Projected Lineup
CF Willy Taveras
2B Kazuo Matsui/Jamey Carroll
1B Todd Helton
LF Matt Holliday
3B Garrett Atkins
RF Brad Hawpe
SS Troy Tulowitzki/Clint Barmes
C Chris Iannetta/Javy Lopez
Taveras gives the Rockies what
they’ve sorely lacked since Juan Pierre was there: a top base-stealing threat
atop the order. Unfortunately, he’s
never shown much in the way of discipline in his early career with Houston,
and needs to show that he can work the count and draw a few walks to remain
atop the order… Matsui and Carroll figure to each play a healthy split at
second. When at his best, Matsui is a
decent fantasy play because of his ability to hit for average with a little
power and good speed. Carroll is a
perfect number two hitter because he puts the bat on the ball, but he doesn’t
add much in the way of power or speed… Todd Helton isn’t the stud that he was
earlier in his career, but he’s still a capable .300 hitter who could hit
twenty homers… Holliday and Atkins are each top ten players at their position, capable
of hitting for average with huge power numbers and RBI totals…. Hawpe is
solidifying himself as both a starter in the Rockies’
outfield and a decent fantasy option capable of hitting .290 with 25
homers. He’s a terrific find as a third
outfielder in mixed leagues… Tulowitzki has enormous upside, and will be given
every opportunity to realize it this season.
He skipped AAA, showing plenty in Tulsa
to earn a call to the majors, and enters camp as the favorite to win the
starting shortstop job…. Iannetta has immense potential behind the plate, but
he’ll face a challenge from Javy Lopez in the Spring. He absolutely smoked AA pitching
(.321/.418/.622 with 11 homers in 156 AB) and hit nearly as well in AAA
(.351/.447/.510 with 3 HR in 152 AB) before receiving the call to the big club
last season.
Other Hitters To Watch
Jeff Baker
Corey Sullivan
Baker destroyed AAA pitching in Colorado
Springs, batting .305/.369/.508 with 20 homers in 482
AB before having a monster September with the big club. A third baseman by trade, he’s going to have
to accept a move somewhere on the diamond if he’s going to find regular playing
time, but his spot on the roster is assured… Sullivan had every opportunity to
hold down the centerfield job last season, but showed little in the power or
speed department while batting a mediocre .267.
He eventually lost time during the season, and eventually sat idly as
the Rockies traded for Willy Taveras to take over the
centerfield job this offseason.
Starting Rotation
Jeff Francis
Aaron Cook
Rodrigo Lopez
Josh Fogg
Jason Hirsh
Francis had a bit of a coming out party last season, cutting
his ERA from 5.68 to 4.16 in his second full season while slicing significantly
into his WHIP (1.29) as well. A former
first-round pick, the Canadian lefty did
have some areas he still needs to work on.
His strikeout rate dipped significantly (from 6.3 to 5.3 K/9 IP). Still, a low-four ERA and 1.29 WHIP in Coors
Field show tremendous hope for the future… Cook stayed healthy for the first
time in three years, and rewarded the club with a solid 4.23 ERA and 1.40 WHIP
as the number three in the rotation.
While his win total (9) was mediocre, that figures to change if he can
put up similar numbers in 2007 as the Rockies’ young
nucleus gains experience… Lopez and Fogg figure to be nothing more than innings
fillers until some of their prospects are able to step into the rotation. Both finished last season with an ERA on the
wrong side of 5.00, and neither figures to be someone you should consider even
for your NL-Only rotation… Hirsh, on the other hand, will be one of a handful
of prospects competing for a spot this Spring, and would seem to be a mortal
lock after his performance in AAA Round Rock for the Astros’ organization. He’s a solid ~strikeout an inning pitcher who
kept a 2.10 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP in 23 AAA starts, and has little left to prove
in the minors.
Closer
Brian Fuentes
Other Bullpen Arms of Note
Ramon Ramirez
LaTroy Hawkins
Manuel Corpas
Fuentes has been terrific as the Rockies’
closer the past two seasons, and won’t have much in the way of competition to
start the year. The 31-year-old lefty
saved thirty games for the second straight season in 2006 while striking out
over a batter an inning and keeping a solid 3.44 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Chalk him up as a solid second tier closer,
whether he pitches in Coors or not… Ramirez proved to be solid as a middle
reliever in his rookie season, keeping the WHIP (1.26) in an adequate range
while maintaining a decent enough 3.46 ERA.
With LaTroy Hawkins added to the ‘pen, he’ll likely serve as a middle
reliever again, rather than moving to a setup role. In Coors, that still means he’ll vulture some
wins… Hawkins had a second straight down year, but is a proven setup man
capable of just under a strikeout an inning with a solid ERA and WHIP. Unfortunately, he seemed to lose something
off his fastball last season, and watched his strikeout rate dip dramatically…
Corpas didn’t get the call until July, but immediately started making his
presence felt as a strikeout pitcher out of the bullpen. He’ll serve as a middle reliever capable of a
strikeout an inning with a decent ERA and WHIP, but shouldn’t have any value
outside of deep NL Leagues.
Position Battles
Troy Tulowitzki vs.
Clint Barmes – Barmes had a monster first half in 2005, but has fallen out
of favor ever since he broke his collarbone carrying groceries home. Enter the top prospect, Tulowitzki. Tulowitzki seems on the fast track to success
after being the Rockies’ top pick in 2005, and can hit
for power and average with double digit steals.
Fantasy owners should be rooting for Tulowitzki to win the job outright
in the Spring, and he enters camp the heavy favorite.
Chris Iannetta vs.
Javy Lopez & Yorvit Torrealba – Iannetta is expected to be the starter,
though a down Spring and/or a monster one from either Lopez or Torrealba, two
proven vets, could knock him down the pedestal.
One of their top prospects, Iannetta can hit for both power and average. Lopez will probably win the job as the backup
based on his past history, while Torrealba may be on his way out of Colorado
if he can’t win a spot on the big league roster.
Jason Hirsh vs. Field
– Technically, Josh Fogg is going to have to beat people away with a stick
to hold onto his spot in the rotation as well.
A handful of other options (Byung-Hyun Kim, Taylor Buchholz, Brian
Lawrence, Ubaldo Jimenez) will also compete for the spots, though Fogg
(experience) and Hirsh (top prospect with nothing left to prove in the minors)
emerge as the clear favorites.
Sleepers
Troy Tulowitzki –
All he needs is a chance, and this kid could start racking up the 15-20 homer
seasons. He has 25/25 upside with an
ability to hit for average, and should have little trouble holding off a
disappointing Clint Barmes for the job at short.
Chris Iannetta – Iannetta
hit .336 with 14 homers in 307 at bats between AA and AAA last season, and
enters the year as the favorite to earn the starting job behind the dish. Give him 500 at bats, and this kid could
smack 20 homers in Coors, which would likely boost him into the top ten at
catcher.
Duds
Aaron Cook –
People are going to look at his solid secondary numbers and his low win total
and expect a monster jump from Cook this season. That’s all well and good until you realize
that he hasn’t struck out more than 4 batters per 9 innings since… well…
ever! Fantasy starters don’t necessarily
have to have dominant strikeout rates, but you simply can’t get by with a
porous strikeout rate in fantasy leagues.
Let someone else take the chance.
Player to watch for
Ian Stewart –
Stewart had a down year in AA last season, watching his power production slip
while he struck out 106 times in just 466 AB.
However, he still has bigtime power potential, and should be able to
turn things around in the minors this season.
Since Garrett Atkins has emerged as a stud at the hot corner, Stewart is
going to have to find some other spot to work his way into the lineup, but he
should at least earn a cup of coffee in 2007.
Projected Finish: 75-87, 4th NL West
Fantasy Baseball 
