Born January 22, 1984
BA's definition of a Number One Starter:
Two plus pitches.
Ubaldo Jimenez:
Cutting mid-nineties fastball with movement, wicked curve rated the best in the Rockies system, check.
BA's No. 1:
Average third pitch.
Ubaldo Jimenez:
Average changeup he throws anytime, check.
BA's No. 1
Plus-plus command.
Ubaldo Jimenez
Only plus command for right now. Also throwing a wrench in our plans are his mechanics. In a recent chat --answering a question sent in by frequent Purple Row guest, Rockiesbiggestfan, aka David from Las Vegas-- BA's Kevin Goldstein said that "Jimenez has a dominating two-pitch combination, but violent mechanics," and suggests he might be better suited for the bullpen.
BA's No. 1
Plus make-up
Ubaldo Jimenez:
Plus make-up, check. U-ball wants to be that number one for us, badly. Everything I've heard suggests that he's a hard worker when it comes to fixing those mechanical flaws. Give him a season of tutelage under Bob McClure at Colorado Springs and I would be surprised if he didn't come up with the plus command and smooth mechanics needed to succeed in this goal, the question is how long will the Rockies be able and willing to wait as the bottom end of the 2006 rotation seems shaky at best right now. Although by not dominating in AA in the way pitchers for the Rockies have in the past (Jeff Francis, Aaron Cook,) U-ball is making the choice to season him easier. As of the time of this posting, Jimenez' Texas League ERA was still over five, and he'd given up six homeruns in only forty-one innings in Tulsa.