Rockies look to future with eye on home-grown pitching

With the Colorado Rockies 161/2 games out of first place and in danger of experiencing their second losing season at home since Coors Field opened in 1995, there's only one direction for the team to look.

To the future.

"It's a change in direction, a new philosophy," manager Clint Hurdle said. "We're trying to create a pitching staff that is home- grown. Basically, to control your financial structure, you've got to go homegrown."

By trading outfielder Larry Walker to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Rockies hoped to free up enough money to re-sign several of their young pitchers. Jason Jennings, Shawn Chacon and Joe Kennedy are up for arbitration after the season and likely will require more money to stay.

Also in the mix is Dexter Fowler, the team's 14th-round draft choice. Fowler was a high school All-America last season in Georgia, but his value dropped after teams found out he would likely ask for a lot of money.

Fowler has a full-ride scholarship to the University of Miami. It's rare for players to receive full scholarships to play baseball because only 11.8 scholarships are available for a 22-player traveling squad.

Highs and woes on the road

Hurdle called his team's recent 4-3 road trip a success, despite being shut out the last 16 innings.

"For all intents and purposes, it was another successful road trip," Hurdle said. "We won a game in Philly and we haven't done that in two years."

The Rockies are in the top two in the National League in hits, runs, doubles, home runs, slugging percentage, batting average and on- base percentage.

That wasn't evident over the weekend in Pittsburgh.

"It's not that our guys weren't going up there and trying," Hurdle said. "We just faced some great pitching."

No more drama

Hurdle does not want to discuss Sunday's fight between the Rockies and the Pirates.

"After the game I was asked 19 questions, 16 of which were about the fight," Hurdle said.

"We've got other challenges to deal with. We've got (Mets' pitchers Victor) Zambrano and (Kris) Benson to deal with."

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