Fantasy Studs: 3B Garrett Atkins
Fantasy Sleepers: C Chris Iannetta

Men In The Minors: 2B Eric Young, OF Dexter Fowler, SP Jhoulys Chacin, SP Christian Frederich, RP Casey Weathers

Home Ballpark: Coors Field (Grade 7/10)

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Team Outlook: Hard to believe that this team was in the World Series just 2 years ago. Now, they look like a team not looking to cling the standings, but just hoping the division falls to them. Losing Holliday is a huge loss to the lineup. They still have some young bats (excluding Helton) so there is hope that he won't be missed too much. The pitching staff is what needs the most work. Cook was a pleasant surprise last season. Marquis is a solid pickup but he's notorious for being inconsistent. Jimenez needs to come up big as well. They will be without Jeff Francis in 2009 due to injury, and he may be the best pitcher in the organization. The bullpen though is much improved. They lost Fuentes but picked up Street. Corpas should be just fine closing games but if not, Street has experience doing that. The rest of the bullpen has some fine arms as well. Clint Hurdle is a fine manager and will do all he can to get the most out of this team. I just don't think there's more than 85 wins to squeeze out of them though.

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