In the first week of the season, manager Clint Hurdle made it apparent he intends to give 1B Todd Helton ample rest and more than he ever has in past seasons. Helton underwent arthroscopic back surgery Sept. 30 to repair a bulging disk that was causing numbness in his left leg and making it hard, if not impossible, to set up on his back side. Helton went through a diligent rehabilitation process and does daily maintenance exercises for his back, and Hurdle said in spring training that Helton, who would play every day if it were up to him, would be rested more often. Helton was not in the lineup twice last week on day games following night games, and Hurdle indicated that pattern is likely to continue.
PLAYER NEWS: --C Chris Iannetta homered on his second at-bat of the season off Arizona's Brandon Webb but since then has gone 0-for-19 with 10 strikeouts. He's 1-for-21 (.048) overall.
--RF Brad Hawpe returned to the lineup. He left Monday's game at Chicago in the fifth with tightness in his left hamstring and didn't play there Wednesday. Hawpe had trouble with the hamstring in spring training. Hawpe hit a two-run homer, giving him seven hits this season, six for extra bases. He also has five doubles.
--3B Garrett Atkins extended his hitting streak to six games and went 2-for-3 with a double. Since going 0-for-11 in three games to begin the season, Atkins is 8-for-26.
--OF Ryan Spilborghs' double in the eighth was his sixth of the year but his first extra-base hit since he doubled one week ago in the home opener against the Phillies. In his past five games, Spilborghs is 3-for-20 with 10 strikeouts.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RF Brad Hawpe (left hamstring tightness) left the April 13 game and didn't play April 15. He returned to action April 17.
RHP Taylor Buchholz (partial tear in right ulnar collateral ligament) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He will miss at least the first month of the season. The Rockies are being very cautious with Buchholz, trying to make sure the partial tear doesn't become a full-blown one and require Tommy John surgery that would sideline Buchholz for about a year.
LHP Jeff Francis (left shoulder surgery in February 2009) went on the 60-day disabled list April 5. He likely will miss the entire season. Recovery time ranges from six to 12 months, meaning it's possible Francis could pitch in September but not very likely.
ROTATION:
RHP Aaron Cook
RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
RHP Jason Marquis
LHP Jorge De La Rosa
BULLPEN:
RHP Manuel Corpas (closer)
RHP Huston Street
RHP Jason Hammel
LHP Alan Embree
LHP Glendon Rusch
RHP Ryan Speier
RHP Jason Grilli
RHP Matt Belisle
CATCHERS:
Chris Iannetta
Yorvit Torrealba
INFIELDERS:
1B Todd Helton
2B Clint Barmes
SS Troy Tulowitzki
3B Garrett Atkins
INF/OF Jeff Baker
INF Omar Quintanilla
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Seth Smith
CF Ryan Spilborghs
RF Brad Hawpe
OF/INF Ian Stewart
OF Dexter Fowler
