Hayden: was this really the plan with Rosario? Starting full-time catcher already?

Layden: Of course it was. He has to be in the lineup.

Here is Rosario. With a glove and ball. Yikes. Image: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Hayden: but it was premature last season…they were going to at least ease him into it

Layden: if they could have they would have. he obv. wasn’t ready

Hayden: Defensively he wasn’t

Layden: (1/2) right…but he would be the starter now regardless…we just wouldn’t know right at this moment how atrocious…

Layden: (2/2) …his D is

Hayden: ignorance is bliss

Layden: (1/2) I guess. so one year ago his bat wasn’t necessarily Major League ready. He had to adjust…

Layden: (2/2) …can that happen on defense too?

Hayden: he has a lot farther to go

Layden: A LOT farther…so it’s not much of a comparison…

Hayden: Is it good that he opted out of the WBC? That had to be a tough call

Layden: Would have been nice exposure with DR winning

Hayden: Well, it would have been exposure. Nice with the bat, not with the glove

Hayden: What if he can’t catch? 1B didn’t look like an option…

Layden: Outfield isn’t really an option…

Hayden: 3B?

Layden: LOL

Layden: but I guess it’s not really funny

Hayden: hey, if you can’t laugh at the Rockies…

Layden: do we agree that he’s ready to hit consistently?

Hayden: Yes. I think. I think I’m sure … he needs to show he can keep adjusting tho

Layden: Maybe he can be the one to hit on the road…

Hayden: Woah. Let’s stick with repeating his power production. And improved defense…

Layden: In Yorvit we trust baby…he’ll show him the way

Hayden: Oy. SMH. This conversation is over.

We needed to take a break from the creepy studio pictures. Image: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t mean to make this a thing when it isn’t a thing, but the Rockies need this to go away. They need their decision to take precaution with Rosario to pay off. Yesterday I mentioned two talking points that will surely be exhausted by the time opening day finally arrives: the need to be aggressive and the need for pitchers to get lots of ground balls. There is one other talking point that pertains to this conversation with Rosario…

…They need to stay healthy.

Of course that is true for every team in baseball. Every projection this time of year starts with the qualifier: “If they stay healthy…” But in the case of the Rockies, there seems to be a genuine belief among their players and the front office that they would have been a good team last year if they had not been bit by so many injuries. In order for them to prove that theory, there is a short list of players who must stay healthy. Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa…

I never thought to add Rosario to that list until now. But he is definitely on that list. This team needs to win with offense. Their lineup is only deep enough to do that if Rosario is part of it.