Pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez made the passage last season from a young major leaguer with unlimited potential to one the Rockies identified as part of their core group of players going forward.

Tangible financial proof of that journey unfolded Tuesday when Jimenez and the club agreed on a four-year contract that will guarantee him $10 million. The deal contains club options for $5.75 million in 2013 and $8 million for 2014, meaning Jimenez could earn $22.75 million in salary over the life of the deal.

"That's something that's going to make me work harder every day to try to be better," said Jimenez from his home in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. "To be there for my team, because they trust me."

If the Rockies exercise their options, they can buy Jimenez out of his final season of arbitration eligibility and first year of free agency.

The contract continues the Rockies' trend to attempt to lock up core players with multiyear contracts. Deals with players such as Troy Tulowitzki, Brad Hawpe, Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis and Manuel Corpas have enabled the Rockies to avoid being at the mercy of the arbitration process and to extend the club's cost certainty into the beginning of each player's free agency. The player, in return, receives the security of a guaranteed income, even in the event of injury.

Jimenez's deal includes an additional $250,000 in performance bonuses each year for innings pitched, beginning at 200 and topping out at 240. Last year, his first full season in the majors, he overcame a poor start - he was 1-6 with a 5.37 ERA on June 1 after his 12th start and averaged 51/3 innings per outing - to finish 12-12 with a 3.99 ERA in 1982/3 innings and a team-

leading 34 starts.

While Jimenez made notable progress last year, general manager Dan O'Dowd said Tuesday that Jimenez has plenty of room for improvement. This multiyear contract likely ensures Jimenez, who turned 25 Thursday, an opportunity to do so with the Rockies.

"We understand what our gambles and risks are," O'Dowd said. "He understands what they are. We love the kid. We know the kid. We know his character and integrity. We've seen how much he's matured into a man."

The Rockies will be counting heavily on Jimenez this year in a rotation that likely will include Cook, newcomer Jason Marquis and Jorge De La Rosa to start the season but not Francis.

Still bothered by inflammation in his left shoulder, Francis is throwing from a distance of 90 feet but has yet to get on a mound and seems destined to be on the disabled list when the regular season begins April 6.

"He's a month behind in his throwing program right now," O'Dowd said. "So logically, there's almost no way he'll be ready for Opening Day because he's a month behind. . . . So if everything goes great right now and he takes off, come April 1, he's still going to be a month behind and if he's any less than that, it's still going to be two, three weeks."

The contracts

How the Rockies have contractually tied up core players.

UBALDO JIMENEZ, RHP

* Age: 25

* Service time: 1 year, 87 days

* Owed: $10 million

* Details: Four-year contract runs through 2012, with club options for 2013, Jimenez's final year of arbitration eligibility, and 2014, his first year of free agency

* Salary breakdown

2009: $750,000

2010: $1.25 million

2011: $2.8 million

2012: $4.2 million

2013: $5.75 million club option with $1 million buyout

2014: $8 million club option with $1 million buyout

TROY TULOWITZKI, SS

* Age: 24

* Service time: 2 years, 33 days

* Owed: $30.25 million

* Details: Six-year contract runs through 2013, first year Tulowitzki is eligible for free agency, with club option for 2014

* Salary breakdown

2009: $750,000

2010: $3.5 million

2011: $5.5 million

2012: $8.5 million

2013: $10 million

2014: $15 million club option with $2 million buyout

AARON COOK, RHP

* Age: 30 on Feb. 8

* Service time: 6 years, 20 days

* Owed: $27.5 million

* Details: Contract runs through 2011, Cook's third year of free agency, with mutual option for 2012

* Salary breakdown

2009: $8.75 million

2009: $9 million

2011: $9.25 million

2012: $11 million mutual option with $500,000 buyout

BRAD HAWPE, OF

* Age: 29

* Service time: 4 years, 58 days

* Owed: $13.5 million

* Details: Contract runs through 2010, Hawpe's final year of arbitration eligibility, with club option for 2011, his first year of free agency

* Salary breakdown

2009: $5.5 million

2010: $7.5 million

2011: $10 million club option with $500,000 buyout

JEFF FRANCIS, LHP

* Age: 28

* Service time: 4 years, 40 days

* Owed: $9.5 million

* Details: Contract runs through 2010, Francis' final year of arbitration eligibility, with club option for 2011, his first year of free agency

* Salary breakdown

2009: $3.75 million

2010: $5.75 million

2011: $7 million club option

MANUEL CORPAS, RHP

* Age: 26

* Service time: 2 years, 76 days

* Owed: $7.25 million

* Details: Contract runs through 2011, with club options for 2012, Corpas' final year of arbitration eligibility, and 2013, his first year of free agency

* Salary breakdown

2009: $750,000

2010: $2.75 million

2011: $3.5 million

2012: $6 million club option with $250,000 buyout

2013: $8 million club option with $500,000 buyout

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