The 2013 Rockies--Pitchers

Earlier we discussed the hitting.  Today we discuss the Pitching.

The big 2012 experiment was the 4 man rotation with the 3 man piggyback.  By mid-June the Rockies really had a problem early with their injuries and lack of experience.

Let's go back about 6 months and look at the initial Rockies Rotation:

1. Jeremy Guthrie
2. Jamie Moyer
3. Juan Nicasio
4. Jhoulys Chacin
5. Drew Pomerantz

Of those 5 Pomerantz had the most starts (21) followed by Guthries' 15.  Chacin will end up with 14, Nicasio 11and  Moyer 10.  That only covered 71 games.

In all, the Rockies have had 14 different starters this season with 9 of them starting 10 or more games.  The team leader in starts is familiar but didn't even arrive until June--Jeff Francis.  He will end up with 24 starts.

It also needs to be noted that the Rockies used a 4 man rotation with a 75 pitch limit for much of the latter 2/3rds of the season.

For 2013 the Rockies have announced that they will move back to a 5 man rotation with a higher pitch count, but retain the piggyback system keeping 3 long relievers.  In order for it to work several of the starters must consistently get to the 6th and 7th innings on the 90-100 Pitches.  Many of them failed to get through 4 on 75.

Guthrie and Moyer are no longer around, but the Rockies still have a number of pitchers to choose their 8 starters/piggybacks from before all the winter moves.

Here are my candidates for the Starters:
1. De La Rosa (L)
2. Chacin (R)
3. Nicasio (R)
4. Francis (L)
5. Friedrich (L) or Chatwood (R)

And for Piggybacks:
1. Outman
2. Moscoso
3. Ottavino

This still leaves lots of other possibilities when injuries ineffectiveness strikes:
Pomerantz
White
Torres
Sanchez

It also frees up Roenicke to be in the finishing bullpen, along with Belisle, Brothers, Reynolds, Harris and Betancourt.

If anything the Rockies disastrous season gave a lot of young pitchers a lot more experience.  They need to come out in 2013 in good shape and better throwing.