Colorado Rockies Stick With Trend, Fall to D-Backs in Spring Opener

The Rockies are aiming to move forward in 2009.  With Matt Holliday gone and new faces popping up all across the roster, there is cautious optimism as well as trepidation as to what the new season will bring.

That being said, the Rox felt it necessary, nay, imperative to continue a disturbing trend that manifested itself in 2008.

The Rockies once again lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

I'm going to preface everything I say for the rest of this article by stating that the first game of Spring Training, and most of Spring Training in general, isn't worth a gawl dang as they say in some parts of Wyoming...probably.

But it still didn't make it any sweeter that the Rox once again fell to their bitter rivals to the southwest.

The Rockies, 3-15 against the D-Backs in 2008, did exhibit a strong showing for the most part among the players on the roster who got the opportunity to hit the field.

Aaron Cook started on the mound and tallied two scoreless innings only allowing one hit in the process.  Manny Corpas followed with a perfect inning of his own, an encouraging sign that he could reclaim his 2007 magic.

Then it unraveled a bit as No. 2 starter Ubaldo Jimenez took the mound to get some work before he heads to Florida to start training for the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team next week. 

Jimenez line went thusly: 2 inn, 3 h, 3 r, 2 bb, 2 k, and one home run.

Alan Embree's spring debut for Colorado didn't go swimmingly either as he allowed what turned out to be the two deciding runs in his one inning of work.

On the offensive side, Brad Hawpe was the only Rockie to knock two hits on the day while Clint Barmes, Tulo, Chris Iannetta, and Carlos Gonzalez all rapped doubles in their limited innings.

There were definitely positives to take away from the first exhibition game of 2009, but.....come on.  Can't we beat Arizona at least once if only to alleviate my nagging concerns about the upcoming season?

Is that really too much to ask?