2013 MLB Preview: Colorado Rockies Power Rankings

Using a not-too-scientific formula, here are the Power Rankings of the top 10 story-lines, characters, and traits that matter for the 2013 Colorado Rockies.

10. This sentence from the Denver Post’s Terry Frei

"If I get real giddy, I might even succumb and participate in the most insulting, moronic, aggravating “innovation” in the history of baseball broadcasting — the sixth-inning text crawl. (“TULO ROCKS!!! CARGO RULES!!!”)"

Because seriously, Toyota Talk has got to go. We can work something else out with Toyota, right? Maybe the “Toyota long shot,” where every 6th inning they show that truck way up in left field and say: “because the only thing less likely than a player hitting that truck with a home run is the Rockies winning the division.” All I’m saying is there has to be another option.

9. Dinger

Listen, he’s not going anywhere, so you might as well give in. At least admit that he sets a good example for the kids by always hustling on and off the field. It’s about the kids, after all.

8. The need to be aggressive

(honorable mention: the Blake Street Bullies)

7. Troy Tulowitzki‘s hair

It’s always something weird. A mohawk, a mullet, a rat tail. The key is whether or not we all feel the need to talk about Tulo’s hair. It says more about the team than you would think…Oh, and I decided to put “Troy Tulowitzki’s hair” in this spot at the last second instead of “Troy Tulowitzki’s health.” Maybe I’m hoping if we don’t talk about it…

6. Josh Rutledge

Can’t put too much pressure on him, but the fact is he can bring significant improvement with his bat and, perhaps more importantly, on defense at a position that has been a hole for years. If he can be somehow find consistency over the course of the season, it could make a big difference.

5. The death of “clubhouse culture”

The Rockies might be aggressive and feel the need to talk about it, but this spring training was refreshing in that the team did not feel the need to talk endlessly about an intangible. They just got down to business and made it known that they have to improve on the field. Which brings us to #4…

The coaches. Image: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

4. Michael Cuddyer, T-Shirt designer

I liked those shirts because they were simple, called for accountability on the field, and we were done talking about them after a week.

3. Walt Weiss

Look, nobody is expecting him to turn everything around in a year, but this team has a completely different feel to it. I am a believer in Weiss, the manager.

2. Todd Helton‘s last season

It does not need to become a Disney movie thing where his teammates rise up and win one for Todd. I just think it will seriously motivate Helton to go out with some dignity, and I think we will see nice production from him when he plays. This would be #1 if not for…

1. Jhoulys Chacin and Jorge De La Rosa

You know who they are and you know why they’re important.