BaseBald

The grass is fresh, the sun is out, and purple pinstripes are back to being acceptable on clothing. All of the Rockies' players have reported to camp, and the first Spring Training game is this Saturday, March 3, against the Diamondbacks. Another season of Rockies baseball is upon us, and my expectations are deservingly high for a revamped Rockies team. I have extremely high expectations for the Rockies this season because the Rockies made numerous moves and non-moves that sent away a slew of fan favorites. Don't get me wrong, I understand that sometimes there needs to be change for a team to grow, but I need these changes to leave no doubt in my mind that these were the right moves for the team. I need to trust and believe that the Rockies feel like a team of older, hard-nosed veterans will be able to constantly defeat younger, more athletic teams such as the Diamondbacks, Giants, Padres, and Dodgers. My doubts are there, but I will continue to root for my home team, because t...

It's that time of year again. It's time to play GM. It's time to prove to all of your friends and a few strangers that you're better than them at filling out an MLB roster. And what wins leagues? Sleepers. Both Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez will go within the first 15 picks, but who are the guys on the Rockies that are flying under the radar that might be beneficial to your team? Here's a list of a few names that can be great bench additions, or even starters come opening day. Michael Cuddyer Ranked: 73 Average pick in mock drafts: 81.4 Cuddyer has eligibility at first base, second base, and the outfield. This makes him a wonderful option as your utility player or even your second base option due to the lack of depth at the position. He's going later than expected and that might be due to his age and change of scenery, but Coors Field should bump up his stats. Expect about the same production from Cuddyer in 2012 that he had in 2011. He's a ...

Much like a clammy, adolescent male with weak wrists and confidence issues; the Rockies haven't found the right match for their second base experience. The second base position has always been a question mark for the Rockies since the departure of the original Eric Young in 1997. The Rockies were spoiled with EY. He was a speedy player with smooth hands and a solid bat, and he did it all with a child-like enthusiasm. Since then, the Rockies have gone through so many second baseman that they could fill a 40-person theater, because that's exactly how many players who have played second base for the Rockies since 1993. The Rockies had seven players alone in 2011 play second base, but not one of them is projected to be the starter in 2012 at the position. That's because the Rockies traded for Marco Scutaro, who has filled the holes at second base and the number two spot in the batting order. I feel like he's a great acquisition for the Rockies and he will fit in perfect...

The Rockies wanted to add some veteran presence to their team during the off-season, and by the looks of things, I'd say mission accomplished! With the addition of Marco Scutaro, the Rockies now have five players that are projected opening-day starters over the age of 33: Todd Helton (38), Casey Blake (38), Marco Scutaro (36), Ramon Hernandez (35), and Michael Cuddyer (33). Last season, the Rockies had two opening-day starters over the age of 33: Todd Helton (37) and Ty Wigginton (33). The Rockies have gotten older, but hopefully not so old that they can't succeed. The Rockies' average age of opening-day position starters in 2011 was 28.5, whereas the projected average age of opening-day position starters in 2012 is 32.4. That's an increase of 3.9 years. The 3.9 years that they added to the team are referred to in baseball as a player's prime or peak years. Generally, the prime or peak of a player's career has been described as their age 27-32 years. This is ...

It was reported today that Ryan Spilborghs signed a minor league contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. To say that this is a sad day for Rockies' fans would be putting it lightly. It's mortifying. It was apparent that Spilly wasn't going back to the Rockies, but I didn't want it to be true. As long as he was a free agent that meant there was still a very, very, very small chance that he could be back in purple. Now, there's no chance at all. Spilly was the most entertaining player the Rockies have ever had on their team. Yes, even more entertaining than Dante Bichette. He might not have put up tremendous numbers, but he always played hard and he always had a good time. There's a lot to be said about a player that sparks team chemistry. Instead of being sad about this, I'm going to find the silver lining...much like the glittery lining found on the Rockies' black vest jerseys. Let's take a look back at the man they call Spilly... We undoubte...

It's always nice to get to know the new guys, so each week I'm going to introduce one of the Rockies' newest additions. This week, I'll focus on the Colorado Rockies' new catcher, Ramon Hernandez. Hernandez was signed by the Oakland Athletics as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela on February 18, 1994. He played his first big league game with the Oakland Athletics in June 1999 as a backup catcher to A.J. Hinch. The Athletics traded A.J. Hinch before the 2000 season and gave the starting catcher job to Hernandez. In the 2000 season, Hernandez set an Oakland record with the most games caught in a single season with 142 games. Hernandez's best season came in 2003 when he hit .273 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI. This landed him on his first and only All-Star team. The Athletics made the playoffs every season (200-2003) with Hernandez as their starting catcher. Hernandez has played on three teams since parting ways with the Oakland Athletics; the San Diego Padre...

Dexter Fowler and the Rockies agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.35 million to avoid arbitration. Don't worry, this isn't anything like the one-year deal that was given to Seth Smith which ended with him being traded to the Oakland Athletics within 12 hours. Nope, the Rockies plan to keep Fowler for at least one more season. The Rockies expect a breakout season from Dexter in 2012, and I agree, but there are a few things that Dexter needs to work on for his 2012 breakout season to become a reality. I'm a huge fan of Dexter's defense, and I believe he's one of top defensive outfielders in the game, but his offense needs a little work. I'm not completely sold on Dexter Fowler as a switch hitter. I'd prefer if he'd hit strictly from the left side of the plate to get that quicker first step out of the box so he can utilize his speed. His average from the right side of the plate is twenty points lower than from the left and his BAbip (Batting average on ...