Black sees rotation as equal to Dodgers’

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.» Bud Black is not a man prone to hyperbole or empty praise, especially when it comes to starting pitchers. After all, Black was a pitcher for parts of 15 big-league seasons. He sets the bar high.

So, when the Rockies’ manager makes a bold statement, as he did Wednesday morning, you take notice.

On the first official day of spring training, Black was asked if the Rockies’ rotation was “as good as or better than” that of the Dodgers, who’ve won the National League West six years running.

“The Dodgers have a very good rotation, and these are different rotations because they are different pitchers,” Black answered. “But we feel like on any given night, any given start, we can match up with anybody.”

Black noted that the Dodgers are always at the top of the team pitching statistics. It’s clear Black is bullish on Colorado’s rotation.

For the record, last season, Colorado’s rotation posted a 4.17 ERA, which was the second-lowest in franchise history, behind only the 2009 team (4.10). Rockies starters logged 84 quality starts, the third-most in franchise history and most since the 2010 squad posted 86 quality starts.

Left-hander Kyle Freeland, who finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting with a 2.85 ERA (lowest by a starter for a full season in franchise history), agreed with Black.

“We are a rotation that isn’t a stranger to this level of play,” Freeland said. “We feel like we can compete and belong with the upper echelon of pitchers — one through five in the rotation, and beyond that.”