Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario was scratched from Monday’s game against the Texas Rangers with lower back stiffness. He will also sit out today’s affair against the Chicago Cubs. The move was said to be precautionary, which makes sense on February 26th in a year when Spring Training is extended.
We needed to take a break from the creepy studio pictures. Image: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
I don’t mean to make this a thing when it isn’t a thing, but the Rockies need this to go away. They need their decision to take precaution with Rosario to pay off. Yesterday I mentioned two talking points that will surely be exhausted by the time opening day finally arrives: the need to be aggressive and the need for pitchers to get lots of ground balls. There is one other talking point that pertains to this conversation with Rosario…
…They need to stay healthy.
Of course that is true for every team in baseball. Every projection this time of year starts with the qualifier: “If they stay healthy…” But in the case of the Rockies, there seems to be a genuine belief among their players and the front office that they would have been a good team last year if they had not been bit by so many injuries. In order for them to prove that theory, there is a short list of players who must stay healthy. Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa…
I never thought to add Rosario to that list until now. But he is definitely on that list. This team needs to win with offense. Their lineup is only deep enough to do that if Rosario is part of it.
