Saturday Rockpile: After One Week of Spring Training, What Do We Know About the Rockies? / Game Thread

With yesterday's 6-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics, the Rockies' first week of 2012 Spring Training is in the books. With a record of 1-4-1, the Rox are officially going through a rough patch in the greater Phoenix area. So, just how much have we learned about our purple pinstripers after the first seven day stretch?

NOTHING. IT HAS ONLY BEEN A WEEK. OF SPRING TRAINING GAMES.

Sorry for the rouse of a headline there. But aside from Juan Nicasio proving that he can pitch effectively against live batters from another team, we really haven't learned a single thing from an in-game performance perspective. So, let's remember to not be so quick to judge guys based on a week's worth of at-bats/appearances in games that are strictly used by players as a means to get themselves in playing shape and nothing else.

With all of that being said, the Rox have had some pretty cool (in addition to Nicasio) and not-so-cool things happen during their first week of ballgames. This is all on-field stuff, so no Alex White DUI/Ubaldo Jimenez Rockies-bashing stuff will be included. Here's a recap:

• Ben Paulsen hit a walk-off homer in the Rockies' only victory so far. Paulsen has three hits in eight ST at-bats to this point.
• Troy Tulowitzki had two doubles off of Brandon McCarthy yesterday. He's 4-for-7 so far in ST, despite battling the flu all week.
• The Rockies battered Giants' ace Tim Lincecum to the tune of five runs on seven hits and a walk (while not striking out) over two innings in Wednesday's loss. Charlie Blackmon had two knocks off of Timmay, including a lead-off home run.
• The Rox surrendered 11 runs to the Cubs on Tuesday. Rotation hopeful Guillermo Moscoso allowed a couple of longballs, and bullpen darkhorse candidate Zach Putnam allowed four runs in just one inning of work.
• Esmil Rogers' struggles against San Francisco continued (you may remember this extremely 2011 game), as he allowed the Giants back into Wednesday's game by allowing three runs on three hits and four walks without striking out a batter in an inning of work.
• The Rockies were shutout by Felipe Paulino and the Royals on Thursday.

Still, we're just a week in. There isn't really too much happening on the field to get too high or too low about. I'm just happy that somewhat-real baseball is back, and that optimism is still abound.

Links after the jump...

Helton won't be recruiting Manning - The Denver Post
It's extremely silly, in my mind, to even think that Todd Helton would help the Broncos lure Peyton Manning to Denver. Maybe it's because I'm not entrenched in Bronco Mania everyday, nor do I care about the Broncos/the NFL.

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew taking small steps - ESPN
Jerry Crasnick spotlights D-Backs shortstop and Rockies nemesis Stephen Drew, who likely won't be ready for Opening Day (and hopefully still won't be when the D-Backs come to town the second weekend of the season). Drew owns a career .306/.374/.518 line against the Rox. Hate that guy.