Matt Holliday is gone. Brian Fuentes left. Jeff Francis is hurt. And, for good measure, manager Clint Hurdle’s dugout seat might as well be a Bunsen burner.
So, this is the morning after the year after their first World Series appearance, the Rockies awakening with a percussive hangover. After stumbling to a 74-win season, the Rockies spent the past four months overhauling their coaching staff, reshaping their roster and pledging to return to the staples that made them baseball’s favorite wet-nosed mutts during Rocktober.
“Our execution was something we were terrible at last year,” first baseman Todd Helton said. “It really doesn’t matter why. We have to be better.”
A win-or-else vibe permeates the organization. Owner Charlie Monfort admits the team needs a quick start to capture fans’ interest in this troubled economy.
Hurdle sits as the most obvious “Fall Guy” since Lee Majors if the Rockies falter early. He has pledged to return to a back-to-basics approach in spring training, believing he made mistakes in the team’s preparation that contributed to a dreadful 20-38 start.
“I think we all need to revisit the idea of, ‘When all you’ve got is each other, that’s all you look to,’ ” Hurdle said. “I think attention to detail from a baseball perspective cannot waver and I think it wavered in ’08.”
While there are legitimate reasons for optimism — the Rockies have depth in their rotation and reside in a weak division — Colorado has many more questions this spring than a year ago.
Following is a breakdown:
Starting rotation
Borrowing from a Jim Murray line, when it comes to the Rockies’ rotation, is it going to be “Gentleman, start your engines, or your coffins?” Matt Holliday correctly predicted last January that Colorado wouldn’t make the playoffs if Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales struggled. Jimenez finished strong, but had two victories entering July. By then Morales was in the minor leagues, sabotaged by faulty mechanics and, he revealed recently, a back injury.
This spring, the Rockies are facing the prospect of losing Jeff Francis to season-ending shoulder surgery in the next couple weeks. Yet, it could be argued they’ve never been more equipped to absorb the loss.
The Rockies have four starters penciled in — Aaron Cook, Jimenez, Jason Marquis and Jorge De La Rosa — with six candidates for the fifth spot. Greg Smith, the slight leader for the vacancy, threw 190 1/3 innings last season for Oakland and Josh Fogg won 21 games for the Rockies in 2006-2007.
“We knew of Jeff’s situation when we (acquired) Marquis. That’s the reason we got him. We have to have innings, that’s the key,” general manager Dan O’Dowd said. “Cook, Jimenez and Smith can give us innings. De La Rosa is the wild card. And we still have Fogg, Jason Hirsh, Morales and Reynolds.”
Even if Cook, an all-star last season, and Jimenez both deliver, it won’t matter if the rest of the rotation stumbles. Inadequate work from Reynolds, Morales, Kip Wells, Mark Redman and Livan Hernandez prevented the Rockies from contending a year ago.
“It all boils down to pitching,” first baseman Todd Helton said. “I think the backside of the rotation is going to have to step up.”
Leading off
The Rockies possessed a maddening offense last season, unable to score consistently because of problems with the order’s first two spots and dreadful at-bats with runners in scoring position. With Willy Taveras gone to the Reds, Ryan Spilborghs will get first crack in the leadoff spot. He’s a nontraditional leadoff hitter — Clint Hurdle compared him to the Angels’ Brian Downing. He has 20-home run power and a career .374 on-base percentage.
“My focus is on having quality at-bats,” said Spilborghs, a trait Hurdle adores. “I am looking forward to the challenge.”
Left out
Replacing Matt Holliday is a daunting task, regardless of how highly thought-of Seth Smith, Ian Stewart, Jeff Baker, Matt Murton and Carlos Gonzalez are.
Smith, 26, has hit at every level of the minor leagues. He lacks Holliday’s power — who doesn’t? — but can spray the ball and get on base. Stewart racked up 30 extra-base hits in 266 at-bats last season. But he’s going to be playing out of position — he’s a natural third baseman — while trying to maintain his swing and cut down on strikeouts.
Gonzalez, who has chosen to wear the three-time all-star’s No. 5, was the centerpiece of the Holliday trade and is an excellent athlete with pop in his bat. He likely needs to improve his plate discipline before jumping to the big leagues. Baker has a game-changing bat, but has never found a niche with Hurdle.
Without Holliday in the lineup, the onus is on the rest of the lineup, namely Garrett Atkins and Troy Tulowitzki, to rebound.
“You never want to lose a guy like Matt. But we don’t have an easy out in the lineup,” Atkins said. “If we stay within ourselves, hit line drives, work a walk and be a tough out, we will be fine. We lost track of that last season.”
Closing time
Brian Fuentes, the franchise’s all-time saves leader, is an Angel now. And the Rockies know their season will go to, um, heck if Huston Street or Manuel Corpas can’t lock down the ninth. Both lost their closer’s jobs last season, Street with Oakland. He has 94 career saves and unwavering confidence, believing he will return to form with his groin injury healed.
“It’s no secret that we both want the job,” Street said. “But at the end of spring, we have to support each other to be the best team.”
Corpas has dropped more than 20 pounds and got his delivery back in shape, so he no longer slings his slider and sinker.
“I know (Street) has a little more experience but I am not going to worry about that and let it frustrate me,” Corpas said. “I have a lot of confidence I can do the job.”
Optimism is contagious. But this season, more than any other, is about results, not effort.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com; staff writer Patrick Saunders contributed to this report
Cactus League games
Tickets for all 16 home games are currently on sale at . Tickets can also be purchased by mail, phone or in person at the Rockies’ ticket office at Coors Field or at Hi Corbett Field. The Coors Field ticket office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Hi Corbett ticket office, located at 3400 E. Camino Campestre in Tucson, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Fans may also purchase tickets by phone by calling 1-800-388-ROCK.
Players up close
Workouts.
Early in camp, before the games start, is a good time to see all of the Rockies on the back fields and practice areas. Workouts are free. Fans can sit in the bleachers and get an up-close view of batting practice.
Autographs.
Before the games start, players are often receptive to signing between workouts on the back practice fields. When the exhibition schedule begins, autograph hunters line up outside the Rockies’ clubhouse door around 11 a.m. Players will sometimes sign after games on the dugout steps or as they exit down the right-field line.
