Rockies manager Bud Black, the former big-league pitcher, has a checklist of qualities he looks for in his starters:
- Understanding, and fully embracing, their important role on the team.
- The ability to bring quality stuff to the mound every fifth day.
- Consistently throwing strikes, getting ahead in counts, and avoiding walks.
- Having the confidence to throw breaking balls when they’re behind in the count.
- The ability to defuse explosive innings by making big pitches in big moments.
“They have to, for lack of a better term, ‘get it done,'” Black said.