Colorado Rockies: Four quotes that explain so much about the bullpen

"“When you look at the eight-man staff, which we’ll likely carry through September, there are going to be some of those guys in the bullpen now. The other two spots could change. That will depend on performance and injury. Rest assured, the guys who are proven veteran pitchers will be in our bullpen.”"

Again, let’s be clear about one thing … the veteran pitchers like Shaw, Dunn, McGee and Davis aren’t going anywhere. They are a part of Black’s plan for this season and the near future.

The pieces around them, however, may change. Their roles may change as well. Could a Jeff Hoffman or Antonio Senzatela or Harrison Musgrave or Carlos Estevez or Yency Almonte play a more prominent role in the bullpen as the season goes along? Absolutely … but Black will still need to throw his veterans at some point. As hot as Adam Ottavino has been so far this season, Black can’t throw him every game. He will need other guys to step up and take their place in the “I can trust this pitcher to come into the guy in a clutch situation” category. Right now, that category is pretty bleak.

Estevez is on his way to Triple-A to begin a rehab assignment and that could be very good news for the Rockies bullpen … if he performs at the level he is capable of performing.

Whoever is in the Rockies bullpen as the season churns along, if the veterans can’t perform, younger players will need to step up.