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Saunders: Early takes on Rockies’ bullpen, Clayton Kershaw, Nolan Arenado’s hot start

Observations, impressions, opinions and overreactions from the first week of the major league season:

* The Rockies’ 5-2 start (through Friday) is encouraging and some of the early numbers are eye-popping, but none more so than this: Colorado’s bullpen led the majors with a 0.86 ERA (three earned runs over 31 1/3 innings), and its five saves were tied for first.

That’s unsustainable, of course, especially given the Coors Field factor. Multiply that 0.86 ERA by five and you get a 4.30, a number that would still be good by the Rockies’ standards.

I was skeptical about the bullpen, and remain so, but lefty Ty Blach, as well as right-handers Tyler Kinley and Justin Lawrence, are intriguing pieces to the puzzle.