Although team chemistry is difficult to gauge and impossible to measure, there’s little doubt to the positive impact made by lead-by-example types Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon, per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. While Arenado and Blackmon make the culture what it is with their intensity and work ethic – as they should since they’re the two highest paid players on the team – they’re not necessarily vocal leaders. Someone will have to step into the void left by the departures of Carlos Gonzalez, Gerardo Parra and DJ LeMahieu, three players who handled a brunt of the interpersonal clubhouse responsibilities last season. Parra kept the mood light, LeMahieu fueled the competitive spirit, and CarGo took on the responsibility of access, making himself available to the press more often than not. The latter is an interesting and important responsibility, as some guys are better than others at shutting out the noise that comes with playing professionally. Mark Reynolds figures to be a top candidate to take on some of the emotional management of the Rockies’ clubhouse, but other veterans like Ian Desmond and Chris Iannetta will have the opportunity to play more of a leadership role as well. More from Saunders on the Rockies 2019 season…
- In a separate piece for the Denver Post, Saunders notes that manager Bud Black likes the potency of Blackmon’s bat at the top of the lineup, and he plans to keep him there for 2019. With slugging percentages of .552, .601, and .502 the last three seasons, Blackmon fits the mold of a more traditional middle of the order bat, but Black likes the threat of the home run ball from the jump. LeMahieu handles roughly half of last season’s leadoff responsibilities (with Blackmon bumped to second), but with him in New York there will be a new face at the top of the Rockies lineup. Daniel Murphy figures to fit somewhere in the top of the order mix, but youngster Garrett Hampson is another natural choice to play himself into the conversation. With walk rates between 9.0% and 15.4% in his three minor league seasons, along with solid contact rates, Hampson has the potential to match LeMahieu’s contact ability while adding to it a more disciplined approach.
- Whereas most of the league is turning to fluid bullpen roles and innovations like the Opener and the multi-inning stopper, Black and the Rockies maintain a more traditional bullpen philosophy, writes Saunders. Black prefers not only to have a standard closer, but also a regular eighth inning arm. Wade Davis figures to return to the closer role, but with Adam Ottavino gone, the eighth inning is up for grabs. A spring competition ought to iron out the exact bullpen roles, with Seunghwan Oh and Scott Oberg the odds-on favorites to land the setup gig, with veterans Bryan Shaw and Jake McGee peripheral contenders. Oberg made major strides last seasons, earning Black’s trust down the stretch last season as he cut his walk rate from a career 4.2 BB/9 to 1.8 BB/9 in 2018.
Daniel Murphy is gonna hit a ton in Colorado
I agree. He will have a career year. With the effect of altitude, the rockies should go after as many high contact bats they can.
If he stays healthy, he will have MVP stats like the old Rockies.
He could. We hope. No guarantee. Example – Ian Desmond.
I don’t see the bullpen holding up. Ottavino was the glue, I’d see Bud Black use him in basically any situation, occasionally for multiple innings, and more often than not he’d get the job done. Will be tough to replace somebody like that.
Whatever happens, just let Dhal, Tapia and McManon play and quit screwing them around.
Dahl is 100% a starter
Tapia will have to earn playing time over Ian Desmond
McMahon will have to earn playing time over Garrett Hampson
The Rockies haven’t been your poster boys for “fair” competition. They’ve played the worse IAN Desmond and Gerardo Parra in recent years v giving those guys a real chance. I suspect dollars owed had a big reason in that occurring.
McMahon got his chance at 2B last year. He didn’t live up to expectations. Dahl has been injured for the greater portion of his young career, Tapia is really the only one who hasn’t been given as many ABs as he should, but his bat wasn’t worth getting rid of a Gold Glover in Parra in the OF regularly. Now that Parra is gone, he should be given his chance.
McMahon never got a fair crack at any playing time last season. They kept him on the major league bench in the first half giving him sporadic PH abs and maybe 2 starts a week if he was lucky. Very few young guys are going to come up and be successful playing like that.
If you really think that 200 career AB over 2 seasons is a “chance” that would cause a GM to give up on a 24 year old player, then none of the rest of this will make any sense to you. Makemakika to a keiki.
McMahon hit .337/.376/.577/.953 with 25 HR in 513 AB in AAA over the past 2 seasons and will be 24 this upcoming season. In 2018 he had 224 AB in 2 months in the minors and just 181 in the majors in over 4 months. He only started 37 games in 91 games over 124 days in the majors. In 47 of his 91 games in the majors last season he got just one AB. He did not play enough in the majors to get a good read on what he can do when he starts every day. He will get his shots in Colorado.
Tapia will be 25 this upcoming season and has had 233 AB in the majors. He has hit very well in the minors as well. .330/.367 in 801 ABs in AAA over the past 3 seasons. But he only hit 13 HR.
McMahon is being miscast as a second basemen. they need to pull the plug on that like yesterday
No manager in his right mind is going to bench a better player when his employment depends on winning.
Produce consistently when given the opportunity. You earn trust. You receive more at bats. Bud Black needs to see evidence you can produce so he sees you as an asset.
Ottovino was very inconsistent until he had his career year last season. I look for Oberg to really bust out this year. Also, Shaw and McGee could turn it around.
My area of concern is not the pitching, but catching is a very poor position. Those stiffs hit:a combined .206 last year.
Shaw and McGee have to improve. Could either be worse than they’ve been? They were thieves last year.