SAN DIEGO — When it comes to right-handed starter Jhoulys Chacin, the Rockies have gone from grave concern to guarded optimism.
That’s why they even though he’s due to make close to $5 million when the arbitration process is complete.
The Rockies are hopeful that right-hander Jhoulys Chacin can recover from the shoulder woes that wrecked his 2014 season.(John Leyba, The Denver Post)
“He have had good reports on Jhoulys,” manager Walt Weiss said Tuesday at the winter meetings. “It was obviously a big concern for us going into the off”‘season, and (we) felt like he had a long way to go.
“When we were in September, we felt like he had a really long way to go. He’s come a long way in a few months. We feel like he’s going to be a big part of our club moving forward. We need him to be.”
If Chacin can recover from his shoulder problems, it will be as if the Rockies traded for a new front-of-the-rotation starter. Of course, that’s a big if.
After Chacin’s breakout 2013 season (10-7, 3.45 ERA in 31 starts), his right shoulder started barking even before he threw his first bullpen session during spring training of 2014. With his velocity down and his command just a memory, he went 1-7 with a 5.40 ERA in May and June before being shut down for good.
There were fears that he might need shoulder surgery, but specialists concluded that Chacin could recover, but only if he strengthened the small muscles in the shoulder capsule and committed himself fully to a shoulder maintenance program for the rest of his career.
“He’s approaching this offseason with a lot of urgency,” Weiss said. “He knows it’s a big year for him. It’s a big year for him in his career. But all the reports have been very good on him.”
In the best-case scenario, Chacin will join lefty’s Jorge De La Rosa and Tyler Matzek to give the Rockies a decent trio at the top of the rotation.
But, as always is the case with the Rockies’ pitchers, the best-case scenario usually prove elusive.
Tags: Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa, Tyler Matzek, Walt Weiss
