Colorado's pitching a bit rocky

LOS ANGELES - The season ended. The intrigue begins.

Jason Marquis started for the Rockies yesterday at Dodger Stadium. If it was an audition for a spot in the postseason rotation when Colorado plays the Phillies in the National League Division Series, the numbers - eight hits and four runs in four innings - didn't help make the case.

The Rockies starting pitching is a bit of a jumble right now, especially since Jorge De La Rosa, the only lefthander, had to leave Saturday night's game with a strained groin.

"He's pretty sore," manager Jim Tracy reported after a meaningless 5-3 loss that had the atmosphere of an early spring training game, with the exception of the fact that more than 50,000 people were watching. "We won't rule him in and we won't rule him out."

De La Rosa will throw a bullpen session during Tuesday's workout at Citizens Bank Park. At that point, a determination could be made whether he'll be available for Game 3 or 4 back at Coors Field next weekend.

Tracy said Ubaldo Jimenez will start Game 1 Wednesday afternoon.

He didn't say it, but Aaron Cook will start Game 2 Thursday afternoon.

After that it could be De La Rosa, it could be Marquis or it could even be Jose Contreras, although Tracy has indicated he'd like to have him as an option in the bullpen.

Not surprisingly, Tracy said his team must keep Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino off base and keep Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth in the park if they want to advance.

"There are two big keys in my opinion competing against them. One is doing the very best job you can do controlling the top of their order. And trying to hold the big guys in the middle at bay as best you can. Because if you don't do things that way, they have the capability of putting big numbers up. And that would be bad," he said.

Given the Phillies well-documented bullpen worries, the early innings of these first-round games could be even more important than usual.

The Phillies would hope to build a big lead, taking the pressure off the relievers.

The Rockies believe if they can stay close or go ahead, they would have the edge.