FanHouse Larry Walker

If you're like me, you're probably still having a lot of trouble adjusting to the new look Rockies team which is -- as odd as it is to say -- more of a speed and finesse team. Long gone are the days of the Blake Street Bombers which used to feature half a lineup of 30 home run hitters e.g. Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga, Ellis Burks, Larry Walker, Todd Helton, and Vinny Castilla. So yeah, in case you haven't caught on yet, the Rockies are now built with speed at the top (Taveras, Matsui), average/speed/power in the middle (Atkins, Holliday, Hawpe), and good starting pitching. Really.

In fact, the 4-4 Rox have seen every single one of their starters throw at least six innings per start, with seven of those eight starts yielding two or fewer runs. The staff has a 3.34 ERA and has only allowed six home runs and 17 walks in eight games, and is in the top part of the league in several other categories.

Last year Colorado set a franchise record for lowest team ERA at 4.66. Between emerging youngsters Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis (pictured), and Jason Hirsh, as well as the resurgence of Rodrigo Lopez and Josh Fogg, the '07 team should blow that mark out of the water. Will they be as sharp as the season goes on? Probably not. But what really matters is that this is a completely rebuilt team, with a new look, and some pitchers that can truly keep the team in every game.

From the Rockies. I almost flipped out of my chair when I saw the news in Tracy Ringolsby's Rockies' payroll breakdown this morning. The Rockies, who have become more frugal recently, will have around an Opening Day payroll of $55 million -- most likely placing them in the bottom six of the league. That's why I was utterly astonished upon reading this:

They also have payments for players no longer with them of $2 million to Florida for Mike Hampton, $1.8 million to Denny Neagle as a 20 percent installment on his buyout and $1.7 million as the second of 20 years of deferred payments to Larry Walker.

What?!?!?! Are you serious? $3.5 million owed to a pair of players who could be running a pizza parlor or coaching Little League for all we know?

To refresh your memory, Larry Walker retired in '05, and last played for the Rockies in '04 (he was traded to the Cardinals midway through the year). Denny Neagle on the other hand, retired after the '03 season, and has been sitting on his rump, apparently collecting paychecks from the Rox ever since.

Ringolsby's article is well worth a read, especially if you want to find out how much Todd Helton would make if he were named World Series MVP (like that will ever happen), and the amount Aaron Cook would pocket should he bring home the Silver Slugger award to Denver (he's a pitcher mind you).