Taylor Buchholz News

Rafael Betancourt The Rockies have developed a contingency free-agency plan if they are unable to sign Rafael Betancourt, given their conservative return date for Taylor Buchholz.

The Rockies are hoping to hammer out an agreement with Rafael Betancourt before Friday's deadline for the club to decide whether to exercise a $5 million option for the right-handed pitcher.

Rafael Betancourt turned down a two-year offer for about $7 million from the Rockies, who could decline his option and offer arbitration.

The Rockies have reason to believe they will be welcoming the old Manuel Corpas back when the new season arrives.

Payroll still matters in the only major sport without a salary cap, but the Rockies have become Baseball's new standard of how to do more with less.

It's an easy conclusion to make. An almost obvious one. The Colorado Rockies are a one-year wonder.

On May 28, the Rockies were 18-28, airbags deployed, hazards flashing. Many of you, no doubt, pulled a hamstring jumping off the bandwagon.

The NL Leader in saves is now Huston Street. Let me say that again, with more emphasis on my incredulity.

Manny Corpas ' bothersome bone chip is out of his right elbow and headed for his trophy case.

Dozens of kids from Denver are probably already working on their reports on how they spent their summer vacation.

Rockies righty reliever Manuel Corpas threw his two best games of the year before bone chips in his right elbow forced him to the disabled list nearly four weeks ago.

Last week, In a post to his blog for ESPN.com , Peter Gammons listed the Mets among teams who have interest in Rockies OF Ryan Spilborghs .

Two years ago, Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd quietly lobbied his counterpart in Toronto, J.P. Ricciardi, to trade Arvada's to Colorado.

This season, the Astros are commemorating their 10th season at Minute Maid Park.

Best trade in Rockies history? Todd Helton frowned. "I can't remember them all," he said, "but that's got to be right up there." Well, let's see.

Odds are the Rockies' Taylor Buchholz will return as good or better after surgery.

It's time to correct a mistake made in last week's column. While discussing B.J. Upton 's chances of making the 40/40 club, I mentioned that he could become the third member of the group along with Jose Canseco and Alex Rodriguez .

There was a lot of action off the field for major league baseball teams on Sunday, with injury updates coming from a handful of teams: - Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez is headed for another back surgery and won't return in 2009.

Rockies right-handed relievers Matt Daley and Joel Peralta have quickly caught the eye of manager Jim Tracy.

Colorado Rockies setup man Manny Corpas arrived at Coors Field with a swollen right elbow and has been sent for an MRI exam.