Colorado Rockies: Ubaldo Jimenez could salvage a bad winter

The Colorado Rockies open up spring training Saturday afternoon against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick marking the official end of what might have been one of the most unproductive, yet, controversial offseasons in club history.

After not signing a single free agent to a Major League contract and upsetting one of the best players in the game, Colorado Rockies’ GM Jeff Bridich created himself one gigantic public-relations nightmare.

Even though the rift between Bridich and Nolan Arenado will be difficult to mend, Bridich has someone else who could help him save face with fans and somewhat salvage a horrible winter.

Among the many non-roster invitees the Rockies signed to minor league deals, there is one player who brings back fond memories that many are hoping will surprise us all and make the opening day roster.

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Former Rockies’ great, Ubaldo Jimenez, is back with Colorado and will look to resurrect his career after not throwing a pitch in the Majors since 2017.

We all know his history.  The 36-year-old from the Dominican Republic is the only Rockies’ pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter, start in an All-Star Game, was a key part to the 2007 and 2009 playoff teams, and his 2010 performance, where he went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA, is widely considered the best season by a starter in club history.

After five and half seasons with the the Rockies, Jimenez was traded at the 2011 deadline to Cleveland in a blockbuster deal that brought Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, and others to Colorado.  He would go on to have mixed success with the Indians but he then struggled mightily during his time in Baltimore after signing a 4-year/$50 million deal with the Orioles in 2014.

The nostalgia of Ubaldo’s return feels great but that doesn’t mean he won’t have a difficult time capturing one of the final two spots in the rotation.  He joins a fierce competition that includes Antonio Senzatela, Jeff Hoffman, Chi Chi Gonzalez, and Peter Lambert.  Also, the fact that he hasn’t pitched in the league in two seasons and last time he did he led the American League in earned runs makes the odds staked against him.

It is an extreme longshot that Ubaldo Jimenez will make the 26-man roster, but if he does, fans may give Jeff Bridich a little bit of a break on what has been a ridiculous offseason.