Rockies Line-up, April 9 2012: Home Opener

Major League Baseball returns to Denver today as the Colorado Rockies will play the San Francisco Giants. Both teams are coming off disappointing series as the Rockies lost two out three to the Houston Astros, blowing an 8th inning lead in the series finale, and the Giants are coming off a sweep at the hands of the defending National League West champion Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Rockies come in today’s game with a 11-8 record in home openers, including 10-7 at Coors Field. Jhoulys Chacin makes his 2012 debut and brings a 11-13 with a 3.82 ERA over 38 games at Coors, and is 3-3 with a 2.72 ERA against the Giants in his career. Barry Zito will go for the Giants and is 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA against the Rockies in his career, with 2-1 record and a 3.92 ERA at Coors Field. Zito is coming off an injury plagued 2011 in which he only appeared in 13 games for the Giants with a 3-4 record and a 5.87 ERA, and a 2012 Spring Training that saw him finish with a 7.91 ERA and 5 home runs over 6 starts.

On offense Michael Cuddyer comes into the series swinging a hot bat coming in with a .417 (5-12) with 3 extra base hits including his first home run for Colorado, and Carlos Gonzalez brings a .421 average (8-19) with 1 home run and 5 RBI career vs. Zito.

Pablo Sandoval had the best opening series for the Giants going 5-12 with a home run and four RBI, as well as bringing a .500 average (6-12) with one home run in his career against Jhoulys Chacin.

The Rockies line-up is the same as first two games of the season:

Marco Scutaro 2B
Dexter Fowler CF
Carlos Gonzalez LF
Troy Tulowitzki SS
Todd Helton 1B
Michael Cuddyer RF
Ramon Hernandez C
Chris Nelson 3B
Jhoulys Chacin P

The Giants are giving Buster Posey a day off with Hector Sanchez making his 2012 debut, the rest as follows:

Gregor Blanco RF
Melky Cabrera LF
Pablo Sandoval 3B
Aubrey Huff 1B
Hector Sanchez C
Angel Pagan CF
Brandon Crawford SS
Ryan Theriot 2B
Barry Zito P