Arenado is the star of Rockies camp thus far. Image: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Imagine if Arenado’s bat had been blazing the way it is now one year ago.

On Sunday in the Rockies’ loss to the Oakland Athletics, Arenado blasted his third home run of the spring. It was also his second of the weekend. Seemingly every Cactus League box score lists Arenado with an extra base hit, and coaches and fans alike are gushing about the way his bat cracks, how beautiful his swing is, and all of the other laudatory remarks typically reserved for hot-shot prospects.

Timing is not on Arenado’s side, however. One year ago the Rockies were starved for help in the infield. If you’ll recall, we were actually moderately excited about Casey Blake being the third baseman. Casey Blake! But now, after a season of solid production by Nelson, Pacheco, DJ LeMahieu and Josh Rutledge, there is a glut of infielders blocking Arenado’s way. All in all that might mean he still starts the season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, and that might not be a bad thing…even if he does continue with this torrid production.

On the pitching side of things Jhoulys Chacin and Jorge De La Rosa both struggled this weekend. In 2.1 innings on Saturday Chacin was roughed up for the 3 runs, including a towering home run from outfielder Josh Reddick. Those struggles combined with a lingering toe injury do not exactly send Chacin off to the World Baseball Classic with good vibrations. De La Rosa was disastrous in Sunday’s 7-2 loss to those same A’s, continuing to struggle with pace and demand as he beat himself for 2 runs. He issued 3 walks and plunked a batter with the bases loaded. Hopefully he will be able to knock off the rust and the jitters in the next month of this year’s extended Spring Training.

The Rockies keep on rolling with their spring schedule Monday when they take on the Seattle Mariners. Note: the game will be televised on Root Sports.

Awwww, look at this guy! Image: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday both pitched well against the Cincinnati Reds in a 4-3 victory. This in a game that featured a lot of good pitching and some stellar defense as well (the Rockies turned a triple play…like, a real triple play…5-4-3…for real!). Surely a lot of analysis and discussion will be dedicated to the two scoreless innings tossed by Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman. With him the question is: should he be converted to a starter or should he continue to serve as the team’s closer? A similar, albeit not so high profile, question looms for Nicasio. Should he be a starter or come out of the bullpen?

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post notes that Nicasio’s fastball was devastatingly effective. He touched 98 MPH, worked low in the zone and got ground ball outs. The question is, does that success show a guy on his way to cracking the starting rotation? Or does it validate the opinion that he would be more effective as a relief pitcher?

Francis continued his spotless work in the Cactus League, working 3 innings and surrendering only 3 hits. Aided by the triple play, Francis made the case once again that he can be a solid member of the Rockies’ rotation. As with last season, the key for Francis is realistic expectations. We all got over it that he is no longer the staff ace that he was in 2007. But now that we see him as a solid back-end kind of guy? Yep, that can definitely work, and it looks like it will.

The Rockies take the field Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers.