ROCKIES - 7/24/02

LATEST TEAM INFO: 48-53, Fourth in National League West.

The Colorado Rockies keep creeping toward .500, but the Big Three in the West have kept the Rocks at bay. The brass promised one thing to the team at the start of the season – continuity. And they still haven’t made a trade this year. It looks like a case of what you see is what you get the rest of the way.

Rotation:

The starting staff did pretty well over the last two weeks. The Rockies were led by Denny Stark (2-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.85 WHIP) and Shawn Chacon (2-0, 3.77 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) Outside of Jason Jennings, Stark has been the Rockies' best starter. He doesn't have the credentials of a Mike Hampton or a Denny Neagle, both of whom have won 20 games in a season, but he has outperformed them this year.

Stark might have been in line to break the Rockies' rookie record of 12 victories if he hadn't been hidden in the bullpen for six weeks following the return of Chacon off the disabled list. Players who don't establish themselves until they are 27 know better than to take opportunities for granted. Stark has seized his chance, leaving the Rockies intrigued by a potentially crowded, if not talented rotation of Jennings, Chacon, John Thomson and Triple-A whiz kids Aaron Cook and Jason Young.

Counting the July 20th outing, the rookie is 5-1 as a starter with a 3.00 ERA. Stark is more than the Rockies had in mind when they received him in an off-season deal. They figured they were getting a possible replacement for reliever Jay Powell, given Stark's sinker-slider mix. But they misjudged his competitiveness, which reveals itself in how he consistently attacks hitters, refusing to nibble on the corners.

John Thomson (0-1, 3.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) and Jason Jennings (1-1, 3.89 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) also pitched very well, while Mike Hampton (0-3, 7.50 ERA, 1.78 WHIP) just pitched.

Bullpen:

Jose Jimenez (0-1, 4 saves, 5.29 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) has mixed in his slider a bit more often in recent appearances. Jimenez has converted 26 of his 29 save opportunities, leaving him five saves short of the franchise season record set by Dave Veres in 1999. Jimenez has retired the side in order in 12 of his 26 saves.

The bullpen continued to fair well. Justin Speier (1-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP), Todd Jones (0-1, 2.50 ERA, 0.97 WHIP) and Rick White (0-0, 3.53 ERA, 1.37 WHIP) led the way.

Denny Neagle (0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) has performed well thus far out of the bullpen. He threw on the side earlier this week to test his arm after he had experienced tightness in the previous few days. Neagle, working in relief for the first time in 10 years, is adjusting to the workload of the bullpen. But Clint Hurdle said he has been impressed with Neagle as a reliever, particularly since Neagle has resumed throwing his changeup, a pitch he got away from as a starter.

Two relievers that have not lived up to expectations. They are Dennys Reyes (0-0, 15.75 ERA, 3.50 WHIP) Brian Fuentes (0-0, 22.50 ERA, 5.00 WHIP). Fuentes, in particular, has had unexpected problems. As unorthodox as Fuentes' sidearm delivery is, the ability to throw strikes has never been a major issue - until he was recalled by Colorado two weeks ago. In two appearances since his return from Triple-A, Fuentes has retired only two of the 11 batters he has faced. He has given up five hits, walked two batters and hit two batters.

Fuentes needs to regroup, get his mechanics back in order and mentally relax. He is being counted on to fill a need for a left-handed relief specialist. With his sidearm delivery, he has excelled in that role at the Triple-A level.

Infield:

Todd Helton (.211, 0 HR, 2 RBI) and his followers have to be getting a bit concerned. He labored through his All-Star Game appearance, but would not admit that his bad back is why he hasn't hit a home run since June 22. It's true, Helton is ranked fifth in the National League with a .331 batting average. Batting average, though, is not the statistic that defines cleanup hitters. Helton's 27-game power drought comes from a player who hit 91 homers in his previous two seasons and had 16 through 97 games this year.

In fact, the entire infield is having troubles. Todd Zeile (.156, 0 HR, 4 RBI), Brent Butler (.175, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 7 RS) and Jose Uribe (.139, 1 HR, 4 RBI) are struggling to hit their weight.

At 23 and with loads of natural skill, Uribe has struggled to adjust to pitchers' adjusting to him. He still is trying to get out of a slump that dropped his average more than 100 points, which began when teams started throwing Uribe mostly curve balls.

Gary Bennett (.278, 1 HR, 8 RBI) has been the lone bright spot since being thrust into the starting catching job with Bobby Estalella’s season-ending injury.

Outfield:

Larry Walker (.400, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 RS) and Todd Hollandsworth (.333, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 RS) have been the most productive members of the offense, even with a bit of an power outage here was well.

Juan Pierre (.250 0 HR, 7 RBI) has been working very hard to beat a season-long slump. A year ago, Pierre was a rookie sensation, hitting .327 with 46 stolen bases. Nearly four months into his second season, his average has shrunk to .265. The problems Pierre has endured have little do with attitude, desire or his new contract, though he has clearly pressed at times while trying to live up to his new financial status.

Hurdle has said that Pierre just needs to get his hands ripping through the strike zone again. If Pierre can pull the ball with more power, he will force pitchers to adjust and push outfielders back and off the foul lines.

Recent call-up Ben Petrick (.214, 2 HR, 2 RBI) is going to get an expanded role with the Colorado Rockies. Having been moved from catcher to left field this season, Petrick is going to see some time in center field as well before the season is over

Petrick isn't a candidate to replace Juan Pierre, the regular center fielder, but Hurdle wants to find out how much versatility Petrick can provide. Hurdle also indicated Petrick will start getting at-bats against right-handed pitchers.

INJURIES:

Kent Mercker who has been on the DL since June 6 after fracturing the fifth metacarpal bone and lacerating his left hand fielding a ground ball, will throw to hitters this week.

Bobby Estalella will undergo surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and will miss the rest of the season.

Jose Ortiz will have arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. The procedure will sideline him for at least a month.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVE:

Neagle’s recent move to the bullpen isn't a permanent decision of Hurdle. And it may become infectious. Hampton has struggled more than any Rockies starter after a 14-13 season a year ago. Hampton is 5-11, losing his two starts since the all-star break. Hampton leads all National League pitchers in hits allowed (164), runs allowed (99) and earned runs allowed (90).

There is a possibility that Hampton and Neagle may switch duties, as it has proven to have been a positive move for Neagle. Since going to the bullpen, Neagle has allowed six hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings.

The San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's are seeking to add players for the playoff push and are believed to be interested in Todd Hollandsworth as a center fielder. Tsuyoshi Shinjo has struggled offensively, and Hollandsworth would be considered an upgrade over Oakland's Terrence Long. The Rockies have said multiple teams have called about Hollandsworth, but Tampa Bay all-star Randy Winn and Cleveland's Ellis Burks also are available. Winn grew up in Northern California, and Burks, in the second year of a $20 million contract, will waive his no-trade clause to return to the Bay area.

Still, Hampton and Neagle appear to be offseason issues, leaving the Rockies to focus on offers for second-tier salary players. No one has drawn more interest than right-handed setup man Todd Jones, though Atlanta has yet to call even after Darren Holmes' recent trip to the disabled list.

Talks with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jones' strongest suitor, also have run into complications. The Rockies covet slugging Triple-A first baseman Chin-Feng Chen and reliever Guillermo Mota, but both are off limits. Chen is viewed as the successor to Eric Karros, and the Dodgers don't want to trade any power arms. Triple-A second baseman Joe Thurston is available, but is the same type of player as the Rockies' Brent Butler.

ON THE FARM:

Brad Hawpe, a first baseman, has been the organization's most prolific hitter all season. His .373 batting average is the best in the Rockies’ system. Salem manager Stu Cole considers him a left-handed Andres Galarraga because of his open stance and the way he puts a charge into the ball.

The Galarraga comparison is impressive, but Hawpe’s goal is to put up the numbers that will catch attention and move him up the ladder. And he certainly has, as he has hit 31 2B, 17 HR and 71 RBI this season.

In his first two seasons in the organization, Hawpe showed promise but did not deliver gaudy statistics. After being drafted in the 11th round out from Louisiana State in 2000, he hit .288 in his first season in Portland and .267 last year at Asheville, along with 22 doubles and 22 home runs.

Hawpe is encouraged that he might not be too far from the big leagues. But there's the problem of his position. Any first baseman in the Rockies' organization has Todd Helton anchored ahead of him.

Hawpe tried the outfield last season at Asheville, but he said he's more comfortable playing first base, which is where he played in college. A left-handed hitter and thrower, Hawpe also pitched while at Boswell High School in Fort Worth, Texas. The Toronto Blue Jays drafted him as a pitcher after his senior year in high school.

Although still apprentices learning their way up baseball's development ladder, the two top pitching prospects in the Colorado Rockies organization show no fear of taking the final step to the major leagues.

Aaron Cook, 23, and Jason Young, 22, are piling up victories as building blocks to their first try at defeating major-league hitters. With the possibility the Rockies' pitching staff is on the verge of being rebuilt through possible trades of starters Hampton and Neagle, Cook and Young could get their chance this season. More likely, it'll be next season when they figure in the Rockies' plans.

Cook has won four times with the Sky Sox to give him an organizational-best 11 victories. Young is right behind with nine victories. The right-handers leaped to the top of Rockies' pitching prospects with their performances for the Carolina Mudcats of the Double-A Southern League. Both won seven games in helping the Mudcats win the midseason championship and then were promoted to Colorado Springs.

Their success comes at a time when the Rockies organization is smarting at the lack of success at the major-league level. But no one should look at the two as automatic cures to the Rockies' pitching ills, at least not in the near future, Cron said.

Cook and Young have different pitching styles. Cook's best pitch is his fastball, which he usually throws in the low- to mid-90s, similar to Jennings. To be successful in the big leagues, Sky Sox pitching coach Bob McClure said Cook has to develop a better changeup. Young uses a bigger pitch selection and is more of a finesse pitcher, like a 6-5 Greg Maddux.

QUICK VIEW:

HOT:

Larry Walker, Todd Hollandsworth, Denny Stark, Shawn Chacon, Justin Speier, Todd Jones.

NOT:

The four infield spots, Dennys Reyes, Brian Fuentes, Juan Pierre, Mike Hampton.