Mark Knudson’s Three Strikes Blog: Strike Three:
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Rockies high priced vets have to step it up, too…
STRIKE THREE: Much has been said and written here and elsewhere about the need for a young player on the Colorado Rockies roster to ‘step up’ this season and become an unexpected standout, ala Max Muncy of the Dodgers last season. Garrett Hampsen. Ryan MacMahon, Brendan Rodgers, Ramiel Tapia. Someone. Any of the above.
As spring training grinds on, this remains the case. It appears that Hampsen and MacMahon have a leg up on perhaps sharing the second base position – at least at the start of the season – Rodgers will probably get his at-bats in Triple A to start with, and Tapia could make the team as a fourth outfielder. That’s all fine and good.
It’s not enough, however.
A handful of veterans have to step it up, too.
The Rockies made the post season last year despite having the single worst collective offensive season in team history. First time ever that the Colorado Rockies didn’t have a .300 hitter – and the worst team batting average (.256) in their 26 years.
That can’t happen again if Colorado expects to make it three post-seasons in a row.
That means much of the everyday line-up has to produce more than it did last season. Hello Ian Desmond.
The Rockies high priced free agent signing from 2017 had an overall lousy offensive season last year – even if he did hit 22 home runs and drive in 88 runs. He hit a meager .236 and had a WAR of negative .06…while making $22 mil. If Desmond can hit .260 this year, with say, 28 homers and 100 RBI, the Rockies offensive will be markedly improved. That’s not asking too much. He’s moving (back) to centerfield this season, meaning his defense has to get better, too.
Then there’s another high priced free agent signing that has yet to pay dividends: relief pitcher Bryan Shaw. His 2018 numbers are downright ugly: A 5.93 ERA. A career high WHIP of 7.93. A career high nine home runs given up, a career high tying 28 walks in just 54.2 innings (lowest since his rookie season) and another negative WAR of -1.1. All this while being paid $7.5 mil.
We can add holdover Jake McGee to this list. He was pretty bad last season, too. Career high 6.49 ERA and 10 homers given up. He made $7 mil last year while recording yet another negative WAR of – .08.
These guys are all veterans with solid resumes and a history of being well above average players. If the two pitchers can pull things together, it helps offset the loss of Adam Ottovino. If together they can get their ERA’s down around 3.50, their WHIP back down to a manageable 1.20 or so, keep the ball in the yard (fewer than 12 home runs allowed between them) and end up on the plus side of the WAR stat, then they will have done their jobs.
While many expect the Rockies starting pitchers to regress slightly (and if Jon Gray bounces back, that won’t necessarily be the case,) if the offense improves and the bullpen remains steady, Colorado could win their first NL West title this season.
