Rockies beat writer Patrick Saunders looks at how the competition stacks up:
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CATCHERS
20 Chris Iannetta
Age: 23 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .260 4 0 2 10 .390
Lowdown: Promises to be the Rockies’ first solid, longtime, homegrown catcher.
8 Yorvit Torrealba
Age: 28 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .247 16 3 7 43 .439
Lowdown: Shoulder troubles continue to worry the Rockies.
4 Javy Lopez
Age: 36 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Orioles/Red Sox .251 20 1 8 35 .386
Lowdown: Lopez is likely fighting for a backup spot.
Helton has a lot to prove.
7 Kaz Matsui 2B
Age: 31 Bats/throws: Switch/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Mets/Rockies .267 12 3 3 26 .379
Lowdown: Rockies love Matsui’s speed, and he hit .327 from the leadoff spot after coming over from the Mets. Will share time with Jamey Carroll at second base.
1 Jamey Carroll 2B/SS/3B
Age: 32 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .300 23 5 5 36 .404
Lowdown: A career year – .300 average, a club-record .987 fielding percentage – earned Carroll a two-year, $4 million contract to compete at second, or as super utility player.
27 Garrett Atkins 3B
Age: 27 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .329 48 1 29 120 .556
Lowdown: Arguably the Rockies’ MVP last season, Atkins established career highs in nearly every offensive category.
4 Troy Tulowitzki SS
Age: 22 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .240 2 0 1 6 .292
Lowdown: Made it to the majors just one year, 83 days after draft day, faster than any position player in Rockies history.
12 Clint Barmes SS
Age: 26 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .220 26 4 7 56 .335
Lowdown: If Barmes is to beat out Tulowitzki, he must regain his stroke.
6 Omar Quintanilla 2B/SS
Age: 25 Bats/throws: Left/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .176 1 1 0 3 .265
Lowdown: There’s no question Quintanilla has big-league fielding skills, but he hasn’t shown he can hit in the bigs.
Lowdown: Coming off his first all-star season, Holliday is a cleanup slugger and blossoming superstar.
11 Brad Hawpe
Age: 27 Bats/throws: Left/left
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .293 33 6 22 84 .515
Lowdown: His 16 outfield assists ranked second in the majors, and he set personal bests in every offensive category. Heads to spring as starting right fielder.
3 Willy Taveras
Age: 25 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Astros .278 19 5 1 30 .338
Lowdown: The Rockies are counting on Taveras (33 steals last season) to get the offense moving – without sacrifice bunts. He must improve his .329 career on-base percentage.
10 Jeff Baker
Age: 25 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .368 7 2 5 21 .825
Lowdown: A spectacular September makes Baker a player to watch. He will get a shot to challenge Hawpe.
18 Cory Sullivan
Age: 26 Bats/throws: Left/left
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .267 26 10 2 30 .402
Lowdown: Excellent range in center field and has a good arm, but he hasn’t hit well enough to stay in the lineup.
19 Ryan Spilborghs
Age: 27 Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .287 6 3 4 21 .431
Lowdown: Can play any outfield position and was solid in three stints with the big-league club in 2006. Utility outfield candidate.
15 Jeff Salazar
Age: 26 Bats/throws: Left/left
2006 AVG. 2B 3B HR RBI SLG
Rockies .283 4 0 1 8 .415
Lowdown: Has solid skills but needs a big spring at the plate to make the big-league team.
Winningest lefty in Rockies history held batters to a .250 average last year.
28 Aaron Cook
Age: 28
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 9-15, 4.23 ERA in 32 games
Lowdown: Cook pitched a team-high 212 2/3 innings but too often struggled with location. Must show vast improvement to replace Jason Jennings as staff ace.
31 Rodrigo Lopez
Age: 31
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 9-18, 5.90 ERA in 36 games
Lowdown: The Rockies are betting last year’s record was an aberration.
48 Jason Hirsh
Age: 24
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 3-4, 6.04 ERA in first nine major-league starts with Astros.
Lowdown: Hirsh was named pitcher of the year in the Texas League (2005) and Pacific Coast League (2006).
37 Josh Fogg
Age: 30
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 11-9, 5.49 ERA in 31 games
Lowdown: Fogg is a battler, who has moments of workmanlike efficiency mixed with occasional meltdowns. A candidate for the starting rotation or could be trade bait.
49 Byung-Hyun Kim
Age: 28
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 8-12, 5.57 ERA in 27 games
Lowdown: Kim remains a conundrum, capable of eight strong innings or getting knocked off the hill early. Also possible trade bait.
50 Brian Lawrence
Age: 30
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: Sat out the season with the Nationals recovering from a torn labrum.
Lowdown: How his shoulder holds up will determine his chance at starting.
35 Taylor Buchholz
Age: 25
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 6-10, 5.89 ERA in 22 games with Astros.
Lowdown: Probably more suited for bullpen.
BULLPEN
40 Brian Fuentes
Age: 31
Bats/throws: Left/left
2006 stats: 3-4, 3.44 ERA, converted 30-of-36 save opportunities.
Lowdown: The closest to a sure thing in the Rockies’ bullpen, the all-star has a funky delivery that is tough to hit.
32 LaTroy Hawkins
Age: 34
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 3-2, 4.48 ERA in 60 relief appearances.
Lowdown: Veteran is a prime candidate for setup role and spot closer.
41 Jeremy Affeldt
Age: 27
Bats/throws: Left/left
2006 stats: 8-8, 6.20 ERA in 54 games.
Lowdown: Has impressive
curveball but lacks consistency. Projected as the Rockies’ primary late-game lefty.
61 Ramon Ramirez
Age: 25
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 4-3, 3.46 ERA in 61 relief appearances.
Lowdown: Ramirez was impressive early last year, but was hit hard in the second half. He needs to build off last year’s success.
60 Manuel Corpas
Age: 24
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 1-2, 3.62 ERA in 35 relief appearances.
Lowdown: Though inexperienced, Corpas proved he could strike out batters in tight situations.
39 Tom Martin
Age: 36
Bats/throws: Left/left
2006 stats: 2-0, 5.07 ERA in 68 relief appearances.
Lowdown: The incumbent early-game lefty needs a strong spring to nail down the job.
23 Ryan Speier
Age: 27
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: Spent entire season rehabilitating his shoulder.
Lowdown: A strong performance in the Arizona Fall League was encouraging.
51 Juan Morillo
Age: 23
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 12-8, 4.62 ERA in 27 games with Tulsa
Lowdown: Will get a long look but probably destined to start the season at Triple-A.
99 Danny Graves
Age: 33
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 2-1, 5.79 ERA in 13 relief appearances with Indians.
Lowdown: A nonroster invitee who saved 41 games in 2004 with Cincinnati.
98 Darren Clarke
Age: 25
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 1-1, 1.35 ERA with five saves in 25 relief appearances for Class-A Modesto.
Lowdown: At 6-feet-8, he smokes a fastball, but he’s got to stay injury-free to have any shot.
54 Denny Bautista
Age: 26
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 0-3, 5.62 ERA in 12 games
Lowdown: Hard thrower but must show better control to stick in bullpen.
38 Ubaldo Jimenez
Age: 23
Bats/throws: Right/right
2006 stats: 0-0, 3.52 ERA in two games
Lowdown: A top prospect who needs more seasoning to make rotation.
