Cook’s first spring start for Rockies pushed back
The Associated Press reports that Colorado Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook, who had been in line to start early next week, will miss his first start of the spring with lingering shoulder soreness. From the report:
Rockies manager Jim Tracy said Thursday that Cook remains on a training program and that he will have to throw a bullpen session and likely throw live batting practice before he is cleared to pitch in an exhibition game.
Cook, who insisted the soreness was nothing out of the ordinary, was in line to start Tuesday at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks or Wednesday at the San Francisco Giants.
If the problem lingers to deeply into spring, the door could be open for Felipe Paulino, Esmil Rogers, John Maine or others to challenge for a spot in the rotation.
I think tracy needs a sixth starter earlier than expected.
Hope Paulino gets a chance
It shouldn’t be a surprise. He has a history. However I think it just gives a youngster a chance: Paulino, Rogers, Maine and perhaps even Greg Reynolds.
Yeah, not a surprise but worrying news, indeed. Paulino and Rogers have had underwhelming results as starters. (Is Greg Smith still around? Is Clayton Mortenson in this mix?)
I’d be interested to hear more about Paulino. I didn’t realize his 2nd half absence was due to injury (shoulder/rotator cuff strain). I assume there aren’t concerns about that or they wouldn’t have traded for him? He has big platoon splits, suggesting he doesn’t have a lot to offer against lefties, which has been part of his problem as a starer (walks being another).
Paulino is the dark horse to make the rotation. I still think Cook is on the DL to begin the season. If so, expect to see Rogers in the bullpen.
I’ll be interested in seeing how Greg Reynolds looks today and whether he can be a starter in the major leagues.
It’s no secret how I feel. I’ve stated, on numerous occasions, that I’m not convinced Cook makes the starting rotation. I am of the opinion the door was opened for Paulino the day they signed him and believe he will be starting at some point.
Inspite of what I feel, my predictions of the DL last season and this season, this is only the start of ST. Typically I would not get too excited about soreness. Certainly not the 1st week of March. I think he will probably work through this.
Curiously, my mind started to wonder reading “problem lingers “. Not that Steve Foster planted anything but I’ve wondered in the past about a possible nagging sorenness or some type of problem. Yes I know much has been made of his toe but I’ve still wondered if there was something else.
Aren’t we all jumping the gun on this a bit? Its Feb 26, not March 26. At this point Cook still has every chance to be ready for opening day. Paulino cannot maintain his stuff the 2nd time through a line-up, so he really is better designed for pen work. We will need a 6th and 7th starter at some point this season (and I am still hoping that Reynolds is healthy enough to be able fulfill his talent).
I am still a Cook fan, I admit it. If Cook can give us 180 innings and an era in the mid 4s, I think this team wins the West. If not, well, we will need a big suprise elsewhere.
Frankly, I’d rather have Cook start the year on the DL then hurt the club early on trying to prove that he is healthy. Obviously it is pure speculation, but I really think that Cook’s struggles have come from him trying to prove to himself, or someone, that he is actually a good pitcher. Last year he started messing around with a curveball that did nothing but hang over the middle of the plate, and he threw a four-seamed fastball more than ever before. He is a sinkerball pitcher, not a power pitcher. He needs to do what made him an All-Star in ’08…throw the sinker and let the hitter hit it into the ground.