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Editor's Note: We're going to do something new here at Purple Row from now on. Now each morning we'll be providing a links post like this one as well as a full fledged article that will have similar content to the Rockpiles you know and love (and sometimes even read). This is being done to get a little more organized on our side and to be able to better promote our content to those who haven't found Purple Row yet.
Links of the Day
Baseball Prospectus | Prospects Will Break Your Heart: 2014 Organizational Rankings
Colorado ranks 10th on BP's ranking of all 30 farm systems top to bottom (they were 22nd last year), with BP highlighting Low A Asheville as the affiliate to watch this season. The Rockies had placed four players on BP's Top 101 this off-season.
What if every major league team had a food-related baseball cap? - The Crawfish Boxes
Inspired by a minor league team's bacon hats, the Crawfish Boxes identifies each MLB team's food hat. Colorado's result was sourced to our own Chris Chrisman.
Rockies Links
Jhoulys Chacin shut down with right shoulder inflammation | Rockies.com: News
The Rockies announced on Tuesday that right-hander Jhoulys Chacin has been shut down for at least a week with right shoulder inflammation. While this isn't as bad as was initially feared, being shut down in Spring Training hardly inspires confidence.
Renck: Chacin's injury turns Rockies' rotation into a riddle - The Denver Post
A month before their first game, an MRI threatens to sabotage the Rockies more than any ERA. Troy Renck writes (pre-MRI results) about the effect of a Chacin injury on Colorado.
Eddie Butler, Jon Gray make impression early in camp
Colorado's top two prospects threw to hitters yesterday and impressed. Video included in the link.
With CarGo in left, Rockies confident in outfield | Rockies.com: News
The decision early in Spring Training to keep Carlos Gonzalez in left field means the Rockies will go into the year with classic run production in the outfield corners. Though there is a question in center, manager Walt Weiss counts on the outfield being a strength. I'm going to expand on this some more this morning.
Rockies' Drew Stubbs doesn't want to come off bench in Colorado - The Denver Post
Drew Stubbs shot into the Cincinnati Reds' lineup like a comet, then dissolved. He arrives in Colorado, his third team in three years, chasing unfilled promise. More on this as well.
Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer inseparable friends, Rockies teammates | Rockies.com: News
Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer are positioned side by side in the Rockies' clubhouse, a symbol of their close relationship that dates back to 2003 with the Twins. So maybe it won't sting so bad for Morneau when he sits his butt on the pine and Cuddyer takes his place when a lefty is on the mound.
Morales commanding attention in rotation bid | Rockies.com: News
Southpaw Franklin Morales, who began his career with the Rockies 2007-11 and has spent the time since then as a Red Sox reliever, was traded back to the Rockies this winter and is vying for a rotation spot. Thomas Harding's blog post also contains notes on Brandon Barnes, Christian Friedrich, and Wilin Rosario.
Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez put on show in BP
More video from Spring Training by Renck.
Rockies' Tulowitzki: Winning will end Jeter talk - The Denver Post
Yankees fans - this won't ever be a thing. Writers, stop writing about it please.
Links from around baseball
This is unfortunately germane to the Rockies. Noah Woodward of the Hardball Times writes at length about pitcher injuries and how we might be able to use Pitch F/X data to determine when a pitcher is at a higher risk for injury. It's really nerdy and I love it.
AL East starting lineups and rotations, as described by Google autocomplete - SBNation.com
And now, for something completely different. Grant Brisbee has the starting lineups and rotations for each AL East team, as described by Google's autocomplete function. I can't wait for the NL West.
Budweiser has no concept of baseball, geography, possibly reality - SBNation.com
We have no idea what timeline or alternate dimension Budweiser thinks MLB exists in. This tweet from Budweiser shows a hilarious lack of geographic (or MLB) awareness.
Preseason Predictions: What are they good for? (Absolutely nothing) - SBNation.com
It's baseball's silly season, when preseason publications pour out predictions by the score. Some of them will be right, many wrong, and none of it is worth getting upset over. Cee Angi previews season prediction season at SBNation.com.
How Teams Are Allocating Their 2014 Payrolls | FanGraphs Baseball
Wendy Thurm of Fangraphs writes about how teams will allocate their Opening Day Payroll. Compared to the rest of MLB, the Rockies have more pre-arbitration eligible players than average.
2014 Payroll Allocation, By Position | FanGraphs Baseball
Thurm follows up the above article by looking at payroll allocation by position group. The Rockies are in the top 10 in MLB for proportion of payroll spent on the starting lineup and their relief corps.
Jonah Keri at Grantland picks Nolan Arenado as one of the players who will break out in a big way this year.
The 30: Offseason Stock Report "
In Keri's power rankings entering spring, he puts the Rockies 22nd but is really excited about Gray and Butler.
National League Non-Roster Invitees: A Parade of Power Pitching Prospects "
One final Keri link, in which he calls Jon Gray potentially the best pitcher the Rockies have ever had.