Colorado Rockies Need to Give Edwar Cabrera a Shot at the Rotation

The Colorado Rockies will go into 2013 with one of the thinnest starting rotations in all of baseball. The likes of Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge DeLaRosa, Jeff Francis, Juan Nicasio and Drew Pomeranz do not strike fear into many National League batters.

Colorado is better off playing younger pitchers to see if there will be a breakout star. One such pitcher could be left-hander Edwar Cabrera.

The 25-year-old native of the Dominican Republic has already proven he can handle hitters in the minor leagues. He struck out 217 batters in 167 innings in 2011, best in the minors.

In 2012, he struck out 121 batters in 129.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, with a WHIP in Double-A below 0.90.

According to MLB Prospect Watch, he uses a devastating change up to keep batters off balance instead of blazing a fastball by them.

Cabrera made two starts for the Colorado Rockies in 2012 and lost both of them. He pitched only 2.1 innings in his big league debut against the Nationals on June 27, 2012, letting up five hits, three walks and three homers in an 11-5 loss.

He did not fare much better in his second start, going only 3.1 innings and letting up four hits, four walks and a pair of runs.

But he does not need to prove anything in the minor leagues anymore. Edwar is a crafty left hander who strikes people out with an unusual arsenal. The Rockies need him getting used to big league bats instead of missing minor league ones.

With a starting staff as wide open as the Rockies, they need on-the-job training in Denver instead of letting talented arms rot in Triple-A.

Edwar Cabrera has earned a shot.