Colorado Rockies 2010 preview
Article By rfagan.tsn on 23rd March, 2010
The Rockies are making a habit of dramatic playoff pushes in odd-numbered years -- they won 14 of their final 15 games to reach the 2007 postseason, and they won 72 of their final 110 games last season en route to the wild card. They return largely the same roster -- with a full season of manager Jim Tracy -- as they attempt to make the playoffs in an even-numbered year for the first time in franchise history.
The Rockies aren't sure what to expect from Jeff Francis. Three questions
1. What can the Rockies expect from Jeff Francis?
Colorado will be patient. The lefthander's fastball this spring is in the 89-mph range, which is about right considering he never was a flamethrower. This season, the Rockies don't need Francis, who missed the entire 2009 season after shoulder surgery, to be the staff ace. Ubaldo Jimenez has assumed that role and has developed into one of the National League's best starters.
Francis fits into the rotation behind Aaron Cook and Jorge De La Rosa -- and maybe even Jason Hammel. Francis has been hit hard (6.92 ERA) in four spring training starts, but the most important thing is that he has been able to make those four starts.
2. What type of carryover can Colorado expect from 2009?
The Rockies blitzed their way into the playoffs last year; their record after June 3 was nine games better than any other team in the NL But what does that mean for 2010?
"Creating the mindset with what took place in 2009 was huge, and now carrying that over to the fact where this is what we have identified ourselves as. Now let's get busy and have people be aware of the fact that this is what we expect to be from Day 1 of the season and not wait until the middle of June or whatever it was," Tracy said. "We ourselves want to be that way. We want to become a much more consistent baseball team, day in and day out from Day 1 and see where that takes us."
In the bac...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
The Rockies aren't sure what to expect from Jeff Francis. Three questions
1. What can the Rockies expect from Jeff Francis?
Colorado will be patient. The lefthander's fastball this spring is in the 89-mph range, which is about right considering he never was a flamethrower. This season, the Rockies don't need Francis, who missed the entire 2009 season after shoulder surgery, to be the staff ace. Ubaldo Jimenez has assumed that role and has developed into one of the National League's best starters.
Francis fits into the rotation behind Aaron Cook and Jorge De La Rosa -- and maybe even Jason Hammel. Francis has been hit hard (6.92 ERA) in four spring training starts, but the most important thing is that he has been able to make those four starts.
2. What type of carryover can Colorado expect from 2009?
The Rockies blitzed their way into the playoffs last year; their record after June 3 was nine games better than any other team in the NL But what does that mean for 2010?
"Creating the mindset with what took place in 2009 was huge, and now carrying that over to the fact where this is what we have identified ourselves as. Now let's get busy and have people be aware of the fact that this is what we expect to be from Day 1 of the season and not wait until the middle of June or whatever it was," Tracy said. "We ourselves want to be that way. We want to become a much more consistent baseball team, day in and day out from Day 1 and see where that takes us."
In the bac...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
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