After making the playoffs as a wild card entry in 2009, Colorado entered last season with high expectations and one of the favorites to win the NL West. Though the Rockies contended for the division crown into September, the club stumbled badly down the stretch by dropping 13 of its final 14 games and finished with an 83-79 record, nine less victories than the previous year.
Despite residing in the same division as the defending world champion San Francisco Giants, Colorado is expected to vie for a postseason berth once again in 2011. The Rockies return all of their core players from last season, including three of the game's bright young stars in left fielder Carlos Gonzalez, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and ace pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.
"What we've done and what this organization has accomplished over the last four years with a National League championship [in 2007], a Wild Card championship and three winning seasons over the last four years, two of which we've won 90 to 90-plus games, we know how to be good," Rockies manager Jim Tracy told MLB.com. "The challenge that was set forth [in spring training] was, are we willing to make the commitment to be great?"
Colorado performed like a top-level team during the spring, compiling a 20-11 record in Cactus League games.
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