Rockies Lineup, April 20 2012: Cuddyer Out With Toe Injury

Michael Cuddyer has been the best player for the Rockies over the course of their 6-6 start to the season. He has provided the team with quality at-bats and clutch hits. Between him and Todd Helton‘s back-to-back-night heroics, the team sits at a very palatable .500 mark considering how ugly the bad moments have been thus far.

When the Rockies open their three game series at the Milwaukee Brewers tonight, they will have to get by without Cuddyer, who will sit with the bruised toe that forced him to exit Wednesday night’s victory early. Tyler Colvin starts in his place.

Jhoulys Chacin was off to a good start last Saturday night before an extended rain delay shortened his outing. We know what the key is with him; I’m not going to say it, but it rhymes with “schmastball fommand.”

Here is the lineup Jim Tracy sends to face Shaun Marcum in the opening game of this six game road trip:

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

Ramon Hernandez returns to the lineup after missing the last two games of the San Diego series with an injury to his left hand. Chris Nelson will try to carry over the success he has enjoyed ever since he was handed the full time third base job. The sooner CarGo and Tulo show their all star form, the better.

Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke will counter with the following lineup:

Rickie Weeks 2B
Norichika Aoki CF
Ryan Braun LF
Aramis Ramirez 3B
Corey Hart RF
Mat Gamel 1B
Alex Gonzalez SS
Jonathan Lucroy C
Shaun Marcum P

Anytime I think of watching the Rockies play the Brewers, visions of Rickie Weeks strolling into 2nd with a double flash into my head. It’s not just me; his career numbers against Colorado are stellar. Ryan Braun is off a slow start by his standards as the clouds of his offseason start to clear away. With 4 home runs already, Corey Hart has not shown many ill-effects from his offseason knee surgery. The Brewers have gotten outstanding production from their catchers so far this season, including Lucroy’s .310 BA and 2 early home runs.

The member of the Rockies who is probably the most familiar with Marcum is Ramon Hernandez. He has struggled against him with a .182 BA in 22 at-bats, although two of those hits were home runs…

…Marcum is off to a steady start in 2012, going at least 6 innings in his first two starts with a 12-2 K/BB ratio and a 0.77 WHIP…

…The Brewers enter the weekend series with the Rockies with a 6-7 record so far this season, and they are coming off a series win against the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers.

Like Rox Pile on Facebook and follow us on Twitter here and here and here.