Top Offseason Priorities
According to CBS Sports,the Colorado Rockies were right in the middle-of-the-pack of MLB teams with a payroll of nearly $131 million (ranking 16th of 30 teams). Carlos Gonzalez was the big-ticket item, making over $20 million.
He was also a big disappointment. In the offseason, the team added Ian Desmond, Greg Holland, and Jake McGee. The two relievers pitched well, but Desmond struggled.
Heading into this offseason, the team has eight departing free agents, including three relievers who were quite good for them in 2017.
This is how the lineup and rotation look for 2018 based on their current roster, with salaries from Cot’s Baseball Contracts at Baseball Prospectus:
- C Tony Wolters, pre-arbitration
- 1B Ian Desmond, $22 million
- 2B DJ LeMahieu, arbitration-eligible (projected: $8.8 million)
- SS Trevor Story, pre-arbitration
- 3B Nolan Arenado, $17.75 million
- LF Raimel Tapia, pre-arbitration
- CF Charlie Blackmon, arbitration-eligible (projected: $13.4 million)
- RF Gerardo Parra, $10 million
- SP Chad Bettis, arbitration-eligible (projected: $1.5 million)
- SP Jon Gray, pre-arbitration
- SP Tyler Anderson, pre-arbitration
- SP German Marquez, pre-arbitration
- SP Kyle Freeland, pre-arbitration
- RP Michael Dunn, $7 million
- RP Adam Ottavino, $7 million
- RP Chris Rusin, arbitration-eligible (projected: $1.4 million)
Free agents: RF Carlos Gonzalez, C Jonathan Lucroy, RP Greg Holland, RP Jake McGee, RP Pat Neshek, 1B Mark Reynolds, SP Tyler Chatwood, C Ryan Hanigan
One of the keys to the Rockies’ success last season was their strong bullpen. Now, three of their top four relievers are free agents. Closer Greg Holland could have picked up a $15 million dollar player option but elected to become a free agent. He’s looking for a multi-year deal similar to the four-year, $62 million contract Mark Melancon got with the Giants last offseason. Jake McGee and Pat Neshek are also free agents.
If Holland, McGee, and Neshek don’t re-sign with the Rockies, the team will go back to the drawing board to create an effective bullpen. They have Michael Dunn, Adam Ottavino, and Chris Rusin signed for next season. Rusin was good this year, but Dunn and Ottavino had their struggles.
Deciding what to do about the catcher position is another top priority. The team would like to bring back free agent Jonathan Lucroy, who came over in a trade from the Texas Rangers in July.
He hit .310/.429/.437 in 46 games after the deal, and his veteran presence could be used with such a young group of starting pitchers. If he signs elsewhere, the catcher position will be left to Tony Walters and Tom Murphy.
Walters somehow had 266 plate appearances last season and slugged just .284 despite playing half his games in the best hitter’s park in the big leagues. He didn’t hit a single home run. He was good on defense, but a sinkhole on offense.
Tom Murphy was the #97 prospect on the Baseball America Top-100 before the 2016 season. He’s hit .297/.336/.567 in 151 games at the Triple-A level but has just 114 plate appearances across three seasons in the major leagues.
Murphy will be 27 years old next year. It’s about time the Colorado Rockies either give him a legitimate shot at playing time or trade him to someone who will.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
If Ian Desmond remains at first base, then the infield for the Colorado Rockies is set with Desmond, LeMahieu, Story, and Arenado.
Another option would be to re-sign Mark Reynolds to play first and move Desmond to the outfield. Or the team could look for a free agent first baseman and move Desmond to the outfield.
Blackmon will be back in center field, and Gerardo Parra will get some time in the outfield corners.
A couple of younger players should get playing time at the corners also. Raimel Tapia hit .288/.329/.425 in 171 plate appearances last year while playing both left and right field.
Another young outfielder, David Dahl, will try to come back from a season lost to injury. He had a stress reaction in his rib during spring training and missed most of the year. In 17 games in Triple-A, he hit .243/.274/.414.
This is a guy who was a top-100 prospect four years in a row before hitting .315/.359/.500 in 63 games with the Rockies in 2016. If he comes back healthy, he should claim left field for himself.
Then there’s Carlos Gonzalez, who has been with the Rockies since 2009. He’s coming off the worst season of his career and is a free agent, but many fans would like to see him back with the Colorado Rockies. As with many things in life, it depends on the money involved and how much Gonzalez might get on the free agent market.
Next: 25 Most Memorable MLB Postseason Moments
The Colorado Rockies have some moves to make this offseason to get back to the playoffs next year. They’ll still have the dynamic duo of Blackmon and Arenado to power the offense, but need a catcher and some bullpen help. Also, much will depend on their young starters continuing to pitch well. Rockies fans are hoping Bud Black can build on a successful first season.