Countdown to Opening Day: #18 Colorado Rockies

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

#18 Colorado Rockies: Mile High Hopes

PROJECTED LINEUP
CF Dexter Fowler
2B Josh Rutledge
SS Troy Tulowitzki
LF Carlos Gonzalez
RF Michael Cuddyer
C Wilin Rosario
1B Todd Helton
3B Chris Nelson
P Jorge De la Rosa

PROJECTED ROTATION

Jorge De la Rosa
Jhoulys Chacin
Jeff Francis
Drew Pomeranz
Christian Friedrich

PROJECTED BULLPEN

Closer: Rafael Betancourt

Set-up: Rex Brothers

Top Prospect: Nolan Arenado (3B)

While I am a big fan of predicting stats, I am not a fan of predicting injuries. Call me a humanitarian. Yes, the Rockies had some weaknesses in last year's lost season, but those inefficiencies were made glaring by injuries. Names as big as Troy Tulowitzki and Jorge De la Rosa missed most of the year and there were many more.

Carlos Gonzalez

Whether you believe Tulowitzki is worth the large sum of money they are paying him or if he can even stay on the field, when he is in the lineup the Rockies are a different team. The combination of Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez gives them one of the best 3-4 combinations in the National League.
Walt Weiss will have a tall task with his first managerial job, not including his stint as a high school coach. His pitchers are coming off a 2012 when they were basically punished for being inexperienced. Last year the Rockies used a four-man rotation with a 75 pitch limit. The Rockies will try to get back to the norm and hope former top prospects Drew Pomeranz and Christian Friedrich find their once coveted potential.
The Mile High weather is also big water-cooler talk in Colorado. The club always seems to be a different group away from their thin air. If the Rockies can make strides when they are wearing the grey away unis, they could become a sleeping giant and challenge the actual Giants for a league title.

Christian Friedrich

THEY CALL ME MR. SUNSHINE - What a difference a year makes. Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki find a way to stay healthy, but the real stories are with the youngsters around them. Let's take a quick glimpse around the diamond. Wilin Rosario keeps slugging - Todd Helton has one more good year - Nolan Arenado has his monster minor league numbers transfer - Dexter Fowler becomes a complete center fielder and lead off hitter - Drew Pomeranz and Christian Friedrich are the baby aces of the future and learn how be ground ball pitchers, which is exactly what is needed in Colorado.

REAL TALK - It probably won't be all easy, breezy for a young team with a raw manager. There are a ton of athletes in this system, but it is yet to be seen if they can perform at the major league level. A strong month of April could be the confidence needed to take off and sustain a serviceable building block of a season. My prediction of 82 wins is probably one of the higher predictions you will see, but if Tulowitzki and Gonzalez stay healthy -  it is a game changer.

Breakout: Christian Friedrich (LHP)

Bust: Josh Rutledge (2B)

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Dexter Fowler (OF)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 64-98 (5th in NL West)

PROJECTED 2013 FINISH: 82-80 (4th in NL West)

**Check back tomorrow for the Oakland A's**