A year ago at this time, the Rockies were just months removed from their second consecutive playoff season. It was the first time in the franchise’s existence that it had earned back-to-back playoff berths, and Colorado likely expected the good times to keep rolling in 2019. Instead, the Rockies ended up as one of the majors’ worst teams, finishing 71-91 en route to a fourth-place standing in the National League West.
We’re nearing a new season, but the Rockies don’t look like a team that’ll make a significant rebound in 2020. For one, multiple teams in the Rockies’ division figure to serve as roadblocks to potential improvement. The Dodgers should find themselves among the game’s best teams again, while the Diamondbacks and Padres look to have gotten better since last season.
The Rockies, like their division-rival Giants, have done little to nothing to bolster their roster since the previous campaign concluded. They’ve signed only one major league free agent – inexpensive right-hander Jose Mujica – and have managed to alienate their franchise player. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who signed a seven-year, $234MM extension last February, has come up in trade talks in recent months. Additionally, he has expressed his unhappiness toward the Rockies for not upgrading the roster around him.
Despite an offseason of rumors, the 28-year-old remains a Rockie – someone they’re currently hoping will help them back to playoff position this season. But it doesn’t appear he has a ton of offensive support beyond shortstop Trevor Story and the outfield tandem of Charlie Blackmon and David Dahl. Meanwhile, Colorado’s rotation was ghastly a year ago, but there haven’t been notable changes in that area. The club’s instead betting on bounce-back years from holdovers such as Kyle Freeland, Wade Davis, Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw.
While they’ve done almost nothing on paper to improve themselves since last year’s woeful showing, there’s internal optimism the Rockies will be much better this season. Owner Dick Monfort said earlier this month he believes the Rockies will win 94 games. That’s an especially sanguine prediction for an organization that has never amassed more than 92 victories in a season. Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections strongly disagree with Monfort, pegging the Rockies for 77 wins. Granted, those projections aren’t the end-all, be-all – they called for an 85-win Rockies season before 2019 – so perhaps Monfort’s not as delusional as he seems. Regardless, assuming they begin the season with Arenado on their roster, how do you expect the Rockies’ year to turn out?
(Poll link for app users)
Massive changes happening after a 100 loss season
Every year is a “bounce-back” year for the Rockies. Perpetually terrible.
I think they’ll be a little better but yes, their division presents a challenge. It’s really too bad for them that Jeff Hoffman seems to have flamed out as a top pitching prospect. He was the “prize” when they sent Tulo to Toronto.
As much as it sucks that we did nothing in the offseason, I think people are TOO HARD on the Rockies.
NOTHING went right in 2019, and it’s undoubtedly our floor not what we’re probably gonna be.
I still think we miss the playoffs, but no way are we a bottom feeder again.
70 or fewer
Stannis, is that you?
1. They’ve managed to piss off their star player by doing nothing.
2. They’ve done nothing.
3. They got Ubaldo Jiminez.
94 wins.
They only need pretty much 90% of the pitching staff to have bounce back seasons or resurrect their careers. Super easy to do in Colorado. 97 wins
Last year was Tim Melville, this year is Ubaldo. Next year? Chris Tillman
I believe signing Ubaldo falls under the guise of “be careful what you wish for…you just might get it”
davis, shaw and mcgee bouncing back is not going to help the rotation. Seems an odd statement Mr Byrne.
only bounce back year if they play with ricochet biscuits
What is the over/under # of garbage cans needed by the Rockies to make the playoffs in 2020?
The key for the Rockies is the month of April. Last season, the Rockies got off to a very poor start losing 18 out of 21 or something like that. And even though, they played as well as anyone from May-July and got back to .500, injuries caught up to them by the All Star Break.
They were not really a bad team last year, they just had a bad month that they couldn’t overcome. August and September can be overlooked because it was mainly the Rockies lineup combined with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes pitching staff.
I do look for a strong bounce back year IF April goes well. If not, then it could be a long year.
They’re as good as we thought they were!
And we let em off the hook!
The rockies fan in me says yes. But I know it wont happen. But if they do, I have a feeling itll be on bullpen arms that are not in the majors yet
Arenado has apparently never spoken to Larry Walker or Todd Helton. The Rockies rarely spend big on free agents and when they do the results are usually bad (Mike Hampton, Denny Neagle, Wade Davis, Ian Desmond just to name a few). If Nolan is really upset than he has not been paying attention all these years.
PECOTA has their over/under at about 76.5 wins, and I’d be pretty comfortable taking the under.
It’s always “Well, what are the odds that their pitching will be that bad again this year?” and the odds are always very high.
Poor performance and injuries proved disastrous to the Rockies pitching last year. There were sub-par efforts by some other players also. However, Arenado and Story are the best left side of the infield in baseball. I hope other players and pitchers can elevate their game. If not, then it should be time for Bridich and Bud Black to move on.
Padres get Davis, Shaw,
Davis has a 15 mill vesting option for 2021 if he finishes 30 games, Bryan Shaw has a 9 mill option that vests if he finishes 40 games appears in 60 in 2019 or 110 from 2019-2020.
Rockies get Myers Guerra and Bolanos and stick Myers at 1st.
Money is about equal with a little more heading the Padres way in 2020 and 2021 compared to Myers.
That deal doesn’t really make any sense for SD unless it’s a pure dump of Myers. In that scenario Padres would immediately have to cut Davis and Shaw. SD has at least a dozen relievers who are better than those guys at this point, I don’t even know if those guys would make the El Paso bullpen in AAA.
It doesn’t make sense for the Rockies, either. After 2020, Desmond is the only really bad contract still on the books. The last thing Colorado needs is an infielder or bad outfielder. They have plenty of internal options they should be giving an opportunity.
Padres already have what looks like a solid bullpen so Davis and Shaw would be excess spending for the sake of spending and wouldn’t really improve over what the Padres have.
For the Rockies, there is zero use for Myers on their roster. Blackmon is settled in RF, they already have overpaid players in Ian Desmond and Daniel Murphy at 1B with Desmond also factoring in the Outfield mix.
If the Padres are going to trade Myers it will probably be Boston or bust.
If Arenado can’t be happy looking down at the field from his pile of cash than shut up and play and exercise the opt out on his contract in 2 years.
Playing under the circus tent in Denver you never know. Break-even at 82 wins.
They playing 164 games this year?
Trade Arenado for pitching.
73-89