Colorado Rockies (MVP 12)

[Macar91]

Before I get into this, I want to thank everyone involved in creating MVP 12 for their hard work. It's amazing to me that these guys were able to make a nearly eight year-old game so much better.

Thank you kyleb, bctrackboi11, ar_kay, RJSim, Homer, dennisjames71, Jim825, nani1379, thespungo, RoyalBlues, bodhiball, fizzjob, sandman, bigbully, grmrpr1313, RAM, Daflyboys, Toleton, Kennyess, Trues, jogar84, jedinstvo, Zach, ChicagoCubs720, krawhitham, Terminatorkorea, Kccitystar, Tribetime26, JDF42, UncleMo, Bill, boricuapapi1885, tommyjay117, AG, torement, thr33niL, rokcp99, cornny, kgbaseball, rolie, MauerPower, Moser316, bravesj858, HaloFan, hyman, rdsk, Y2K, The Big O, MarlinsMY, kst7584, Yankee4Life, Playball335, KJuggs, MilkmanAnt, jlswartz, jaycee20, Cavicchi, Pared, SerialMike, spitoon, K.S.M., dylanbradbury, ronmexico, rglass, tywiggins, RichKo, fuzzone, and Pirate.

Keep up the amazing work. You guys are awesome.

[Macar91]

I'll be starting this Rockies franchise sometime in the next few days. My plan at the moment is to run the team as a GM and not play any games, but that could change.

I'm undecided on how frequent the updates on the major league team will be. I may do one per week (in-game), one every two weeks, or one per month. If anyone has a suggestion on that, feel free to give input! As for the minor league teams, I'll be doing a general update for AAA, AA, and A each month. I'll probably do two league-wide updates (stats, division/wild-card standings, etc.), one at the All-Star Break and one at the end of the season.

I enjoy the challenge of rebuilding bad teams, and this Rockies squad will really really test my patience. Having Gonzalez and Tulowitzki as building blocks will be great, but the team really lacks quality major league-level starting pitching. I'll definitely be exploring trade opportunities to improve the organization's pitching depth, and my goal is to develop a steady stream of quality starting pitching from A-ball up to the big league team.

I look forward to getting this thing started and hope you all will follow!

[Macar91]

Colorado Rockies 2012 Minor League Preview: Top 20 Prospects List

Rockies' Farm System Lacks Depth, Diversity

DENVER -- With three Top-100 prospects headlining their system, the Colorado Rockies are pleased with the high-end talent in their minor league ranks. After that, however, they know there's room to improve. Only seven of their Top 20 prospects grade higher than a C+, and several of those Top 20 are either already considered old for their level or bordering on it. Furthermore, only three of their Top 10 are pitchers, a glaring weakness at the major league level, while four of their Top 10 are outfielders, a position of strength at the major league level.

Look for Rockies' Front Office personnel to try to bolster the pitching depth of the organization. Exeutive VP/General Manager Dan O'Dowd has gone on record as saying he won't hesitate to make moves that may hurt the team in the short-term if it means improving the long-term outlook. That statement shouldn't be interpreted as meaning O'Dowd is looking to trade either Carlos Gonzalez or Troy Tulowitzki, however. He has consistently stated that he hopes those two are in Colorado uniforms for the rest of their careers.

If they fall out of the playoff race early, look for the Rockies to try to move some of their older and higher paid players. Also don't be surprised if O'Dowd tests the trade waters on players like Dexter Fowler, Eric Young Jr., and Tyler Colvin. Building organizational pitching depth is one of O'Dowd's top priorities, and those young players would likely net him the mid-to-high level pitching prospects he's looking to aquire.

Regardless of what the team looks like at the end of the season, it should be an entertaining year in Denver.

Colorado Rockies Top Prospects 1-10
(** - Denotes Baseball America Top 100 Prospect)

1. Nolan Arenado** (Age 20)
Position: 3B
Grade: A-
Level: AA



2. Drew Pomeranz** (Age 23)
Position: LHP
Grade: A-
Level: AAA



3.Chad Bettis** (Age 22)
Position: RHP
Grade: B
Level: AA



4. Tim Wheeler (Age 24)
Position: OF
Grade: B
Level: AAA



5. Wilin Rosario (Age 23)
Position: C
Grade: B-
Level AAA



6. Kyle Parker (Age 22)
Position: OF
Grade: B-
Level: A



7. Joe Gardner (Age 24)
Position: RHP
Grade: B-
Level: AA



8. Josh Rutledge (Age 22)
Position: SS
Grade: C+
Level: AA



9. Kent Matthes (Age 25)
Position: OF
Grade: C+
Level: AA



10. Charlie Blackmon (Age 25)
Position: OF
Grade: C+
Level: AAA


Top Prospects 11-20

11. Edwar Cabrera (Age 24) Position: LHP Grade: C+ Level: AA

12. LHP Christian Friedrich (Age 24) Position: LHP Grade: C+ Level: AAA

13. LHP Tyler Matzek (Age 21) Position: LHP Grade: C+ Level: A

14. SS/2B D.J. LeMahieu (Age 23) Position: SS/2B Grade: C+ Level: AAA

15. OF Rafael Ortega (Age 20)Position: OF Grade: C+ Level: A

16. RHP Rob Scahill (Age 25) Position: RHP Grade: C+ Level: AAA

17. OF Corey Dickerson (Age 22) Position: OF Grade: C Level: A

18. SS Cristhian Adames (Age 20) Position: SS Grade: C Level: A

19. RHP Parker Frazier (Age 23) Position: RHP Grade: C Level: AA

20. RHP Dan Houston (Age 25) Position: RHP Grade: C Level: AA

[Macar91]

Colorado Rockies 2012 Season Preview: Opening Day Roster

Powerful Offense Looks to Slug Colorado to Victories

DENVER -- A team with premier offensive talents like Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki hitting in the middle of their lineup should be looking to win their divison. With that in mind, why are these Colorado Rockies just hoping to finish .500? Look no further than the Rockies' lack of quality pitching.

The Rockies' two most proven starting pitchers are free agent acquisition Jeremy Guthrie, who will be their opening day starter, and Jorge de la Rosa, currently the number three pitcher in the rotation. No offense to those two, but they aren't exactly household names. Jhoulys Chacin, slated to be the Rockies' fourth starter, has pitched well the past two seasons, but is still only 24 and could regress. Juan Nicasio and Alex White, the Rockies two other starters, have combined to start 23 games and have plenty of room to improve.

The bullpen, like the starting rotation, lacks established veterans. Other than Matt Belisle and closer Rafael Betancourt, nobody in the Rockies' bullpen has more than two years of experience pitching at the major league level. Edgmar Escalona, Matt Reynolds, and Rex Brothers have put up good numbers in their short major league careers, and Esmil Rogers and Adam Ottavino hope to pitch well enough to stick with the team.

On the offensive side, seasoned veterans Todd Helton, Ramon Hernandez, and offseason additions Michael Cuddyer and Marco Scutaro are hoping to continue playing at a high level while young guns Dexter Fowler and Eric Young Jr. will try to solidify their starting spots for the foreseeable future. If any of the aforementioned players falter or go down with an injury, Tyler Colvin, Jonathan Herrera, and Jordan Pacheco will be waiting in the wings for an opportunity to play every day.

Barring injury, this Rockies club should be able to play .500 ball. The offense will put up big numbers, but the pitching will be what holds this team back. If the team is struggling come June and July, don't be surprised to see some of the younger players getting an opportunity to play. Pitchers Drew Pomeranz and Tyler Chatwood along with catcher Wilin Rosario wait in Triple A for their chance at playing in the big leagues, and getting them some action may be better in the long-run.

Colorado Rockies Depth Chart - 2012

• Catcher
• Ramon Hernandez
• Wil Nieves

• First Base
• Todd Helton

• Second Base
• Marco Scutaro
• Jonathan Herrera

• Third Base
• Eric Young Jr.
• Jordan Pacheco

• Shortstop
• Troy Tulowitzki

• Left Field
• Carlos Gonzalez

• Center Field
• Dexter Fowler

• Right Field
• Michael Cuddyer
• Tyler Colvin

• Starting Pitcher
• Jeremy Guthrie (R)
• Juan Nicasio (R)
• Jorge de la Rosa (L)
• Jhoulys Chacin (R)
• Alex White (R)

• Relief Pitcher
• Edgmar Escalona (R)
• Matt Reynolds (L)
• Rex Brothers (L)
• Esmil Rodgers (R)
• Matt Belisle (R)
• Adam Ottavino (R)

• Closer
• Rafael Betancourt (R)

• Designated Hitter
• Jason Giambi

2012 Opening Day Lineup

1. Dexter Fowler (Age 26)
Position: CF
2011 Stats: HR- 5 RBI- 45 .266/.363/.432



2. Marco Scutaro (Age 36)
Position: 2B
2011 Stats: HR- 7 RBI- 54 .299/.358/.423



3. Carlos Gonzalez (Age 26)
Position: LF
2011 Stats: HR- 26 RBI- 92 .295/.363/.526



4. Troy Tulowitzki (Age 27)
Position: SS
2011 Stats: HR- 30 RBI- 105 .302/.544/.432


5. Todd Helton (Age 38)
Position: 1B
2011 Stats: HR- 14 RBI- 69 .302/.385/.466



6. Michael Cuddyer (Age 33)
Position: RF
2011 Stats: HR- 20 RBI- 70 .284/.346/.459



7. Ramon Hernandez (Age 35)
Position: C
2011 Stats: HR- 12 RBI- 36 .282/.341/.446



8. Eric Young Jr. (Age 26)
Position: 3B
2011 Stats: HR- 0 RBI- 10 .247/.342/.298



9. Jeremy Guthrie (Age 33)
Position: RHP
2011 Stats: W/L- 9-17 ERA- 4.33 WHIP- 1.34 IP- 208.0 SO- 130

[Macar91]

2012 Colorado Rockies: April Recap

Offense Starts Off Red-Hot, Cools As April Comes to Close

DENVER -- The first month of the season is in the books, and Rockies fans have to be pleased with the results. Colorado closed out the month with a 13-10 record and currently trail the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants by three games in the standings. The Rockies have a +17 run differential (123 runs scored vs. 106 runs allowed) and have to hope the offense can regain its form from the first two and a half weeks of the season.

After opening the season 8-4 and scoring 84 runs, the offense cooled off considerably over the next two and a half weeks. The team went just 5-6 to finish the month and scored just 39 runs over that stretch. But as the offense slowed down, the pitching picked up. The pitching staff gave up only 42 runs over the final 11 games of the month as opposed to the 64 they gave up over the first 12 games.

Although the pitching improved as the month progressed, it's still far from where it needs to be -- the starters are giving up too many hits and the bullpen is walking too many batters. Despite some of the struggles from the pitching staff, there are a couple bright spots.

Edgmar Escalona has pitched well, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.35 ERA, 11 strikeouts, and a .146 batting average against in 15.1 innings of action. He's allowed 7 walks, but it hasn't hurt him due to the opposing batters' inability to get hits off of him.

The surprise of the season thus far has to be Jorge de la Rosa. In five starts, de la Rosa has a 4-0 record, an ERA of 2.41 and has a 32/9 K/BB ratio in 33.2 innings pitched. He's likely due for some regression as hitters have a batting average of .265 against him, but early on he's shown the ability to make tough pitches and get out of jams without allowing baserunners to score.

There are obvious flaws with this Rockies team, but hopefully they can overcome enough of those flaws to be competitive within their division. They're definitely off to a good start.

Colorado Rockies April Pitcher/Batter of the Month

PITCHER




BATTER



2012 NL West Season Standings (As of May 1st)

[Macar91]

Down on the Farm: April Minor League Recap

Pomeranz, Arenado, Ortega Impress Rockies' Management

DENVER -- Lenn Sakata, the first-year manager of the Rockies' Single-A affiliate Modesto Nuts, says he sees 20-year-old outfielder Rafael Ortega improve his game with each passing day.

"The work he puts in on a day-to-day basis, you see it reflected on the scorecard at the end of the game," Sakata said. "The guy works his butt off every day to get better and should have a bright future ahead of him. He's the kind of guy managers wish they had a roster full of."

Sakata chose Ortega to lead off for the Nuts rather than shortstop Cristhian Adames, and the decision has paid dividends. Ortega is batting .348 and already has 16 stolen bases. Adames is hitting just .199 and is struggling to find his rhythm in the batters' box.

One aspect Ortega does need to improve is his ability to draw walks. While his batting average is superb, his on-base percentage is only 30 points higher, at .378. When the balls stop falling in for hits, Ortega could struggle.

"Rafael has to improve his patience and plate discipline and draw more walks if he wants to remain in the lead-off spot," Sakata explained. "But he's only twenty (years-old) and has plenty of time to improve."

Elsewhere in the Rockies' farm system, Drew Pomeranz had a great start to the season at Triple-A Colorado Springs. He posted a 4-2 record with a 2.02 ERA and 16 strikeouts to just 8 walks over 35.2 innings. Pomeranz will have to improve his strikeout numbers if he wants to have success at the next level, but the Rockies are pleased with his early success and continued development.

Third baseman Nolan Arenado, the Rockies' top prospect, is showing why management believes he could be up with the big league club sooner rather than later. Hitting in the three-hole at Double-A Tulsa, Arenado has a .337/.400/.543 slash line along with 4 homers, 16 RBI's, and 17 runs scored. The sky is the limit for Arenado and the Rockies don't want to rush him through the system. But the early returns could mean a call-up to Triple-A is in order.

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Triple-A Pitcher/Batter of the Month

PITCHER




BATTER




2012 Triple-A Season Standings (As of May 1st)





Double-A Pitcher/Batter of the Month

PITCHER




BATTER




2012 Double-A Season Standings (As of May 1st)





Single-A Pitcher/Batter of the Month

PITCHER




BATTER




2012 Single-A Season Standings (As of May 1st)

[joshrmlb]

I really love what you're doing so far. I enjoyed MVP baseball alot, so I'll be looking forward to your dynasty. Nice start dude, and I'll be following.

[Macar91]

Quote: Originally Posted by joshrmlb

I really love what you're doing so far. I enjoyed MVP baseball alot, so I'll be looking forward to your dynasty. Nice start dude, and I'll be following.

Thanks man! I've been having a lot of fun with the 2012 mod so far, and I'm glad I can share it with fellow MVP Baseball fans.