With the departure of Jason Jennings, the Colorado ace for four seasons, the number one spot belongs to lefty Jeff Francis.  He received a big raise in the offseason when he signed a four-year contract worth over $13 million.  Even with the lower expectations that result from pitching at Coors Field, Francis must be solid and lead the rotation for the Rockies to contend.  Following Francis, the rotation’s lone southpaw, are Aaron Cook, who hopes he can forget his 2006 campaign, former Pirate Josh Fogg, ex-closer Byung-Hyun Kim, and Buchholz.  Hirsh and former Oriole Rodrigo Lopez will also compete for a spot in spring training.

The club’s bullpen is thrown together with an equal mix of young pitchers fighting for a spot and well-traveled veterans (LaTroy Hawkins, Tom Martin, Jeremy Affeldt, Lopez). Closer Brian Fuentes was able to save 30 games last year while striking out over 70 batters in 65 innings.  However, getting him save opportunities continues to be a problem for the team as it’s hard to hold a lead in such a hitter’s park.  (Hitter’s park is more like an understatement; heck it’s more like a hitter’s dream.  As you can see, the Rockies pitching staff isn’t very promising.  It never has been.  Pitchers are at such a disadvantage in that park, why would a top-tier pitcher ever want to sign there?

As far as predictions go, anything more than a last place finish will be a welcome surprise.  The Rockies have had six straight losing seasons, but last year’s 76 wins were the club’s most since 2000.  Rockies fans can at least expect the team to hover around the .500 mark for most of the year, and some thunder from the lineup as Holliday, Atkins, and Hawpe should all have great numbers. Unfortunately, with Randy Johnson’s return to the Diamondbacks and the circus that surrounds San Francisco (Bonds, Zito, etc.), the Rockies will be kept out of the spotlight as usual. In 1995, the Blake Street Bombers energized a city that had been missing out on baseball.  They left such an impression on the city of Denver that it makes it difficult for the current team to get the support of fans that just want the year 1995 again. Unfortunately, 2007 won’t be the year the Rockies get back to the promised land. Come April, the Nuggets playoff fate will be bigger news than how the Rockies are doing.

2006: 76-86 (Tied for 4th in NL West)