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Colorado Rockies Spring Training 2006 Report

Arms

There is a pitching drought in the Rockies right now below the major league level. Ubaldo Jimenez (MLN FAB50 2005 No. 30) went nuts in Modesto with a 3.98 ERA but toiled a bit more in Tulsa. The Rockies still think enough of him to give him an NRI spot. Panamanian Manuel Corpas recorded a 3.78 ERA with 52 strikeouts for Modesto. He also gets an NRI nod and will probably start in Tulsa.

Plate

The plate is a depressing spot in the Rockies system. No one particularly turned it on during our visit, and the Rockies didn't include anyone of note on the NRI list this Spring.

Base Paths

We took some grief from the know-it-alls putting Ryan Shealy at lucky No. 7 last year (MLN FAB50 2005 No. 7). 26 home runs and 88 RBIs later, we like his 2005.328 average for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and his .330 run with 2 dingers and 16 RBIs in 91 trips to the plate for the Rockies. He will probably start in Colorado Springs, but he has a shot to make it out of spring 60 minutes North of his ballpark last season.

Jeff Salazar (MLN FAB50 2005 No. )cooled off last season, and came into Spring in neutral territory. He needs better numbers if he wants to take his five-tool game to get to the next level and keep it there. Jorge Piedra turned it on, with nearly matching .312 and .313 ERAs at Colorado Springs and Colorado, respectively. Choo Freeman popped .280 with 10 dingers and 59 RBI. He had a good Spring and will probably start at AAA Colorado Springs where he was last year.