December 9, 2008, 2:48 pm est

The Denver Post reports Colorado Rockies SP Jeff Francis will not pitch for Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

October 9, 2008, 11:10 am est

Beset by injury and ineffectiveness for much of the first half, Francis finished strongly (3.50 ERA, 27/9 K/BB ratio after All-Star break) and should carry that momentum into 2009.

September 17, 2008, 2:20 pm est

Jeff Francis will be shut down for the remainder of the season after developing slight shoulder soreness again, according to the Denver Post. Francis said, "It's been a forgettable year from an individual standpoint."He will be replaced in the rotation Wednesday by Livan Hernandez. The shoulder pain prevented Francis from getting on track, and he ended the year with a 4-10 record and 5.01 ERA.

September 17, 2008, 11:40 am est

After tying the Rockies' single-season record with 17 wins last year, Francis got off to a slow start in 2008. He didn't win his first game until his ninth start and was 3-7 with a 5.67 ERA when he was forced to miss all of July with inflammation in his left shoulder. Though his record didn't show it -- he was 1-3 in seven starts -- Francis pitched much better after returning from the disabled list on Aug. 7. He matched a career high by tossing six straight quality outings (six innings, three or fewer runs) since Aug. 13 and had a 2.82 ERA during that span. "We just feel that the volume of work he's put back in play since he's been back has been so encouraging that we don't want to red-line it to finish things out," manager Clint Hurdle said.

September 17, 2008, 10:15 am est

The Associated Press reports Colorado Rockies SP Livan Hernandez will take Jeff Francis' (shoulder) rotation spot.

Status: Out. Out for the season
The Rockies announced that they're scratching Jeff Francis from his start Tuesday and shutting him down for the rest of the season. Uh oh. Francis has been dealing with renewed soreness in his shoulder in his last two starts. "There’s some discomfort," he said. "I don’t think it’s anything serious." Considering that he was on the DL earlier this season with something that also wasn't supposed to be serious, there's going to be good reason for concern entering 2009. Livan Hernandez will start in his place against the Padres.