{"id":729448,"date":"2026-06-18T20:18:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T20:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/729448\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T20:18:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T20:18:20","slug":"rockies-had-their-paul-skenes-in-ubaldo-jimenez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/729448\/","title":{"rendered":"Rockies had their Paul Skenes in Ubaldo Jimenez"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paul Skenes changes plans. <\/a><\/p>\n

Fans saw him on Saturday\u2019s probable list and began hitting up friends or searching online for tickets.<\/p>\n

At the same time, a question arrives via email and text: Will the Rockies<\/a> ever have their version of Skenes?<\/p>\n

They did. In 2010.<\/p>\n

Ubaldo Jimenez posted a 19-8 record with a 2.88 ERA.<\/a><\/p>\n

He threw a no-hitter at Atlanta<\/a>. In the span of seven starts, he allowed fewer than two hits four times.\u00a0 He started the All-Star Game in Anaheim when he was 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA.\n<\/p>\n

His four-seam fastball averaged 96.1 mph, per PITCHf\/x data. His sinker \u2014 a bowling ball with devil\u2019s horns \u2014 averaged 96.6 mph. For comparison, Skenes\u2019 heater checks in at 97.1 mph this season.\n<\/p>\n

Jimenez became Kevin Brown with Greg Maddux\u2019s command, working 221 2\/3 innings in 2010, third-most in Rockies\u2019 history.<\/p>\n

It is no coincidence that Colorado made the playoffs in 2007 and 2009 with Jimenez in the rotation. Because of an awkward exit in a trade, Jimenez remains one of the most underappreciated Rockies ever. He went 56-45 with a 3.66 ERA in six seasons, including 30-19 with a 3.66 ERA at Coors Field in 67 games.\n<\/p>\n

The Rockies need a fire-breathing dragon.<\/p>\n

They thought they had one in Chase Dollander, but he is facing elbow surgery.
\n\"PittsburghPittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo\/Gene J. Puskar)\n<\/p>\n

With Skenes set to pitch at Coors Field \u2014 he is comfortable in Colorado after starring at Air Force \u2014 I figured it was a good time to catch up with Jimenez. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

He still follows the Rockies \u2014 he took the mound in Denver last August when the Savannah Bananas<\/a> were in town \u2014 and has ideas on how to help.\n<\/p>\n

His first suggestion: stop letting starters run from the problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my opinion, they have to develop pitchers for Coors Field. They should avoid the mistake of emulating what the rest of MLB organizations are doing when it comes to preparation. They have to implement their own way,\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cTo be a consistent starter in Colorado, your body requires endurance to resist the hardships of altitude and adaptations of going on the road. All the pitchers who were consistent in any kind of way \u2014 Pedro Astacio, Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, German Marquez, myself \u2014 we all ran distance the day after our games. I am an avid believer in running distance to stay healthy. And I always tell people who go against it, check baseball history and see how the all-time great ones lasted \u2014 running distance! \u201d\n<\/p>\n

Jimenez understands that his advice jogs against the grain.<\/p>\n

\"HonoraryHonorary Savannah Bananas pitcher and former Colorado Rockies pitcher, Ubaldo Jim\u00e9nez smiles coming off the field after making a few pitches to The Firefighters at Coors Field in Denver, on Saturday, Aug. 09, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross\/The Denver Post)<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s pitchers typically use short bursts and explosive movements in training to mimic moves made on the mound. There is no denying it has spiked velocity. It is impossible to watch a game and not see a pitcher flirt with triple digits or, in the case of Milwaukee\u2019s Jacob Misiorowski, live there.\n<\/p>\n

But at what cost?<\/p>\n

Dollander, if and when he has surgery, will miss the remainder of this season and possibly all of 2027.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI know. It\u2019s so bad to think about that. I saw him pitch a couple of games,\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cAnd he has great stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though the upcoming draft could change things, there is no other Dollander in the Rockies\u2019 system. Brody Brecht, drafted in 2024, brings heat, but is struggling with command at Class-A Spokane.\n<\/p>\n

Jimenez prescribes \u201can attitude for altitude.\u201d He looks across the sport and connects injuries to training.<\/p>\n

Brian Jordan, a former Rockies strength-and-conditioning coach in the majors and minors for 15 years, saw firsthand how Jimenez\u2019s program paid dividends.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was very gifted and a very hard worker. I would agree that his running and lifting helped with his durability, while he was still explosive,\u201d said Jordan, the owner and director of sports performance at Peak 303 in Englewood. \u201cWhile not every pitcher could or should do the program he did, I absolutely agree that generally speaking mistakes are being made with how pitchers are being trained. When you sell out solely for performance, the trade-off is less durability. We are definitely seeing that at all levels, not just at the professional level.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rockies raced off to a surprising start in April because of their pitching \u2014 4.17 staff ERA \u2014 but the transmission dropped. Due to injuries to Jose Quintana, Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner and Dollander, they have been forced to lean on younger arms and too hard on the bullpen. Colorado is 14-29 since May 1 with an ERA well north of 6.
\n\"ChaseChase Dollander (32) of the Colorado Rockies reacts to giving up a grand slam to Victor Caratini (17) of the Houston Astros during the third inning at Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post)\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a reminder that Coors Field games have more hits. And there are more home runs in the warm weather. The toll is a hard test,\u201d Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes said on returning to work in Colorado for the first time since 2002. \u201cWe have looked at how many days off the (relievers) have had, and how many multiple-inning games they\u2019ve had. We are still exploring and learning.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

There is no perfect formula. Even in seasons when the Rockies have pitched well, they have struggled to repeat their success.<\/p>\n

But Jimenez is adamant that Colorado\u2019s environment demands the proper baseline.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that we should adapt to new times and use every resource to get better. And that pitchers must adjust preparation to what works for them. But you can\u2019t eradicate the foundation of pitching longevity. Why do boxers run distance when preparing for a fight when they don\u2019t run in the ring? To have the endurance to throw punches for 12 rounds,\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cIn 50, 100 years from now the next generation will examine how pitching in this era changed so dramatically, and they\u2019ll be asking who was the \u2018genius\u2019 who came up with developing every pitcher as a reliever.\u201d<\/p>\n

No power pitcher has ever pitched better in Denver than Jimenez. Even Skenes allowed four runs in five innings in his lone start at Coors Field last August.\n<\/p>\n

It remains a baseball tragedy that Jimenez failed to become the Rockies\u2019 first 20-game winner in 2010, a milestone missed because of bad luck, including a dropped popup, and meager offensive support.\n<\/p>\n

That he remains the zenith explains the problem. The Rockies need more like him. It has been 19 years since Jimenez, along with left-hander Franklin Morales, was promoted from the minors and helped Colorado win 21 of 22 games to reach the World Series.\n<\/p>\n

The Rockies have made significant year-over-year progress this season, but are still losing more games than anyone else.<\/p>\n

This can change. But not without better starting pitching.<\/p>\n

They need another Ubaldo. Or two.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have one of the greatest fan bases who support them and wait for the team every year (to improve),\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cThey have many staffers in the organization who have worked so hard to reach the goal of winning a championship in Denver. Hopefully, they put it all together soon and God opens the door once again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver\u2019s teams.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Paul Skenes changes plans. Fans saw him on Saturday\u2019s probable list and began hitting up friends or searching…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":729449,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2405],"tags":[1686,5,717,167,52,4316,1009,140,4722,51397,43141,131,2083,1022,853,4,1027,877,90980,168,1945,185,430,8053,45039,1039],"class_list":["post-729448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-colorado-rockies","tag-air-force","tag-baseball","tag-chase-dollander","tag-colorado","tag-colorado-rockies","tag-coloradorockies","tag-coors-field","tag-german-marquez","tag-greg-maddux","tag-jhoulys-chacin","tag-jorge-de-la-rosa","tag-jose-quintana","tag-josh-byrnes","tag-kyle-freeland","tag-latest-headlines","tag-mlb","tag-more-rockies-news","tag-paul-skenes","tag-pedro-astacio","tag-rockies","tag-ryan-feltner","tag-sports","tag-sports-columnists","tag-troy-renck","tag-ubaldo-jimenez","tag-world-series"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116772962710961544","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=729448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729448\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/729449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=729448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=729448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=729448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}