Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado may be the best soon-to-be free agent in baseball, but team owner Dick Monfort has expressed optimism that the four-time All-Star won’t even reach the open market next winter, per Thomas Harding of MLB.com. “I think we’ve gotten it to the point where we’re to the finals,” Monfort said of a potential multiyear contract for Arenado. “We’re to the crescendo.” Arenado and the Rockies have already reached one agreement this offseason, having come to terms on a lucrative, arbitration-avoiding contract for 2019 on Thursday, and that may be a sign the two sides are progressing toward a long-term arrangement. Notably, regarding a potential multiyear pact for Arenado, Monfort declared: “I’m comfortable that we can get a number that we can get to. There are a lot of things that have to go through Nolan’s mind, too. But I’m confident that after we met, Nolan wants this to happen as much as we do.”
- More from Harding, who contradicts a recent report suggesting the Rockies are interested in re-signing free-agent outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. CarGo, 33, was a Rockie from 2009-18, a span in which he was plenty successful, but there’s no indication the club wants him back, Harding hears. Rather, it seems they’re primed to roll with younger options (David Dahl and Raimel Tapia) complementing the veteran tandem of Charlie Blackmon and Ian Desmond in the grass. Colorado also doesn’t seem to have an opening at first base for Gonzalez, Harding notes, as the team has signed Daniel Murphy and Mark Reynolds (the latter only landed a minor league deal, though).
- Slugger Evan Gattis is one of many familiar names remaining in free agency as spring training nears, though it’s possible he’ll return to Houston. Gattis said Saturday, via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle, that “various people from the Astros organization” have stayed in touch with him this offseason. An Astro from 2015-18, Gattis – an experienced catcher – was almost exclusively a designated hitter last year, but the Astros haven’t addressed the DH position since the campaign concluded. They instead may end up starting Tyler White, who was quietly excellent across 244 plate appearances in 2018. The 32-year-old Gattis, meanwhile, only offered league-average offense and replacement-level value over 451 PAs. As a result, whether from the Astros or another team, he doesn’t figure to rake in a particularly expensive payday in the coming weeks.
Evan Gattis is one of baseballs best stories over the past few years, he needs to keep playing, if not only for seeing his beautiful batting stance
And beard.
Houston makes us sad though. Sign Nelson Cruz? Nope. Go back to Gattis, not enough for champion window.
We like Gattis though, but for an Indian maybe. Cheaper for smaller market and can play some catcher. Astros are pretend for small market but they are big market! Should spend like big market and go for gusto NOW, while a window is open.
They didn’t hire Lunhow because they wanted to spend like a big market team.
I thought hope Lunhow means crafty like small market genius Rays and Oakland, plus Big Bully purse like big market teams.
Championship window is fickle. Correa and Altuve already start to get injuries for pile up. Springer already, blink eyes, 28! Cole and Verlander go after year. And just like that, window close.
The go for gusto time is NOW in Houston.
I can’t read your comments. Slow down, please and thank you.
GareBear, Ejemp does not speak english well but tries so be patient… I get a kick out of it. Have a great evening.
I have no more for excuses. I used to have English help for posts but now try for myself alone.
But still love MLB too much and want teams for trades and signings so we have best baseball, not just business baseball. So I come here to talk with MLBTR friends for share frustrations.
Houston needs dingers from a DH. Wanted them for sign Cruz or even volunteer for eating EE contract. Big arms, bats, stars, highlight baseball on October stages. Guys we love to root for and against in meaningful games.
I have no issues with your language skills. You are far better in English than I am in French or German. Plus, I like your insights.
Makes a good point. Verlander, too, is coming to the end of the line. Astros won’t be championship caliber in a couple years.
Couple of years? Pfft. Maybe you didn’t watch the Astros but Verlander didn’t carry the team on his shoulders, Our guys are young and our farm system is stocked. It won’t last forever but “a couple of years” is ridiculous.
What’s with all the “down” votes to this? Surely those aren’t from Astros fans? Our window will be open for a while but we want multiple titles not to be the Braves of the 90’s. How is that controversial? And I love Captain Caveman but we need a DH who produces consistently.
They are spending like a big market team. They were top 5 last season and they plan to be over $200M this season.
El Oso Blanco!
Country Strong
I can see an AL team like the Rays, O’s or the Royals going for him if he’s willing to work on his catching and not just DH.
He’s actually an underrated catcher. The fact that there are so many horrible catchers throughout the league and this guy isn’t signed is a joke.
I remember watching Gattis in Atlanta. He had issues catching balls in the dirt. A surprising number dribbled out of his mitt. I don’t know if he still has that problem.
Provided that MIA trades Realmuto – I don’t see why Gattis couldn’t be a platoon C that could be a nice late-inning bat. He would be an interesting choice, even for a NL team.
How many years will Arenado get? I think 8 and $220
Arenado and Machado have link tied contract number. If Machado gets only 7/175 from ChiSox then Arenado gets same ballpark number.
However, we like Arenado for 8/200 regardless. But only if ownership go for gusto on other contracts too. Trade future to compete now? Blue Jay pitchers come cheap in trade?
Carlos got screwed on the new market. Dodgers can’t trade Pederson bc he has the same value as Carlos.
Joc is much better than CarGo
Jock itch can’t even hit lefties or play right field… Joc wishes to put up the numbers Carlos did.
Actually, CarGo was better in almost every way last year. Even defense.
Please stop with the garbage. Cargo was not better than joc.
He got screwed by being fragile,past his prime, and by being mostly average outside of Coors Field.
The Legend of El Oso Blanco!!
To me, Arenado is more of a generational talent than Machado or Harper. Respectful opinions?
I’d rather have him over Machado or Harper
I think what you said is what I really meant. I wish I said something like “better over-all talent”, because the term I used is really mucky and that’s not what the debate is supposed to be about. Thanks for your simple, direct, honest language.
I wouldn’t consider him “generational” but he is a vastly underrated player. I would consider him a future Hall of Famer.
Arenado
Career OPS in Denver: .984
Career OPS everywhere else: .787
I mean, I guess if Jim Rice made it to the HOF, Arenado gets there too.
Harper at home: .912
Harper away: .882
Harper is the real deal, its sickening this smear campaign against him how suddenly he’s not elite because of made up reasons and not “because owners are greedy liars”.
Arenado’s defense is legitimately top shelf. Even if you give Harper a pass for 2018, his defense is meh at an easier position.
Harper had to get hot to finish with a BA of .248 last year – and he wasn’t injured. He’s a fast runner but a poor baserunner (have seen him play well over 100 games). He’s a poor OF.
Anyone can pull out one stat from 3 dozen to argue that one guy is better than another. So what.
As for the owners – rest assured that their front offices are the ones advising them.
Who TF cares about batting avg. you reference if as if anyone intelligent fan cares about it. You’re just balantly ignorant if you think any damn GM the last 10 years even looks at batting avg.
With runners on first and second in a tie game would you rather have a walk or a single? BA still matters but it needs to be part of the whole view.
I think it matters a little but there is still too many people who thinks it’s the king of offensive stats.
There is only one generational talent right now and it is Mike Trout. Machado and Harper are great but they are not Trout. Just like A-Rod and Ken Griffey Jr were great but they weren’t Barry Bonds.
Please don’t make up your own rules for what phrases mean – “generational talent” does not mean “once in 100 years” thats why the media made removed that “once-in-a-lifetime” crud, and left it more vague so they can apply it to more players. It also might mean “talent that plays in any generation”.
VGJ, Eloy and Wander Franco might be on Trout’s level too, so you better get on board with hearing “generational talent” more often. The players are getting better and better every year.
Generational means “once in a generation.” Not a made up definition. A pretty objective one. So what is a generational talent is dependent on the generation you are in. Your ignorance is showing. Also, claiming top prospects “might be on Trout level” is kind of ridiculous when you actually look at what a Trout level talent looks like. It is irresponsible to project any player no matter how talented to be that level of good.
And yes, idiots like you will keep misusing the term “generational,” and I guess I will have to live with that.
Eloy will bust like Moncado
Harper, Machado and Arenado aren’t Griffey it ARod much less Bonds. The only player we have in that league is Trout but there are some coming.
Not sure what “generational talent” is supposed to signify. It appears to be something the agents for Machado and Harper and the media came up with to get them more money.
Arenado shows up every day to play. He doesn’t do or say the superficial “look at me” things to get himself attention. Were he playing for the Yankees or Red Sox he would be recognized as the best position player in MLB next to Mike Trout…..who doesn’t get his due.
Trout, Machado, and Harper are 26 years old; Arenado 27. Yet only Machado and Harper are referred to as “generational talents”. See how that works?
Literally everyone alive calls Trout a generational talent what are you even talking about?
When you get out of middle school, will you be a “generational talent”?
Ignore steroid and Harper is close for Jose Canseco compare. But Harper is much less speed. Minus hype, and Harper is great but inconsistent bat and discipline eye.
No hype, he gets worthy 8/175. Stay a National and make us love you for one jersey.
so he’s jose canseco except he’s nothing like him?
*More of a* Not just directed at you, Samuel. I should have said plainly “a better all-around talent”, and avoided the confusion. My bad. Yeah I would have to agree that Trout is the only thing like a once-in-a-generation-player. And is Trout truely? Blurry definitions. Who is to say?
This crusade you’re taking up against Harper and Machado is very weird. This “look at me” argument is pathetic. It’s almost as if Arenado didn’t hug a guy in his biggest game of the year. Look at all the attention that got. Oooh, but Harper flipped his hair three years ago. What a selfish player.
Is this really directed at me? I didn’t say I have anything against Harper or Machado, and I don’t. I certainly don’t care about how people wear their hair, nor do I factor it into their baseball ability. I’m also not judging anyone’s character, because I’m not interested in that debate. All I really said is that I think Arenado is a more-talented player. If you think trying to use this site to learn intelligent opinions of other decent fans instead of find people to attack and libel is pathetic, well that’s your problem man. Keep me out of it.
Sorry if you weren’t directing at me.
@ JDGoat3;
Have seen Harper play a lot. Am tired of his “look at me” (and “it’s not my fault” as well) antics…….
Such as when there’s a single to RF with a runner on 1B and he overthrows the cutoff man to attempt to get the runner at 3rd when he had no chance…..so some like the people here Oooo and Ahhhh at his arm strength (he’s also inaccurate)……while the batter moves into scoring position at 2nd when he should have been held to 1st had the cutoff man gotten the throw.
How about when he’s a baserunner on 1st and a ball gets down in the OF – he knocks off his batting cap so we can see his hair flying in the breeze.
Then there’s the shift. He hit .248 last year because he’s too bull-headed (or limited in talent) to hit the ball to wide open spaces left of 2B. He stubbornly tries to hit HR’s to RF and CF. Swings wildly with 2 strikes instead of meeting the ball and putting it in play. Then all year – for 6 years – I have to read from the latest manager sucking up to him, “how much he really wants to win”.
Sure.
Talk about a guy who should top 30 million a year easy?
Arenado?
Arenado a Texas Ranger in 2020 and opening of new stadium to boot.
k
I vote for that! Hope they open the purse strings next season and rebuild that pitching staff. Will have to wait and see who the new park favors, hitters or pitchers.
Arenado is gone. The Rockies have Welker coming. They are not going to make another Helton contract.
Sounds like you may be wrong.
What’s the owner supposed to say? ‘yeah, he’s gone ‘cuz we can’t afford him, but come anyway because we need the money’?
Or do like the Twins and offer a new sandwich and something on a stick every year…
Hahahahahahaha!✌️
yeah, dont think Welker is likely to be half the player that Arenado is.
They have already made another Helton contract 3 times since that Helton contract. Tulowitzki, CarGo and now Blackmon. All over $100 million contracts.
i wouldn’t be too angry if the Phils dont get Harper or Manny and get both Arenado and Betts/Trout next offseason. to be honest, i much prefer Trout and Betts to Harper, and Arenado is probably still better then Manny, even withought the Coors boost.
Tyler White was “excellent” for about a month or so at the end of the season. Wildly mediocre before and during the playoffs.
Gattis has been wildly mediocre for years and he can’t even play first. He should go to Japan or Korea.
Im sure the Astros will offer him a minors deal. He can sell tickets at Round Rock.
I wish the Cardinals could sign Gattis as a backup to Yadi, but I know we have Francisco Peña.