While the Rockies' search for a centerfielder is bound to take up most of their energies until it is solved, there is another pressing part of the puzzle that needs to be addressed in our rotation. Last season the Rockies rode Byung Hyun Kim and Josh Fogg at the bottom of the rotation, and while either one of them would have been adequate in the fifth starter slot, neither was up to snuff as a fourth starter. Fast forward to today, where the Rockies are going to pick up the option on Kim's contract with the caveat that he picks up his contribution to the team with some changes to his approach to hitters. Will this be enough to raise his level of play to a slot behind JJ, Cook and Francis? It's possible. Kim has the stuff to be at that level or higher, but he does need to use it better. Fogg, meanwhile, awaits an uncertain future as the Rockies have until the twelfth of December to offer him a contract. I think we'd need to upgrade to another mid-rotation caliber starter in order to compete on the pitching side of things as both San Diego and Los Angeles figure to have pretty decent staffs next season, but it's not my money.
The first link above to Troy Renck and the Denver Post also points out that our competition in the Kaz Matsui sweepstakes appears to be the Giants, well at least the Yomiuri variety on the other side of the Pacific Rim, as I haven't heard of any other teams rumored to be interested in him. The second link to Tracy Ringolsby and the Rocky Mountain News has this status report from the Dan O'Dowd:
SBN's manager of the year awards come out later today.
Update [2006-11-2 16:28:44 by Rox Girl]:
The official Rockies site has the official word that Kim will be part of the staff in 2007.