Outman overmatched and Rockies Prospects shine

Josh Outman can't find success in 2012

Josh Outman is not the answer to any pitching question for the Rockies so far in 2012 but the team has so few choices with injuries to Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa and Juan Nicasio. So the price the Rockies have to pay for Outman and others is another loss, this time to St. Louis on Monday. It didn't have to be this way.

While Outman was giving up two runs in three innings, walking five and leaving the night with his ERA on the season flashing 9.00, a man who could have started for the club was excelling in Oakland.

Mentioned in an earlier publish, Colorado could have chose Indiana prep pitcher Jarod Parker in the first round of the 2007 draft instead of Vanderbilt pitcher Casey Weathers. Parker went ninth overall while Weathers was chosen eighth.

Weathers has never thrown one pitch in the majors because he throws too many balls (130 walks in 155 1/3 innings, an average of over 7 1/2 per nine innings) in the minors. 

Parker, meanwhile, in his 11th start in his rookie season, just threw his eighth quality game. Scouts believe he's a front-line pitcher. While I disagree, I do say he's going to be a a very good number three starter or low-level no. 2, even if he's pitching like a no. 1 now.

Regardless, as a pitcher, he's not Weathers and that's all the Rockies need to know and lament. 

Of course, you can't just pick on Outman as Tyler Chatwood, back with the Rockies have pitching poorly at Triple-A, posting a 5.79 ERA in nine starts, allowed four runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings against the Cardinals. His ERA now sits at 8.74.

Rosie's power 

Wilin Rosario

Rookie catcher Wilin Rosario hit his 14th home run of the season (179 at-bats) in the loss.

He's hitting a respectable .251 and 24 of his 45 hits are for extra bases. Maybe one day he can become a consistent 25-homer producer. If he can hit .250 or better like he is now, he just might be that power bat the lineup needs to go along with Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki and to a lesser extent, Michael Cuddyer.

He still doesn't walk much (7 this season) and strikes out out too often (49 in 54 games) but his punch, his best weapon in the minors, is playing strong at the MLB level.

The Colvin question

Tyler Colvin homers again for Rockies

So is Tyler Colvin a tease as a power hitter and .300 bat or is the former first-round pick of the Chicago Cubs simply maturing into a starter than can one day be a 20-25 homer hitter?

Did the Rockies' strike gold with him or is he playing out of his mind now, surely to come back to planet earth soon and thus best off being used as a hot trade chip for greater return by a team in contention?

Colvin has nine homers and 32 RBI in 59 games and is hitting at a .303 clip. Nearly half (24 of 49) of his hits are for extra bases. Like Rosario, what concerns me is the aggressiveness that leads to big hits but also few walks and many strikeouts. 

The question with Rosario and Colvin has to be - is their power production sustainable with such poor plate defense and a disdain for walks?

The recommendation here, and this might be showing impatience and a lack of trust, is to gauge Colvin's trade value and deal him if the return is strong. I'd seek a trade but hold on to the asset if the Rockies don't get a very hungry buyer who is willing to sacrifice tomorrow a little for today.

Top Prospects' Spotlight

Edwar Cabrera, in his first Triple-A start of the season, struck out 13 in 6 2/3 innings, allowing only one run in winning at Sacramento. Cabrera excelled at Double-A, posting a 2.94 ERA but was in over his head in a premature callup to the Rockies. Back in the minors for more seasoning, Cabrera dominated. The Rockies have to restrain themselves from calling him up again until he further develops a breaking ball he can throw past MLB hitters for strikes.

Tim Wheeler homers

Tim Wheeler hit his first home run of the season and it came off of former Rockies' farmhand Bruce Billings, who was traded to Oakland last season for Mark Ellis. 

Double-A Tulsa shortstop Josh Rutledge hit his 11th homer of the season, finished the night with two hits and his average is now back over .300 (.302). Rutledge best profiles as a Rockies' call-up in 2013. 

Struggling-but-talented outfielder Corey Dickerson had two hits for Tulsa to raise his average to .224. This struggling for Dickerson, while not ideal, is good for him, as he's being seriously challenged as a hitter. He's excelled since being signed. Is Tulsa his dead end or will he be able to make adjustments and keep chugging towards Coors?


Double-A starter Dan Houston allowed three runs, one earned in six innings, striking out seven, walking just one to lower his ERA to 3.26. Houston will be in Triple-A by season's end and should get a shot with the Rockies next year at some point but with the carnage that has been the big league staff's efforts in 2012, it's not inconceivable that Houston could pitch for the Rockies this season. I maintain he profiles as a reliever who will spot start.

Tulsa reliever Coty Woods gave up a home run, blew his second save of the season and saw his ERA rise to a still-puny 0.83. Yes, he's human.