At the end of the 2007 season, 25-year-old Panamanian relief pitcher Manuel Corpas had a shot at being the closer for the Colorado Rockies. The rhythm of regular closer Brian Fuentes was off, and the Rockies needed a spark. Corpas stepped in, converting 19 of 22 save opportunities and posting a scorching 2.08 ERA. He was a primary reason the Rockies made the magical run to the World Series, and his future looked bright. Three years later, the 28-year-old pitcher is a shell of his former self on the mound, posting a lackluster 4.62 ERA, and converting 10 of 14 save opportunities. The Rockies have apparently given up on Corpas, releasing him yesterday with nearly $4 million left on his contract, notes The Denver Post.

Corpas underwent elbow ligament surgery in September, virtually guaranteeing that he wouldn’t play much in 2011, and Rockies appear to be moving on. Corpas was bestowed a fat contract after the 2007 season, but he showed up to training camp “out of shape and out of practice, having lost movement on his sinker and had become incredibly hittable,” writes Purple Row. On top of it all, he couldn’t stay healthy.

One pitcher who hopefully isn’t going anywhere for a while Ubaldo Jimenez, the understated starting pitcher who posted franchise records for wins (19) and ERA (2.88) in 2010. Jimenez finished third in the National League Cy Young voting yesterday, losing out to former Arvada West star Roy Halladay, who had a brilliant season for the Philadelphia Phillies. Inside the Rockies points out that Jimenez is just the third pitcher in Rockies history to receive votes for the NL Cy Young, behind Jeff Francis (2007) and Marvin Freeman (1994).