Rockies' De La Rosa out of NLDS with groin injury
The series hasn't started yet, and the Rockies already have a loss. Starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, who is in the midst of a career year, will miss the National League Division Series because of lingering problems with his left groin. De La Rosa had won 14 of his final 16 decisions, but was pulled after three innings in his final outing on Oct. 3.
The series hasn't started yet, and the Rockies already have a loss.
Starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, who is in the midst of a career year, will miss the National League Division Series because of lingering problems with his left groin. De La Rosa had won 14 of his final 16 decisions, but was pulled after three innings in his final outing on Oct. 3.
"Our medical people have been working on him and his groin is about the same," manager Jim Tracy said. "He was scheduled to throw a bullpen [session yesterday]. We're not even going to take that chance. We're not going to have him do that."
De La Rosa threw three perfect innings against the Dodgers before the injury. The Dodgers won the game with a five-spot in the seventh that clinched the NL West and sent the Rockies to Philadelphia for this series. The 28-year-old was 16-9 with a 4.38 ERA. He also posted personal bests of 185 innings and 193 strikeouts.
The injury could be especially damaging for the Rockies, because it removes the team's most valuable lefthanded starter. The Phillies, of course, are led by lefthanded-hitting Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez. Colorado's first three starters now are righthanders Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook and Jason Hammel.
Tracy won't commit to a Game 4 starter.
De La Rosa could be back if the Rockies advance past this round.
"I think that's definitely a viable possibility," Tracy said.
U-boat sighted
Ubaldo Jimenez' major stats don't jump off the page: 15-12, 3.47 earned run average. The eyepoppers: 198 strikeouts, 218 innings, 13 homers allowed.
The Phillies should be concerned about the Rockies' Game 1 starter. Having All-Star lefties and switch-hitters atop their lineup might not matter.
Lefties accounted for only four of the homers Jimenez allowed this season. He struck out lefties about as frequently as righties, though he walked lefties almost twice as often.
He's 9-3 with a 3.08 earned run average in his 15 starts since the All-Star break. He's good, and he's hot, and, this time, he's seasoned.
Not that he ever showed nerves.
"Probably, I was so excited, I didn't know what I was doing," Jimenez said. "Thank God, when I got on the mound, I was able to relax and just pitch my game, just forget about the crowd, forget about everything else."
That was a raucous crowd - and a Rockies crowd. This time, those voices won't be pulling for him.
"I'm prepared for it," Jimenez said.
It sounds as if he's ready to pitch in a bandbox, too.
I'm not going to be thinking about the park," Jiminez said. "It's a hitter's park: Anybody can hit them out."
Against him?
No Marquis matchup
Jason Marquis will watch the proceedings from the bullpen for the first three games, having lost his No. 3 slot in the rotation to Jason Hammel.
"It's very safe to say Jason Hammel has stepped up and pitched extremely well in the second half of the season," Jim Tracy said.
Hammel was 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA in his last 12 starts, since the beginning of August.
Marquis had an All-Star first half, but was 3-6 with a 5.03 ERA in 13 starts since August began. *