55-year old manager Jim Tracy led the Rockies to a 83-79 (51.2%) record last season and they missed the playoffs. Injuries played a huge role in the Rockies not making the playoffs last year. This year should be different as the Rockies’ have depth all over the field and on the pitching staff for 2011. The Rockies are now 157-121 (56.5%) during the regular season in Tracy’s first two years in charge and they are 1-3 (25%) in the post-season. Jim Tracy has now been a major league manager for nine years now and he has compiled a 719-693 (50.9%) record during the regular season and he is 2-6 (25%) in the post-season. I have a feeling that Tracy will have the Rockies in the hunt for the playoffs in 2011.

The Colorado Rockies hope that 27-year old righty closer Huston Street can stay healthy in 2011. He pitched in 44 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 4-4 with 20 saves, a 3.61 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Street has now pitched in 108 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Rockies and he is 8-5 with 55 saves, a 3.30 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. He has only given up 82 hits and 24 walks in his first 109 innings for the Rockies, while also whiffing 115 batters which shows just how nasty he can be.

The Rockies dealt for 31-year old righty Matt Lindstrom over the winter to give them insurance against Street’s health in 2011. Lindstrom pitched in 58 games (0 starts) for the Astros last year and he was 2-5 with 23 saves, a 4.39 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. He has now pitched in 249 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 10-13 with 43 saves, a 4.00 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Lindstrom’s results just have not matched his stuff to his point in his career as he is one of the hardest throwers in all of baseball. Maybe this is the year he really breaks out.

30-year old righty Matt Belisle really broke out for the Rockies last year. He pitched in 76 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 7-5 with 1 save, a 2.93 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Belisle has now pitched in 100 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Rockies and he is 10-6 with 1 save, a 3.59 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. The Rockies are expecting another decent year out of Belisle in 2011.

35-year old righty Rafael Betancourt gives the Rockies another huge arm for late in games. Betancourt pitched in 72 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 5-1 with 1 save, a 3.61 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. He has now pitched in 104 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Rockies and he is 8-2 with 2 saves, a 3.08 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. Betancourt only has given up 69 hits and 13 walks in his first 87 2/3 innings with the Rockies and he has 118 whiffs, which shows just how effective he is.

25-year old lefty Franklin Morales has yet to live up to his potential and the Rockies hope that this is the year that it all comes together for him. Morales pitched in 25 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 0-4 with 3 saves, a 6.28 ERA and a 1.81 WHIP. Morales has now pitched in 88 games (15 starts) in his first four years with the Rockies and he is 7-10 with 10 saves, a 4.93 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.

26-year old lefty Matt Reynolds comes into this year as the Rockies’ #20 overall prospect according to Baseball America. Reynolds pitched in 21 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. He only gave up 10 hits in 18 innings for the Rockies last year while whiffing 17 batters, so he was very impressive. Reynolds also pitched in 50 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 1-3 with 7 saves, a 2.62 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.

27-year old righty Felipe Paulino will shift to the bullpen for the Rockies in a role where his power stuff will play better. Paulino pitched in 19 games (14 starts) for the Astros last year and he was 1-9 with a 5.11 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. He has now pitched in 47 games (34 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 6-21 with a 5.83 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP.

28-year old righty Matt Daley is going to have to pitch better in 2011 if he wants to stick with the Rockies. Daley pitched in 28 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 0-1 with a 4.24 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. He has now pitched in 85 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Rockies and he is 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.

29-year old righty Sean White might be a surprise for the Rockies in 2011. He pitched in 38 games (0 starts) for the Mariners last year and he was 0-1 with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. White has now pitched in 105 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 4-4 with 1 save, a 4.16 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROCKIES BULLPEN IN 2011: A

The Colorado Rockies have acquired 24-year old righty reliever Daniel Turpen from the Red Sox for 26-year old righty swinging catcher Michael McKenry. Turpen pitched in 49 games (0 starts) in AA-ball last year and he was 7-6 with 4 saves, a 4.30 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He has now pitched in 156 games (0 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 16-12 with 17 saves, a 2.86 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. McKenry played in 6 games for the Rockies last year and he was 0 for 8 (.000 avg, .111 OPS) with 5 whiffs as he looked overmatched in his brief cup of coffee in the majors. He also played in 99 games in AAA-ball for the Rockies last year and he was 92 of 347 (.265 avg, .752 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 10 homers, 49 RBIs and 1 stolen base. I like this deal from the Rockies’ end as Turpen has a nice upside.

The Colorado Rockies have acquired 28-year old righty swinging 3B Josh Fields from the Pirates for either a player to be named later or cash. Fields played in 13 games forthe Royals last year and he was 15 of 49 (.306 avg, .810 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 3 homers and 6 RBIs. He has now played in 217 games in his first five seasons in the majors and he is 167 of 713 (.234 avg, .724 OPS) with 95 runs scored, 34 homers, 107 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He has whiffed 235 times so far in his major league career, so he’s often an all or nothing hitter. Still, the price was right for Fields as I don’t think the Rockies are giving up much for him.

27-year old Ubaldo Jimenez really stepped up last year for the Rockies. He started 33 games for the Rockies last season and he was 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He only gave up 164 hits in 221 2/3 innings while whiffing 214 batters which showed just how nasty his stuff was last year. He finished 3rd in the Cy Young Award voting while also tossing a no-hitter in 2010. Jimenez has now pitched in 117 games (116 starts) in his first 5 years with the Rockies and he is 50-36 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Jimenez is the unquestioned ace of the Rockies and he will be one of the best starting pitchers in the N.L. once again in 2011.

29-year old lefty Jorge De La Rosa will serve as the Rockies’ #2 starter in 2011. He started 20 games for the Rockies last year and he was 8-7 with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. De La Rosa has now pitched in 81 games (75 starts) in his first three years with the Rockies and he is 34-24 with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He has whiffed 434 batters in his 436 2/3 innings with the Rockies but he has also walked 200 batters. If De La Rosa could just tighten up his control a little bit, he would be a big winner with the Rockies.

23-year old righty Jhoulys Chacin will be #3 in line for the Rockies and he has a HUGE upside. Chacin pitched in 28 games (21 starts) for the Rockies last season and he was 9-11 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He whiffed 138 batters in only 137 1/3 innings last season while only giving up 114 hits which shows just how nasty his stuff is. Chacin has now pitched in 37 games (22 starts) for the Rockies in his first two years with them and he is 9-12 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Chacin will likely challenge Jimenez for the team lead in wins for the Rockies in 2011.

32-year old righty Aaron Cook is going to miss at least the first month of the 2011 season due to injury. He started 23 games for the Rockies last season and he was 6-8 with a 5.08 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. Cook has now pitched in 220 games (189 starts) in his first 9 years with the Rockies and he is 69-58 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. The Rockies should be able to weather the storm without Cook until he’s ready to return to action.

28-year old righty Jason Hammel will be the #4 starter for the Rockies when the 2011 season starts. He started 30 games for the Rockies last season and he was 10-9 with a 4.81 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Hammel has now pitched in 64 games (60 starts) in his first two years with the Rockies and he is 20-17 with a 4.57 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He is a very solid pitcher at the back end of the rotation for the Rockies.

29-year old righty John Maine could win the #5 job for the Rockies at the outset of the 2011 season. He started 9 games for the Mets last season and he was 1-3 with a 6.13 ERA and a 1.82 WHIP. Maine has now pitched in 108 games (105 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 41-36 with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Maine might really help the Rockies if he proves to be healthy.

25-year old Esmil Rogers is likely the favorite to open the season as the Rockies’ #5 starter. Rogers pitched in 28 games (8 starts) for the Rockies last season and he was 2-3 with a 6.13 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. He gave up 94 hits in 72 innings while whiffing 66 batters last year. So he has a huge problem missing bats despite having pretty good stuff, and that isn’t a good combination. Rogers has now pitched in 29 games (9 starts) in his first two years with the Rockies and he is 2-3 with a 6.04 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP.

25-year old righty Clayton Mortensen was once a very highly rated prospect so the Rockies hope that a change in scenery will bring out the best in him. Mortensen started 1 game for the Oakland A’s last year and he was 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He also pitched in 26 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 13-6 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Mortensen has now pitched in 8 games (7 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 2-4 with a 7.12 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP.

27-year old righty Billy Buckner is a big time longshot to start some games for the Rockies in 2011. Buckner started 3 games for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 0-3 with a 11.08 ERA and a 2.39 WHIP. He gave up 26 hits (4 of which were homers) in only 13 innings for the D-Backs, so he got destroyed by major league hitters in 2010. Buckner has now pitched in 36 games (21 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 6-11 with a 6.25 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROCKIES STARTING ROTATION IN 2011: B