Ubaldo Jimenez

Despite a two-game losing streak, the Cleveland Indians find themselves just 1.5 games back of the fifth and final playoff spot in the American League. The Indians trail just three teams, those being the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers.

The Toronto Blue Jays have done a tremendous job remodeling their team into a playoff contender during the offseason.

No. Make that a World Series contender.

I may be getting a little ahead of myself, but the odds makers in Las Vegas have them pegged as the clear favorites.

The Cleveland Indians acquired Ubaldo Jimenez at the trade deadline last season, trading away Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, Joseph Gardner and Matt McBride for the Rockies ace. Jimenez picked up a lot of attention by winning 15 games in 2009 and striking out nearly 200 batters that season, only to have his notoriety taken to a whole new level in 2010.

Starting pitching seems to always be at a premium these days, no matter if it's in the heat of a pennant race or the dead of winter.

That fact will continue to ring true with the approach of the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline in Major League Baseball, as a host of teams with legitimate October aspirations, including the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers, are on the prowl for support in their respective rotations.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports created a maelstrom of buzz last weekend when he reported that the Rockies were willing to listen to offers for Ubaldo Jimenez.

If you had told me at the beginning of the season that the Rockies were going to be in third place in the NL West with a record of 40-42, 6.5 games behind the first place Giants, I would have called you crazy.

The Rockies have a lineup that can strike fear into any pitcher in the league, and they have a rotation that rivals any (save for the Phillies).

It's tough to see the bright side of a game in which a three-run homer, immediately following a valiant comeback, shattered the hopes of a road win.

However, the Colorado Rockies can now head to a much colder Chicago with some positives.

View from the Rockpile: Musings From a Mile High Along the Journey to Rocktober

Opening Day 2011. Not a cloud in the downtown Denver sky. Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound for the hometown Rockies. A whistle while you work, picture perfect pre-spring day at Coors Field.  

Not so fast.

Injuries are a part of any game, and we know that some injuries mean more to a team than others.  A star first baseman means a lot more to a team than a bench player who might get 20 at bats as a pinch hitter per year if he’s lucky.

An injury means more to a team if a player is a big part of their pitching or hitting games too.  If a team is like the 2010 San Diego Padres and does not have a very good offense, they would be more at risk if their start hitter, Adrian Gonzalez (now with the Boston Red Sox) was injured.

View From the Rockpile – Musings From a Mile High Along the Journey to Rocktober

A Weekly Colorado Rockies Report – By Michael Paul

April 4, 2011