24-year old lefty swinging outfielder Carlos Gonzalez might just win the N.L. MVP Award this year. He has played in 144 games for the Rockies this year and he is 197 of 583 (.338 avg, .980 OPS) with 111 runs scored, 34 homers, 117 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Gonzalez goes into the last four games of the season leading the N.L. in hits, batting average and RBIs. Gonzalez came over to the Rockies along with Huston Street and Greg Smith from the A’s in a deal with them for Matt Holliday. Holliday is still playing well but not for the A’s so this deal looks like a steal for the Rockies.

The Rockies have shut down 25-year old switch-hitting IF/OF Eric Young (pain in right shin), 39-year old lefty swinging 1B Jason Giambi (biceps) and 26-year old righty closer Huston Street (rib cage). Young played in 51 games for the Rockies this year and he was 42 of 172 (.244 avg, .597 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 8 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Giambi played in 87 games for the Rockies this year and he was 43 of 176 (.244 avg, .776 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 6 homers and 35 RBIs. Huston Street pitched in 44 games (0 starts) for the Rockies this year and he was 4-4 with 20 saves, a 3.61 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. With the Rockies out of playoffs contention it makes perfect sense to shut these three guys down and let them get healthy.

37-year old lefty swinging 1B Todd Helton appears to be running low on his gas tank. He has played in 109 games for the Rockies this year and he is 94 of 369 (.255 avg, .713 OPS) with 46 runs scored, 6 homers and 33 RBIs. It’s sad to see Helton losing his skills as a hitter that made him one of the better 1B for years. I think the Humidor is one of the biggest reasons why Helton hasn’t hit at least 20 homers in a season over his last 5 years. Helton has played in 1,921 games in his 14 years with the Rockies and he is 2,228 of 6,875 (.324 avg, .979 OPS) with 1,268 runs scored, 331 homers, 1,235 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. I think Todd Helton’s run as a Colorado Rockie could be nearing an end.

The Rockies have acquired 36-year old righty reliever Octavio Dotel from the Dodgers for a player to be named later. Dotel has pitched in 60 games (0 starts) for the Pirates and Dodgers this year and he is 3-3 with 22 saves, a 3.99 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He has now pitched in 622 games (34 starts) in his major league career and he is 49-42 with 105 saves, a 3.75 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Dotel has whiffed 1,009 batters while only allowing 663 hits in 829 career innings in the show. This was a good pick-up for the Rockies who needed some help in the bullpen but Dotel won’t be elgible for the playoffs if the Rockies make them.

25-year old righty swinging shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is trying to will his team to the playoffs. He has played in 15 games in September so far and he is 22 of 61 (.361 avg, 1.393 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 11 homers, 27 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Overall this year, Tulowitzki has played in 107 games in which he is 133 of 409 (.325 avg, .964 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 23 homers, 82 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. If the rest of the Rockies start hitting along with Tulowitzki they just might make it all the way to the playoffs.

Sure, 26-year old righty starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez has not been dominating like he was in the first two or three months of the year but he is still turning in a outstanding overall season. Jimenez has started 28 games for the Rockies this year and he is 18-6 with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He has only given up 141 hits in 190 1/3 innings while whiffing 178 batters. If he could just tighten up his control a bit more (he has walked 78 batters this year) he would be even more dominating. As it is though, the Rockies finally have the ace at the top of the rotation that they really have never had in team history.

31-year old righty starting pitcher Aaron Cook is probably done for the season. He was hit on the leg by a comebacker by Reds’ 1B Joey Votto and it broke his right fibula. Cook has pitched in 23 games (all starts) for the Rockies this year and he is 6-8 with a 5.08 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He gave up 147 hits while walking 52 batters in only 127 2/3 innings this year as he just didn’t pitch well this year. It looks as if either Jeff Francis or Esmil Rogers will replace Cook in the starting rotation and that’s not really a bad thing based on how poorly Cook has pitched this year.

The Rockies have designated 28-year old righty reliever Taylor Buchholz for assignment. Buchholz pitched in 7 games (0 starts) for the Rockies this year and he was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. He pitched in 111 games (8 starts) in his three years with the Rockies and he was 13-11 with 1 save, a 3.44 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. The Rockies are probably going to lose Buchholz as I don’t see him getting through waivers.

UPDATE: (9/10/2010) - The Blue Jays have claimed Buchholz off waivers.

24-year old lefty swinging outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is carrying the Rockies’ offense this year. Gonzalez has played in 118 games for the Rockies this year and he is 158 of 480 (.329 avg, .968 OPS) with 88 runs scored, 30 homers, 92 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. The sky is the limit for Gonzalez as he has improved by leaps and bounds with his bat. Gonzalez played in 174 games in his first two years in the majors and he was 152 of 580 (.262 avg) with 84 runs scored, 17 homers, 55 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Gonzalez came to the Rockies on November 10th, 2008 in a deal along with Huston Street and Greg Smith from the A’s for Matt Holliday. That trade keeps looking better by the day for the Rockies.

27-year old righty reliever Manny Corpas will undergo Tommy John Surgery next Wednesday which will likely cause him to miss most if not all of the 2011 season. Corpas pitched in 56 games (0 starts) for the Rockies this year and he was 3-5 with 10 saves, a 4.62 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. He has now pitched in 280 games (0 starts) in his five years with the Rockies and he is 12-16 with 34 saves, a 3.93 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. This is a big blow to the Rockies as Corpas is a decent reliever.