Rookie right-hander Chase Dollander was understandably frustrated after another rough Coors Field start on Monday that saw him yield six runs on five hits, with three walks against two strikeouts and two hit batters, over five innings.
The home of the Rockies has been a conundrum that the 2023 ninth overall pick hasn’t quite been able to solve, as he owns a 9.98 ERA in 11 starts compared to a 3.64 ERA on the road. He has allowed 30 more runs at home in one less inning than on the road, and double
the number of home runs. While it’s been expected for Rockies pitchers to struggle a bit more at Coors Field, the drastic split has left Dollander searching for answers.
“Any struggling pitcher will say that they want to have success,” Dollander said to reporters on Monday. “It’s just a matter of figuring it out. I’m going to have some conversations with some people, and I’m going to figure it out.”
He mentioned a desire to speak to former Rockies reliever and current Minor League pitching coordinator Scott Oberg, as well as current teammate Kyle Freeland, about finding success at Coors Field. He also has the number of former Rockies rotation staple Aaron Cook to turn to as needed, among other alumni resources.
Those are some excellent options to turn to, but perhaps the player that Dollander needs to turn to and find a way to emulate actively is none other than Ubaldo Jiménez
Jiménez is no doubt one of the best starters in Rockies history. The native of the Dominican Republic signed with the team as an international free agent in 2001 at roughly the age of 17. He would make his debut in 2006 at the age of 22 before taking on a larger role in 2007 and becoming a rotation staple over his six years in Colorado. He then went on to play for the Cleveland Indians and the Baltimore Orioles at the big league level through 2017.
Despite his brilliance, it’s easy to forget how good Jiménez really was as a Rockie. Much like Dollander, he debuted at a young age on the back of a blistering fastball and was perhaps the first truly power arm the Rockies had ever had, especially in the rotation. Capable of regularly hitting 100 mph, Jiménez thrilled fans with his ability to throw heat while mixing in devastating secondary pitches.
Jiménez leads the franchise in pitcher WAR (18.9), just ahead of Freeland (18.6), as well as ERA (3.66), while throwing the first and only no-hitter in franchise history, as well as being the only pitcher to start the All-Star Game.
However, Jiménez wasn’t a pitcher without flaws. Just like Dollander, Jiménez struggled with his command, carrying a 10.3% walk rate from 2006 to 2011. In his six years with Colorado, he posted a walk rate below 10% just once. If you recall, he walked six batters in the first five innings of his no-hitter in 2010. However, Jiménez compensated for his above-average walk rate by being able to utilize his stuff, especially his fastball, to his advantage to induce ground balls (49.2%) and pick up strikeouts (21.9%).
What truly sets Jiménez apart, and where Dollander could learn quite a bit, is the performance at Coors Field. Jiménez never seemed to struggle when pitching at altitude for the Rockies.
In 65 starts at Coors Field, he posted a sparkling 3.68 ERA, which is the lowest among starters in team history (min. 90 innings). That mark isn’t just a consequence of spectacular defense behind him, either, as his 3.82 FIP also ranks as the best in team history at home.
So how was he able to do it?
It can be boiled down to something as basic as execution, something Dollander has struggled with.
“All [Dollander’s] stuff is good,” manager Warren Schaeffer said on Monday. “So it’s just a matter of him executing it. That’s all.”
Yes, Jiménez had a strong fastball and could easily dial it up to overpower opposing bats when needed. But he could also work a little smarter, take something off, and generate soft contact with it. He managed to spot his fastball up as well as down, working east to west across the strike zone. Commanding the fastball is crucial at Coors Field and Jiménez used it to his advantage. That then allowed him to dip into his secondary arsenal at will. His slider regularly generated a whiff rate over 30% during his time with Colorado, while the curveball, changeup, and splitter contributed their fair share of swings and misses.
While still posting a decent 19.4% strikeout rate at Coors against a 9.5% walk rate, Jiménez limited opponents to a .244 AVG with a 48.7% ground ball rate. That ability to get ground balls made up for the walks in that he could induce softer contact for double play balls or easy fly balls. He also wasn’t stung by the home run too much as he never allowed more than nine long balls in any season at home with the Rockies.
We could dive into more figures and stats, but the fact of the matter is that Jiménez is a marquee example for Dollander to learn from when it comes to Coors Field. Ubaldo was a thrower who quickly evolved into a pitcher who showed no fear at home.
The essential key to the puzzle is that Dollander needs to figure out the command of his fastball. We know about the heat, and we have seen him spot it well, but it has to be reliable the majority of the time. The reason for that is that his secondary pitches still need a lot of work.
He has barely touched his slider, and his changeup is getting hammered. The curveball has been effective, but still inconsistent and unreliable. Most of his starts have devolved into throwing just two pitches, which is not productive for a starting pitcher who has to navigate a lineup multiple times.
Dollander needs to seek out whomever he can to solve the riddle of Coors Field because it presents the biggest hurdle to him becoming one of the franchise’s all-time greats. Ubaldo Jiménez laid out a path for success, and it’s one the Rockies and Dollander need to consider following.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 8, Round Rock Express 6
The Isotopes survived a four-run seventh by the Express, utilizing some late-game heroics to snag an 8-6 victory. Jose Torres powered the offense with a pair of home runs and four RBI, while Michael Toglia drove in a pair and Blaine Crim collected three hits. Bradley Blalock delivered 5 2/3 strong innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts, but Carson Palmquist surrendered four runs on one hit with three walks as he ended up just recording one out. However, the bullpen held firm as the offense took the lead late.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 2, Reading Fightin’ Phils 1
It was a low-scoring affair in Hartford, but a pair of home runs proved the difference to propel them to victory. Charlie Cardon and Juan Guerrero each had two hits, with both hitting a solo home run. Ben Shields impressed in his 3 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on four hits with five strikeouts. The lone blemish was a solo shot to Aidan Miller to lead off the game. The bullpen shut things down, allowing just two hits the rest of the game.
High-A: Eugene Emeralds 10, Spokane Indians 4
Despite collecting nine hits, Spokane just couldn’t get the big hits to keep pace with Eugene. Blake Wright and Jimmy Obertop each hit a home run while Tevin Tucker collected two RBI as part of his two-hit night. Stu Flesland III gave the Indians some length, going 6 2/3 innings where he allowed five runs on eight hits. Eugene added five more runs in the eighth, putting the game well out of reach.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 7, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5
A late rally by Fresno helped them clinch the win over Rancho Cucamonga. Brody Brecht started on the hill and went just three innings as he issued five walks against five strikeouts. He allowed just one run on two hits followed by Justin Loer allowing three runs on four hits over his two innings of relief. The Grizzlies chipped away, throughout the game, but the big hit came in the seventh when Ethan Holliday hit a two-run homer to tie the game 5-5. Two more runs in the top of the ninth proved the difference for Fresno.
Dollander seeks answers to puzzle of pitching at Coors Field | MLB.com
Here is the article from Thomas Harding that inspired the idea of this piece.
Rockies Claim Roansy Contreras | MLB Trade Rumors
The Rockies made a roster move on Tuesday, claiming Roansy Contreras off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. He was once a starter with the Pittsburgh Pirates but has since filled in a swing man in both the pen and the rotation. He threw 4 1/3 scoreless in his only outing with the Orioles before he was DFA’d.
Affected by Altitude Episode 177: A Major Minor League Episode | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
This week Evan Lang and I talk about the success of Tanner Gordon and Mickey Moniak before talking all about the minor league system.
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