Colorado Rockies schedule pitchers for spring training games this week

Jon Gray, Tyler Matzek to pitch in Rockies' spring opener | Denver Post

Patrick Saunders has the rundown of pitchers in the Rockies first intra-squad games, which take place today and tomorrow, as well as Wednesday's first exhibition game against the Diamondbacks.

Notably, Tyler Chatwood will see his first game action in today's intra-squad contest. Aside from the four innings he pitched for Modesto in 2015, Chatwood hasn't pitched in even a semi-competitive game since 2014. It's a sign he'll be facing big league hitters soon. Tomorrow, German Marquez will make his Rockies (exhibition) debut. He'll face Christian Bergman and the Rockies. Jeff Hoffman, Antonio Senzatela, and Kyle Freeland are also scheduled to pitch in tomorrow's friendly.

The stakes will be ever so slightly higher on Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. It looks like Jon Gray will start the game, and he'll be followed by Tyler Matzek. Tyler Anderson, Jairo Diaz, Matt Carrasiti, and Scott Oberg are also on the schedule to pitch.

The fact that six pitchers are scheduled to share innings on Wednesday's game testify to how little it matters. But by gum, there are going to be professional baseball players playing baseball. That matters for something.

Jeff Bridich, Colorado Rockies building up a (home) base | The Denver Post

Jeff Bridich is unwilling to classify what he's doing with the Rockies as rebuilding. That's fine, as the designation might come along with specific directions or models. Instead, he's more concerned with focusing on a process that will result in a winning Rockies team. That's the takeaway from Bridich's conversations with Patrick Saunders, reported here.

There are some other interesting tidbits here. Saunders observes that the Rockies are focusing on young pitching. While that's the case, and the Rockies do have a lot of great young arms, any agenda for building a winning team in Denver that ignores bats will fail. While it isn't mentioned here—and is infrequently mentioned as a focus elsewhere—the Rockies do have a lot of great bats coming through the system as well.

Troy Tulowitzki says he's done feeling bitter at the Rockies | FOX Sports

Troy Tulowitzki, according to Troy Tulowitzki and via Ken Rosenthal, is "over it." "It" being the sour feelings felt toward the Rockies not so much for being traded, but by not being privy to details during the process.

The link is included here because the Rockies are in the headline, but the more compelling parts of the article are about the state of the Blue Jays as they head into the season, especially regarding team dynamics. Josh Donaldson is the loud center of the club, which I imagine suits Tulo just fine. He was even the subject of Donaldson's brash nature. As Rosenthal states, "according to one player, [Donaldson] would scream at Tulo, who was playing in the AL for the first time, 'This is the big-boy league! This isn't facing the Phillies at Coors Field!'"

That's a story that, simultaneously, makes me like and dislike Josh Donaldson (it also makes me glad I'm not a Phillies fan and ignore what it might say about being a Rockies fan). Just wait 'til the junior circuit MVP comes to Coors Field in June to face Yohan Flande. Sucker.