Rockies will look to reload for 2010

DENVER • The face of the franchise (Todd Helton) and the future of the franchise (Troy Tulowitzki) will return next season. So will the most reliable arms in Ubaldo Jimenez and Aaron Cook. And steady youngsters Carlos Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler should be back.

Expect pitchers Jeff Francis and Taylor Buchholz to rebound from injuries that sidelined them the entire season. Look for the addition of a right-handed hitter with some pop and a decent glove. Don’t waste time thinking manager Jim Tracy won’t sign a long-term deal.

The Rockies aren’t rebuilding. They’re reloading, determined to keep together a talented nucleus of versatile players who produced a franchise-record 92 wins, including a 74-42 mark after Tracy replaced Clint Hurdle, and the second playoff appearance in three years.

And they’re not shy about calling a World Series title a realistic goal. Not after they went 45-29 the second half of the season for the best record in the National League, were second to the Dodgers by three games in the NL West and gave Philadelphia a run for its money in a 3-1 defeat in the NL Division Series, which ended Monday in heartbreaking fashion.

Following a 5-4 loss in which closer Huston Street blew a save by giving up three runs in the ninth inning, Tracy told his team to embrace “the door of opportunity in front of you. We knocked on it. We stuck our head in there.To get all the way through it and play that last game of the year and win, you have to keep pounding on that door.”

“You can’t go away,” he said. “You can’t show up three or four years later and have it be real new to you again. You have to continue to push the envelope. Move forward and try to give yourself the opportunity to go back year after year after year.”

With a team-high $75.2 million payroll, Colorado has Francis and outfielder Brad Hawpe signed through 2010; Helton, Cook and injured setup man Manuel Corpas through 2011; Jimenez through 2012; and Tulowitzki through 2013.

Those with expiring contracts include Gonzalez; Fowler; infielders Garrett Atkins, Clint Barmes, Jason Giambi, Ian Stewart and Omar Quintanilla; catchers Yorvit Torrealba and Chris Iannetta; outfielders Ryan Spilborghs, Seth Smith and Eric Young Jr.; and pitchers Jorge De La Rosa, Jason Hammel, Jason Marquis, Franklin Morales and Jose Contreras.

“To battle back from where we were and be able to get into the playoffs, there’s a lot to be said for what we did,” said Helton, who hit .325 with 15 home runs and 86 RBIs but was 3-for-16 in the NLDS. “I just wish we could have taken it a little bit further.”

Barmes said, “I’m really hoping a lot of these guys will be back next year. And there’s no reason we can’t have another chance to do this again.”