Who are these Rockies anyway?

A look at five Colorado players who could end up as difference-makers for the NL champs in the World Series.

Last update: October 23, 2007 - 9:07 PM

TROY TULOWITZKI

23 years old, shortstop

The Rockies first brought Tulowitzki, a first-round selection in 2005, to the big leagues in September '06. Tulowitzki batted .240 in 25 games and seemed tentative in the field.

Rockies coach Mike Gallego said earlier this season: "When I first saw him play, I thought he had a long way to go."

The Rockies said in spring training that shortstop would be an open competition between Tulowitzki and veteran Clint Barmes. It was a mismatch in Tulowitzki's favor, and then he put together a season that could allow him to beat out Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun as National League Rookie of the Year.

Tulowitzki batted .291 with 24 home runs and 99 RBI, plus he had 834 chances (114 more than any other big-league shortstop) with only 11 errors.

MATT HOLLIDAY

27, left field

Holliday grew up in a baseball family. His father Tom was formerly the coach at Oklahoma State is now an assistant at North Carolina. He was among the nation's top high school quarterbacks in the fall of 1997, had offers from most powerhouse schools, but signed with the Rockies as a seventh-round draft choice.

Holliday, large and powerful in the Alex Rodriguez ilk, has kept increasing his numbers since his rookie season in 2004. The righthanded hitter led the NL in average (.340) and RBI (137) with 36 home runs. He's the favorite over Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins to be voted as the MVP.

Holliday hired Scott Boras as his agent last winter, leading to a widespread paranoia among Rockies fans that he is destined to leave as a free agent after the 2009 season.

UBALDO JIMINEZ

23, starting pitcher

The Rockies ran into several injuries with their starting pitchers this summer -- losing Rodrigo Lopez in July, Aaron Cook in August and Jason Hirsh for two long stretches.

Jiminez, a Dominican signed as a 17-year-old in 2001, was recalled from Class AAA Colorado Springs a week after the All-Star break with the idea of replacing Taylor Buchholz, who was going to the starting rotation, in the bullpen. Then Buchholz came up sore, and Jiminez was given the first of 15 starts on July 17.

He went 4-4 with a 4.28 ERA. He has a blazing fastball and opponents batted only .228 against him. The young righthander will make the Game 2 start for the Rockies on Thursday night in Fenway Park.

BRAD HAWPE

28, right fielder

Hawpe finally established as a productive hitter in 2006, after two previous tries with the Rockies. He continued his improvement this season, batting .291 with 29 home runs and 116 RBI.

The lefthanded hitter was primarily a platoon player for the Rockies until this season. He batted only .214 against lefties this season, but did deliver a few clutch hits -- including a gigantic, 14th-inning home run off San Diego's Joe Thatcher in Petco Park that gave the Rockies a 2-1 victory. It was win No. 6 in what became a season-changing 11-game winning streak.

MANNY CORPAS

24, closer

The Rockies lost eight games in a row to start a nine-game road trip to Toronto, Chicago (Cubs) and Houston from June 22 through June 30. Brian Fuentes, an All-Star closer three consecutive years, blew four saves in four chances on the trip.

Manager Clint Hurdle switched to Corpas as his closer on July 7. He finished a 6-3 victory over Philadelphia, starting a second-half streak in which he was 19-for-20 in save opportunities.

The righthander from Panama made the Rockies out of spring training with the idea the righthander would work ahead of both Fuentes and LaTroy Hawkins in the bullpen. His sharp, nasty slider proved a tremendous weapon -- producing a 2.08 ERA and a .224 opponents' batting average.

PATRICK REUSSE