The Colorado Rockies have officially started their spring season in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Rockies are projected to finish in the middle of the NL West, but here are a few reasons why Colorado can make a run for a division title.
First, offensive firepower is never a question with the Rockies. Year in and year out the team hits really well, finishing in the top five in all of Major League Baseball in batting average. Last season second baseman DJ LeMahieu won the NL batting title, hitting .348. Center fielder Charlie Blackmon finished fourth in NL batting average, posting a solid .324. Last season star third baseman Nolan Arenado led the NL in home runs with 41 and led the MLB in RBI’s with 133. Scoring runs will not be an issue for the Rockies this season.
Second, pitching has been the achilles heel for the Rockies the past few seasons. It comes with the territory that pitching in Denver is never a player’s first choice due to the high elevation. However, there is a lot of positive chatter surrounding the mound for Colorado this season. Jon Gray looks to become the Rockies ace in his sophomore season after winning 10 games last season, including a sixteen strike-out game and placing sixth in Rookie of the Year voting. Tyler Anderson, Tyler Chatwood, and Chad Bettis all have potential to be very good MLB pitchers and with Adam Ottavino back from Tommy John and the acquiring of Greg Holland, the Rockies will have the ability to seal close games. Ottavino returned at the end of last season, racking up seven saves with a 2.67 ERA.
Third, along with Holland joining the Rockies in 2017, Ian Desmond has joined the team to fill the void at first base. Desmond has proven himself as a solid everyday player in his career, playing shortstop for the Nationals and center field for the Rangers, and hitting .285 in 2016. Tom Murphy had only 44 at-bat’s last season, but hit for a decent .273, and the coaches love his swing. The catcher battle will be very interesting between him and Tony Walters.
Fourth, the Rockies have two rising stars. Short stop Trevor Story and left fielder David Dahl are looking to continue their success in their sophomore seasons. Trevor Story exploded onto the scene in 2016 when he hit six home-runs in his first four games, a rookie record. Before a torn ligament in his thumb that cut his season short, Story hit .271 with 21 homeruns and finished fourth in ROY voting. Dahl also started his career on fire, hitting .315 in 222 at-bats for the Rockies. He is currently out for two weeks with a rib injury, but is expected to make a full recovery before the regular season begins.
Fifth, Colorado hired a new manager in the off-season after announcing that Walt Weiss would not be returning in 2017. Bud Black will be taking over that role and the team is hoping that the change can create a spark for the Rockies in the up-coming season. The 2010 Manager of the Year recipient was fired by the Padres in 2015 and was out of baseball last year. Black isn’t in this alone however, with veterans like Carlos Gonzales and Blackmon to help with the transition of leadership in the clubhouse.
All-in-all, the Rockies are putting a good team on the field this year, and pre-season expectations are as high as ever. Although injuries have plagued Colorado the past few seasons, talent is not an issue. If they can stay healthy in 2017 and the bullpen can hold their own, the Rockies are a team with potential to make some noise in the NL West.
