Colorado Rockies 07

I don't really know how this whole diary function works - though I've seen it before at RedState and DailyKos, I have never used one. I don't know what this site means by "Intro Copy" and "Extended Copy", or whatnot. I figure it's probably best for now if I just reprint the Rockies-related content of my sportingnews sportingblog (found here: http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/ES46NE10/)

So here it is:

With baseball season finally here (and Bears 2007 still months away), I think it's time to check the Rockies' best and worst case scenarios for the coming season.

First off, the active roster, according to Purple Row (Purple Row) and found at the MLB official site: Official Roster.

The lineup has Taveras (CF), Matsui (2B), Holliday (LF), Helton (1B), Atkins (3B), Hawpe (RF), Tulowitzki (SS), Iannetta (C), not necessarily in that order, as the starting 8. Taveras and Matsui provide speed, Holliday, Atkins, Hawpe and Helton each have (or have had) some power and average. Tulowitzki has been talked about for a couple of years now and some good things are being said about Iannetta as well, though I wasn't particularly impressed by his major league stint last season.

The pitchers include Francis and Cook at 1-2, and Fuentes at closer. Looking at the list of pitchers, the rest is (or should be) a crapshoot. Affeldt never reached his true potential, Fogg isn't really set out for Coors, Kim isn't that good, and LaTroy Hawkins is still in the majors? Fuentes is solid, but everything else is disconcerting. Why was Jennings traded again?

The worst case scenario for the Rockies is as follows:

1. Lose the first three at home to an improved Arizona squad, fall to 3 games back in the division race already. They follow that up with a 9 game road trip through San Diego, Los Angeles, and Arizona. If they don't pull it together fast, they could be 2 - 10 or 1 - 11 before the season even starts.
2. Go 2 - 13 or 3 - 12 in interleague play. Considering they have to play @ Boston, @ Toronto, and @ Baltimore, it's definitely a possibility. The pitching staff through mid-June has a 5.50 ERA, and the team batting average hovers in the bottom third of the major leagues.
3. Be out of contention by the all-star break, and deal Todd Helton to the Red Sox for way below-market value. Get two minor league pitching prospects from a weak farm system and a quadruple-A outfielder.
4. Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's all-time home run record, especially if this happens at Coors. If there is a God, this will not happen.
5. Be officially mathematically eliminated by a division rival in late August to early September. Ugh. Todd Helton is suspended for the use of performance-enhancing drugs to get his game back.
6. Rockies finish 57 - 105, San Francisco and Arizona go to the playoffs from the West, the Marlins go to the playoffs from the East, and the Cubs go to the playoffs from the Central. The Red Sox and Yankees go to the playoffs from the AL East, anyone goes to the playoffs from the AL West, and the White Sox (who the Rockies owned during spring training) go to the playoffs from the AL Central. The NLCS pits San Francisco against Florida, while the ALCS pits Boston against the Yankees. The World Series is Boston against San Francisco, and it is hopefully won by Al-Qaeda.
7. Matt Holliday walks after the season. Clint Hurdle is fired, but Dan O'Dowd is brought back for another season.

Now that you know my ultimate nightmare, allow me to give the realistic best case scenario for the 2007 Rockies.

1. The Rockies avenge their embarrassment at the hands of Arizona last season by sweeping them to start out 3 - 0. The nine game road trip to start the season ends with the Rockies sitting pretty at 9 - 3, with a 1 or 2 game lead over the Dodgers.
2. The Rockies go 9 - 6 or 10 - 5 in interleague play by feasting on Tampa Bay and a weakened Yankees team, and taking one on the road from each of their three road AL opponents.
3. At the all star break, the Rockies have a 2 game lead in their division over the Dodgers, with the Padres and Diamondbacks both about 4 or 5 games out. San Francisco, with Barry Bonds out for the season due to being hit by a truck, sits in last place, 17 games behind Colorado. Todd Helton, thanks to an offensive resurgence, is voted to the all-star team.
4. The Rockies are buyers instead of sellers at the all-star break, grabbing Jason Jennings BACK from Houston, who has imploded with no Clemens and no Pettite. They enter August with a 3 1/2 game division lead. Barry Bonds retires at the trade deadline, still 14 short of Hank Aaron's record.
5. The Rockies clinch a playoff birth / division title as the season comes to a close - preferably against a division opponent. San Francisco is mathematically eliminated by Colorado in San Francisco.
6. The Rockies finish 91 - 71, and win their division by 2 to 3 games. Clint Hurdle is voted manager of the year, and both the Yankees and Red Sox miss the playoffs. The Rockies earn the three seed in the NL playoffs, eliminating the defending world champion Cardinals in five games before being ousted in the NLCS by the New York Mets.
7. Glad to be playing for a winner, Matt Holliday signs a long term deal with Colorado.

Where will the Rockies end up? They finished 76 - 86 last season, and I think that relative to the division, Colorado is better than they were last season. Hopefully San Francisco tanks, and Colorado upends someone (San Diego?) for 3rd place in a competitive division. I think 79 - 83 is likely, but anywhere from 75 - 85 wins should be expected for Colorado this season - even if they did lose to their AAA affiliate.

Your thoughts? Um... explanations as to how this thing is supposed to work? I can't find a "help" or FAQ page on this site, sadly.