Lineup Card: Opening Day: Rockies vs. Diamondbacks

If you're looking for Rockies game lineups and you don't feel like searching all over Twitter or waiting for MLB.com to post them, check back to Heaven & Helton about 60-90 minutes before first pitch and they should be here waiting for you.

Let's dig right into these lineups.

Colorado Rockies (0-0)

1. CF Dexter Fowler
2. RF Seth Smith
3. LF Carlos Gonzalez
4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
5. 1B Todd Helton
6. 3B Ty Wigginton
7. 2B Jose Lopez
8. C   Chris Iannetta
9. P   Ubaldo Jimenez

Pretty disappointing that Jim Tracy gives the Opening Day nod to Jose Lopez over Jonathan Herrera. Herrera earned the right to be in this lineup based on his play last season, in the Winter League, and then during the spring. It's not a huge deal or anything, it's just disappointing. Hopefully Jose Lopez rewards the manager's faith with a good afternoon. 

Arizona Diamondbacks (0-0)

1. SS Willie Bloomquist 
2. 2B Kelly Johnson
3. RF Justin Upton
4. CF Chris Young
5. 1B Juan Miranda
6. 3B Melvin Mora
7. C   Miguel Montero
8. LF Gerardo Parra
9. P   Ian Kennedy

 Rockies catch their first break of the year with Stephen Drew unable to go. Ubaldo Jimenez is set up for a very, very strong first start in the 2011 season. 

Finally...

The Rockies have come back to Coors Field!

Which means...

Finally... Opening Day 2011 has arrived.

Which means only one thing...

First Pitch in FOUR hours!

Spring Training Game 32: Hits, Misses & Foul Tips

Mariners 7, Rockies 2 (boxscore)

Hits

Troy Tulowitzki

He hit a baseball a long ways today. That two-run homer was the extent of the Rockies offense in this uninspired Cactus League finale. I don't blame them, I'm just as uninspired writing this recap.

Misses

Jhoulys Chacin

Not the way Chacin wanted to end his spring. But much like Jorge De La Rosa's uneven outing yesteday, it doesn't matter a whole lot. I don't believe either guy had their pedal to the metal like they will this weekend against Arizona. Same can be said for Felipe Paulino and Huston Street.

Foul Tips

Real Baseball

As much I enjoy recapping these spring games, I much prefer talking about games that matter. Opening day is less than 72 hours away! I. Am. Ready.

Spring Training Game 31: Hits, Misses & Foul Tips

Mariners 7, Rockies 6 (boxscore)

Hits

Offense

Everyone in the lineup today (minus Jose Lopez) recorded at least one hit. Willy Taveras and Ty Wigginton each had three, with Willy scoring twice and Wiggy driving in three. Matt Pagnozzi muscled up for a long ball. 14 hits in total.

Rafael Betancourt

Dial it up big man. Betancourt with his best outing of the spring, striking out all three batters he faced. And I don't care that they were Brendan Ryan, Jack Wilson and Kalian Sams.

Misses

Jorge De La Rosa

Eh, final tuneup wasn't very smooth, but who cares. He gets the D-Backs on Saturday and I expect a much sharper and more focused DLR.

Matt Belisle

Belisle was unable to record an out today. Three singles and an error by right fielder Bronson Sardinha were enough to give Seattle the two runs they needed to pull the game out. So that's nice for them. I think their announcers are still screaming like they won a game in September or October. Sheesh.

Foul Tips

One more

Tomorrow is the final day of Cactus League baseball before the Rockies move on to Tulsa. That means tomorrow will be the final Hits, Misses & Foul Tips of the spring. Fine with me. I'm ready to talk about games that count. Apparently the Mariners announcers are as well.

Spring Training Game 30: Hits, Misses & Foul Tips

Rockies 6, Cubs 4 (boxscore)

Hits

Jose Morales

Morales locked up the backup catcher job before this afternoon, but his performance today put a stamp on it.

Jordan Pacheco gave it one helluva run, but I have no problem at all with Morales getting the gig. Pacheco needs to play. Morales gives you what you need in a backup. He can hit well from both sides of the plate, and he plays sound defense. It clears the way for Iannetta to get steady playing time, which hopefully leads to consistent production.

Clayton Mortensen

Mortensen was awesome today, throwing five shutout innings, allowing only three hits and striking out one.

John Maine will likely get the call if the Rockies need a starter early in the season, but Mortensen at least wants them to think about it. Also, with Maine having an opt out clause should he not make the big leagues by June 1st, Mortensen becomes an even more valuable piece. Whatever happens there, chances are good we'll see him at some point in 2011.

Matt Daley

Daley's ERA stayed at a perfect 0.00 today. Unfortunately (for Matt at least), that won't be good enough to crack the opening day roster. An established veteran and a fan favorite can't crack the roster with a 0.00 ERA. Think about that.

Misses

Billy Buckner

Bad again today. I didn't have high hopes for Buckner, but I did expect him to be respectable and a little better that AAA roster fodder. He may not even be that at this point.

Foul Tips

Bullpen set

Matt Reynolds pitched just well enough over the last two weeks to lock up the final spot in the Rockies bullpen. He will join Huston Street, Rafael Betancourt, Matt Belisle, Matt Lindstrom, Felipe Paulino, Franklin Morales, Matt Reynolds.

The starting rotation is obviously Ubaldo Jimenez, Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Jason Hammel and Esmil Rogers. Rogers will not be skipped the first time through the rotation, which I like for two reasons.

1) It shows he has earned Jim Tracy's confidence.

2) It save Ubaldo's arm early in the season. That means the Rockies learned a little bit from last year and are working towards keeping him strong in the second half.

Oddly, these are the twelve pitchers I think the Rockies and most fans envisioned making the team out of camp, with Rogers and Paulino possibly switching roles, and maybe Matt Daley working into the mix. That rarely ever happens.