Five questions need answering after the Rockies' spring training games last week

Spring training is halfway over. Soon, rosters will be trimmed and big leaguers will be playing full games as opening day draws closer and closer.

At the halfway point of the spring, the Colorado Rockies have to like where they sit. Currently, the Rockies are 10-5 in the Cactus League, and statistically, Colorado has been one of the better spring training teams in Arizona since the Cactus League began.

That said, the Rockies have plenty to do, and, there’s no question the jury is still out.

Through three weeks of spring training, the Rockies have given fans plenty to be optomistic about, but, the third week of the Cactus League season also gave fans plenty to ponder.

Here’s five key questions from this past week of spring training, as the Rockies embark on the seocnd half of the Cactus League.

5. Are the top prospects still threatening to claim big league roster spots?

As spring training carries on, veterans start to get more and more playing time, and prospect’s innings and at-bats start to get reduced. However, Colorado has several prospects that are still making plenty of noise, players like Cole Carrigg, Drew Romo, Adeal Amador and Benny Montogomery are still seeing plenty of action, while the likes of Yanquiel Fernandez, Zac Veen and Kyle Karros have cooled off some.

4. Will Kris Bryant see more at-bats?

Last week, Bryant got seven at-bats and had a pair of hits. He’s said throughout spring training how healthy he is, so, it now becomes, how much time in games does Bryant need to be truly ready for opening day, and to be the Rockies’ fulltime DH this season? Time will tell.

3. Nolan Jones is coming on strong

Jones is going to be a big part of the Rockies’ big-league team this season. How big? It looks like very big. As good as he’s playing in spring training right now, the plan to start Jones in left field this season is one that now appears to be a lock.

2. Is the Rockies’ pitching staff not as good as we thought?

Colorado had the second best ERA in the Cactus League entering week three. But, the Rockies have struggled this past weekend, and now, the question is, how much has the staff improved? The answer to that is complicated (see below). German Marquez and Ryan Feltner have made strong starts recently, and Bradley Blalock has looked good. Kyle Freeland had moments as well, but, the Rockies’ bullpen is still struggling in middle and late innings and that’s one of the major areas of improvement needed if the Rockies are going to succeed this season. So, while it’s way tooo early to right off Colorado’s pitchers, they need to get hot again down the stretch of spring training.

1. Is Chase Dolllander ready or not?

Dollander has his second straight brutal start this past week, and he’s now officially 0-2 in the Cactus League. Of course, none of that changes his status as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. But, the way he’s pitched the last two weeks, and given how much Colorado’s pitching needs to be better this season, it does beg the question…could Dollander still be a year away?