The Rockies talk about working hard more than a LinkedIn seminar. A player returns from injury, and he is praised for working hard. A slumping hitter trying to find his way in the batting cage is regaled for his hard work. The manager throwing batting practice in between filling out lineup cards and meeting the media is a hard worker. No one rolls up their sleeves like those in purple. It comes across as a hollow humblebrag. Surprisingly, it is not their hashtag: #workhard. You know what would be a better one? #stinkless. The Rockies have been rebuilding since 2019, 161 games under .500 since their last winning season and playoff berth. Six years later, they should be entering a golden period of maturing prospects, buoyed by high draft picks across the diamond. And while they possess a few good young players — shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, center fielder Brenton Doyle and first baseman Michael Toglia, to name a few — none of them are starting pitchers. This is what will hold them back, leaving them irrelevant by the Broncos’ June mandatory mini-camp. Fire-breathing Chase Dollander should arrive soon, providing a sliver of hope. He is their best pitching arm, and if you are a Rockies fan — there are true diehards who go to the games for more than the party deck — you need him to succeed, especially with top-hitting prospect Charlie Condon sidelined with a broken wrist. Dollander has talent not seen at his age since Ubaldo Jimenez. In spring training, he has felt the weight of expectations, trying to do too much, leading to a 7.59 ERA after his first four starts. The good news: We’ve not seen the best of Dollander. Not even close. Watch the late life on his fastball and disappearing changeup, and it is clear it will work out. But who else will join him? Where is the wave of young starters who should be reaching the shore after so many high draft picks the past five years? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? This is where the whiffs on Riley Pint as the fourth overall pick in 2016 and Ryan Rolison with the 22nd selection in 2018 hurt. The Rockies can ill-afford to miss with pitchers given the reluctance to spend on premium free agents and inability to convince reclamation projects to take their money. Some loyal emailers insist left-handers Sean Sullivan and Carson Palmquist will become impact arms in the big leagues. And down the line, maybe Brody Brecht will reach his potential. Forgive me for not holding my breath. The number of standout homegrown starters the Rockies have drafted requires squinting, a list that includes Kyle Freeland, Aaron Cook, Jon Gray, Jeff Francis and Jason Jennings. The Rockies’ rotation is deep on hard workers, but shallow on star performers. Baseball-Reference projects the starting five – Austin Gomber will start the season on the IL with a shoulder injury – to post a 25-37 record with a 4.70 ERA. Gomber is the only starter predicted to eclipse 150 innings. Colorado Rockies pitcher Germán Márquez (48) throws during spring training at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) Freeland earned the opening day assignment, and he loves the makeup of this group. Manager Bud Black and general manager Bill Schmidt stress how the return of a healthy German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela will make a difference. But it never does. No one puts on the hard hat like the trio of Freeland, Marquez and Senzatela, but in 22 combined years with the Rockies, they have produced four seasons with a 3.0 WAR or better. It is easy to root for them because they have overcome a variety of injuries and with no excuses taken the ball at altitude, which wrinkles pitchers faster than a daily carton of smokes. Related Articles Sports Columnists | Renck: BYU is no longer just a football school. Hopefully CU is watching Sports Columnists | Renck vs. Keeler: Are defensively challenged Nuggets cooked as championship contenders? Sports Columnists | Renck: Mikko Rantanen got the bag. Avalanche got better chance to win Stanley Cup. Sports Columnists | Renck: This was CSU experience in full — bursting bubbles with great coach, unselfish group Sports Columnists | Renck & File: Why Broncos bringing home Christian McCaffrey doesn’t make sense — for now Even owner Dick Monfort conceded something has to change during spring training — identifying the macro issue of needing a salary cap. He is not wrong, but that is not going to change until the 2027 season, at the earliest. It does nothing to address the issue of a lack of prospects, of winning on the margins with more money devoted to scouting and analytics. We can count on the Rockies to work hard. They always do. But logging a good day’s shift is not admirable in pro sports. It is all about results. And the starting rotation is a reminder of why they will finish last again in the National League West. Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis. ...read more read less