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Giambi feels at home in Colorado

By Thomas Harding/MLB.com
02/24/10 6:53 PM EST

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Jason Giambi's personality filled New York for years. He's happy to say he's the life of any party. He has opened a nightclub in Las Vegas. Yet, he's perfectly at home with the small-to-mid-market, hunting-and-fishing Rockies.

Giambi and the Rockies meshed beautifully last September. Giambi hit .292 with two home runs and 11 RBIs as a left-handed bat off the bench to help the Rockies into the playoffs.

The logical thought was Giambi, 39, would return to the American League as a designated hitter. But he never found a fit there. Meanwhile, the Rockies kept reminding him that a good time could be had if he would return to Denver for more pinch-hit duty and starts when first baseman Todd Helton rests.

"It's exciting, very humbling," said Giambi, who signed a one-year, $1.75 million deal, and reported to Hi Corbett Field on Wednesday. "You have Todd Helton calling you, saying, 'I'll take days off to get you at-bats.' I didn't take it lightly, there's no doubt.

Read full story and watch video here.

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Major league leader Marquis wins 12th

Amy Brittain / MLB.com
07/19/09 6:45 PM ET

SAN DIEGO -- The Rockies scored four runs in the sixth inning to run away with a 6-1 victory on Sunday against the Padres at PETCO Park, as Jason Marquis took the big league lead in victories with 12. Colorado took three of four games in the series.

Right fielder Brad Hawpe hit a solo homer to left field in the sixth, and Troy Tulowitzki scored when Chris Iannetta reached base on a fielding error by Padres third baseman Chase Headley.

Marquis then hit a two-run double to center field to extend the Rockies' lead to 6-0 in the sixth. Marquis tossed eight innings, allowing one run on five hits. He struck out three and walked none.

Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart hit a solo home run off Padres starting pitcher Mat Latos in the fourth inning. Latos tossed four innings, allowing two runs on three hits in his Major League debut.

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Rockies lose high scoring opener

Jeremy Fleming
DenverSportsBlog.com
Posted 04/07/2009

Phoenix -- The Colorado Rockies got off to a hot start with their bats on Monday. The problem was the pitching staff gave up five home runs to the Arizona Dimondbacks. Tony Clark and Felipe Lopez hit two home runs each, both did it from both sides of the plate. It was only the second time in history that 2 players hit home runs both left and right handed in the same game. The Diamondbacks beat the Rockies 9-8 on Monday night.

Going into the game, it looked to be a pitcher's duel between two of the games best. Aaron Cook and Brandon Webb were both all-stars last season and are known for keeping opposing teams to low run totals. This was not the case yesterday. There were a combined eight home runs between the Rockies and Diamondbacks. Seth Smith, Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta hit the Rockies home runs, while Chad Tracy hit the fifth for the Diamondbacks.
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Monfort: Quick start vital for '09 Rockies

By Patrick Saunders
The Denver Post
Posted: 02/01/2009 12:30:00 AM MST

GREELEY — With the economy in tatters, his team coming off its most disappointing season in history and his manager entering the final year of his contract, Rockies owner Charlie Monfort says there's no time to lose this spring.

"With people having all sorts of concerns with their pocketbooks, you have to give them a real good reason to come out to the ballpark," Monfort said Saturday morning before the "Breakfast of Champions," an annual event that raises funds for Greeley-area youth baseball programs.

"I think a fast start is more critical to all teams this year than maybe in the past, because of the economy,"
For full story go to http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_11600807
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New dad De La Rosa maturing on, off field

By Thomas Harding/MLB.com
02/25/10 8:38 PM EST

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Rockies left-hander Jorge De La Rosa had a breakthrough season in 2009, but he didn't reach his most cherished goal until Jan. 7 of this year. That was when he and his wife, Martha, welcomed twin boys, Matias and Bernabe.

"I always wanted to have kids," De La Rosa said. "I've been waiting for that moment when you come to the stadium and play with them in the stadium. I've seen some of my teammates bring their kids. I've played with Clint Barmes' son, Wyatt, sometimes."

Fatherhood is often credited as a settling influence for players. But the Rockies are happy that De La Rosa attained calm, and had a breakout pitching performance, in 2009.

Going into last season, De La Rosa's maturity was under question. Then-manager Clint Hurdle decided in January that De La Rosa would be a member of the rotation. De La Rosa didn't exactly reward the faith with his iffy Spring Training and 0-6 record and 5.43 ERA through May.

Read full story and watch video here.

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Hawpe's All-Star glory gets robbed at wall

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com

The Rockies' Brad Hawpe made a loud, if ultimately unrewarded, All-Star debut for the National League at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night.

With the game tied at 3, Hawpe opened the bottom of the seventh with a drive to deep left field that would have landed in the bullpen. However, Rays outfielder Carl Crawford leaped to rob the Rockies star.

The American League took the lead in the top of the eighth and won, 4-3, so the Hawpe drive, against Red Sox right-hander Jonathan Papelbon, was pivotal. The catch earned Crawford the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award.

Hawpe, who entered in right field in the fifth inning, struck out looking against the Yankees' Mariano Rivera for the second out in the bottom of the ninth. The Rockies also sent right-handed pitcher Jason Marquis, who didn't appear but did receive a warm response. Marquis pitched for the Cardinals from 2004-06.

Read full story and watch video here.
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Rockies add pitching depth, trade for Hammel

Jeremy Fleming
DenverSportsBlog.com
Posted 04/05/2009

The Colorado Rockies made a last minute trade to add depth to the pitching staff Sunday. With the season opener just one day away, the Rockies traded minor league prospect Aneury Rodriguez from the double A affiliate. In return, the Rockies get Jason Hammel from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Hammel went 4-4 with a 4.60 ERA pitching mostly out of the Rays' bullpen during the 2008 season.

"It's a new start, and I'm ready to go," said Hammel by telephone on Sunday afternoon. "I really didn't have a role [with the Rays] -- I bounced back and forth. [The Rockies] traded for me, so they must have something planned for me."
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Francis' season over before it started

Left-hander needs shoulder surgery, won't pitch for Rox in 2009

2009 By Thomas Harding
MLB.com
Posted 02/19/09 2:46 PM EST

TUCSON, Ariz. -- A few positive days of throwing nearly fooled Rockies left-hander Jeff Francis into believing he didn't need surgery on his throwing shoulder. But the videotape of his only throwing session of Spring Training didn't lie.

Francis, who went from 17 wins in 2007 to a painful 4-10 with a 5.01 ERA last season, said Thursday that he will undergo arthroscopic surgery to determine and fix the exact nature of the injury.

Dr. Thomas J. Noonan, the Rockies' medical director, will perform the operation. While recovery is generally six to 12 months, Francis said it is unrealistic to expect him to throw a pitch this season. "It's obviously a bad time of year to be making a decision like this, but it's a necessary one," Francis said. "I'm not going to be the pitcher I know I can be [without surgery], and I wasn't last year. And from what I saw on the tape, I wasn't even close."
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