--The Rockies had an opening-day starting lineup in which all nine players were originally signed and developed by the franchise. The closest any other team came was seven for Arizona, Cleveland and Milwaukee. Florida had only one homegrown starter, OF Jeremy Hermida.
--The Rockies have had a losing record in April in four of the past five years, the exception being their 15-10 record in that month in 2006. Over the past five years, the Rockies' record in April is 51-70 (.421). --The Rockies helped their bullpen by acquiring RHP Jason Hammel from the Rays for minor league RHP Aneury Rodriguez, 21, who was scheduled to be a swingman at Class AA Tulsa. Hammel, 26, is expected to join the Rockies in time for their home opener on Friday against Philadelphia. As a result, Colorado does not have to make a roster move until that time. Hammel, who was out of minor league options, went 4-4 with a 4.60 ERA last year in 40 games, including five starts.
--LHP Franklin Morales, who will start April 8 at Arizona, is likely to be sent to the minors after that game to get regular work in a game situation in anticipation of his next start for the Rockies, which would be April 21 at Arizona.
--In order to make room on the 40-man roster for Hammel, the Rockies transferred LHP Jeff Francis from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list. He underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery in late February and is expected to miss the entire season.
--OF Seth Smith rejoined the team April 3. He went home to Mississippi to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Sienna Elizabeth Smith weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces when she was born March 31. Smith played in the final two exhibition games after missing five days because of his daughter's birth and a sore right foot after fouling a ball off it.
--CF Dexter Fowler is a lanky 6 feet, 4 inches with long strides and notable speed. Manager Clint Hurdle drew on the Rockies' past and paid Fowler a compliment when he said, "He gets from base to base with less effort. I think the last guy I saw do things like that was Larry Walker."
BY THE NUMBERS: 22 -- Of the Rockies' first 27 games, 22 are scheduled to be against NL West opponents with the remaining games against two of the better teams in the league -- three against the Phillies to open the home season at Coors Field and two next week at Chicago against the Cubs.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I feel 100 percent better than I did at this time last spring. I am healthy and more focused." -- LHP Franklin Morales, who began 2008 with the Rockies but was sent to Class AAA in late April and never returned. Morales will start Wednesday at Arizona before returning to the minors until April 21 when the Rockies need a fifth starter.
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