Tuesday’s First Pitch

Cuticle cut?

Yeah right.

The Rockies finally admitted there was more than just a cuticle cut that has derailed Ubaldo Jimenez’s start to the 2011 season. Yes, the cuticle was an issue, but Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca admitted that Jimenez dealt with a hip flexor and a strained groin while in Scottsdale for Spring Training.

Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post broke the story in his Sunday column. He asked Jimenez if those injuries was the cause of his problems. “For sure,” Jimenez said. “I wasn’t able to get my arm loose in spring training because of the finger. I didn’t have all my arm strength and I don’t have it yet. I’m gaining on it, but I don’t have it yet.”

Jimenez has looked strong in his past two starts, nearly earning his first victory of 2011 in his last game against the Brewers. He went 8 strong innings, giving up just two hits. Unfortunately, one of those hits was a three-run triple by Ryan Braun that cost Jimenez the win. He goes again Friday against the Cardinals, who have struggled against the Rockies at Coors.

The Rockies have wasted nearly a quarter of Ubaldo’s season by not coming clean to fans about why Ubaldo was struggling. Instead of coming out with the truth and taking steps to heal his injuries and help fix his mechanics, they let him struggle through two hard months, and worse, they cost the team nine wins in Ubaldo’s 10 starts this year. Those nine wins could have gone a long way to toward putting the Rockies back on top of the NL West.

The Rockies front office management really dropped the ball with Ubaldo this year. What’s done is done, and though he’s getting back on track, things could have been so much better.