As was made abundantly clear in today's Rockpile, Ubaldo Jimenez owns. Completely.
Announced via press release on MLB.com, Jimenez is just the 2nd Rockies pitcher to take the monthly title, the first being Shawn Chacon in April of 2003.
It feels like watching somebody grow up. Early-to-mid 2000s, we would hear about this hot prospect kid named Ubaldo Jimenez, but figured he'd just be another crapshoot, as so many prospects seem to be. In 2007, when Jimenez started in Game 2 of the World Series in Fenway Park, only allowing 2 runs against a very potent Red Sox lineup, we knew there was clearly something to the kid.
Since his World Series appearance, Jimenez has refined his game by cutting down walks, increasing strikeouts, and developing an extreme groundball tendency.
In the month of April, Jimenez posted a 5-0 record over 34.1 innings pitched, amassed 31 strikeouts, and did not allow a home run.
Congratulations to Ubaldo Jimenez, and may his awesomeness lead us all the way to the World Series again.