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Rox send Jimenez to hill in opener with Arizona

Apr 1, 2011 - 2:46 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of National League West members coming off disappointing campaigns from a year ago start off their 2011 seasons this afternoon at Denver's Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series.

After making the playoffs as a wild card entry in 2009, Colorado entered last season with high expectations and one of the favorites to win the NL West. Though the Rockies contended for the division crown into September, the club stumbled badly down the stretch by dropping 13 of its final 14 games and finished with an 83-79 record, nine less victories than the previous year.

Despite residing in the same division as the defending world champion San Francisco Giants, Colorado is expected to vie for a postseason berth once again in 2011. The Rockies return all of their core players from last season, including three of the game's bright young stars in left fielder Carlos Gonzalez, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and ace pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.

"What we've done and what this organization has accomplished over the last four years with a National League championship [in 2007], a Wild Card championship and three winning seasons over the last four years, two of which we've won 90 to 90-plus games, we know how to be good," Rockies manager Jim Tracy told MLB.com. "The challenge that was set forth [in spring training] was, are we willing to make the commitment to be great?"

Colorado performed like a top-level team during the spring, compiling a 20-11 record in Cactus League games.

Jimenez will take the mound for this afternoon's lid-lifter and will attempt to build off the best season of his career. The hard-throwing Dominican racked up a personal-high 19 victories along with a 2.88 earned run average and 214 strikeouts, and placed third in voting for the NL's Cy Young Award.

The 27-year-old didn't have a particularly good second half, however. After going an astounding 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA prior to the All-Star break, Jimenez registered only a 4-7 record with a 3.80 ERA in 15 starts afterward.

Jimenez will be starting on Opening Day for the second consecutive season. The right-hander won his first such assignment by holding Milwaukee to one run over six innings at Miller Park last year.

In 14 career starts against Arizona, Jimenez is 5-4 with a 2.72 ERA.

The Diamondbacks' playoff chances don't appear as realistic as their opponent's this afternoon, but the team hopes to improve upon a dismal 65-97 record and last-place finish from a year ago. That win total was the franchise's fewest since 2004.

Arizona added a few veteran pieces during the offseason, bringing in closer J.J. Putz, first baseman Russell Branyan and third baseman Melvin Mora. Branyan will attempt to fill the void left by the departure of Adam LaRoche, who topped the Diamondbacks with 100 RBI in 2010, while Mora replaces Mark Reynolds (32 HR in '10) after the team traded the strikeout-prone infielder to Baltimore over the winter.

A young rotation is headed up by 26-year-old Ian Kennedy, who draws his first- ever Opening Day nod this afternoon. The former Yankees prospect put together a solid debut for the D-Backs last season, posting a 9-10 record and a 3.80 ERA over 32 starts and leading the team with 168 strikeouts.

"It's just a big honor," Kennedy said of pitching on Opening Day. "It's something you dream about as a little kid. You want to be that Opening Day guy."

Kennedy went winless (0-1) in five matchups with Colorado last season, but produced a respectable 3.46 ERA over those starts.

The Diamondbacks will be without starting shortstop Stephen Drew for the opener, as the former first-round pick is dealing with an abdominal strain and is considered day-to-day.

These teams split 18 meetings in 2010, with the Rockies taking seven of the nine bouts held at Coors Field. The Diamondbacks are just 5-13 in Denver over the past two seasons.