The Rockies are among the growing number of teams with some interest in recently non-tendered outfielder Cody Bellinger, reports Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. The 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP has also been tied to the Blue Jays and Giants in the past few days.
While Bellinger, who has hit just .193/.256/.355 over the past two seasons after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2020, is an obvious reclamation project at this point, he’s also a fairly sensible fit for the Rockies. Colorado center fielders were among the least-productive groups in all of MLB in 2022, slashing .240/.298/.334. The resulting 65 wRC+ was the second-worst mark of any team’s center field group. Bellinger, of course, has been even worse than that tepid output in recent seasons, but any team signing him will be rolling the dice on a return to form — if not all the way back to his MVP-caliber numbers then at least to a once-again productive source of power.
The Rockies have a pretty clear hole in center field, where a combination of Yonathan Daza and Randal Grichuk would be slated to play as things currently stand. Grichuk posted a .259/.299/.425 (88 wRC+) batting line in 2022, falling well shy of the expectations the Rockies had when acquiring him from the Blue Jays.
Daza makes tons of contact and even topped a .300 batting average in 2022, but his .301/.349/.384 slash also draws attention to his complete dearth of power; Daza has just four homers in 844 Major League plate appearances, so any regression in the .347 BABIP he’s enjoyed over the past two seasons could result in far more problematic bottom-line numbers. Defensively, both Grichuk and Daza turned in sub-par marks for their glovework in center field.
Bellinger, for all his warts at the plate over the past two seasons, has maintained at least average defensive marks (well above-average, per Statcast) for his work in center field and provided value on the basepaths. He’d also give some needed balance to a lineup that presently skews very heavily toward the right side of the plate. Third baseman Ryan McMahon and right fielder/designated hitter Charlie Blackmon are the only two lefties assured of any playing time. Corner prospects Michael Toglia (switch-hitter) and Nolan Jones (lefty), the latter of whom was recently acquired in a trade with the Guardians, could also add some balance if they play their way into the mix.
All teams with interest in Bellinger will have to determine just how big a bet they feel comfortable placing on his ability to rebound. The Dodgers clearly weren’t comfortable with his potential arbitration price — MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected an $18.1MM salary — but Bellinger will still command a weighty salary if enough teams join the bidding. Agent Scott Boras recently told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that Bellinger is likely to sign a one-year deal, and the brevity of that term could also serve to drive up the eventual price point. (Teams are typically far more willing to make aggressive bids on one-year deals than on multi-year arrangements.)
The question of how high to bid is a particularly pertinent one for a Rockies team that is already projected to shatter its previous franchise record — even with just one small signing on the docket so far this winter. The Rockies’ previous record for Opening Day payroll came in 2019, when they spent $145.3MM. Roster Resource’s Jason Martinez projects that they’re already up to $158.5MM. The Rockies will have to spend some money this offseason if they’re to have any hope of improving on another poor showing in 2022. Still, it’s fair to wonder whether the best use of their presumably limited resources will be to put down an eight-figure offer on a bounceback candidate, however high the ceiling may be.
I heard he’s signing with a Japanese minor league team.
Blaze on Rockies, blaze on. Ahahaha!
FYI, Tovar does not switch hit. He dropped the left side in 21 and is RH only.
Where better to build those numbers back up?
Mile high. Belli is all in. Spark it up.
I was just visited Colorado about 2 months ago. Kind of weird just seeing people blaze it up in public.
Well if it’s about getting high, we all know Canada is the place for the high quality strains
Jays already have a deal in place with Rizzla to get Belli a “high” paying endorsement deal
Jaysfan: I was gonna say I live in Michigan and go to the Sarnia/Lambton/Grand Bend areas often and see marijuana stands all along the road. Like one every block it seems like
Not to mention you and grandma getting the random face full of skunk smoke just walking down the street. Oh Brave New World!
Or maybe it’s just the Braver Old World of pre-1937 U.S. policy..?
I didn’t do this
A match made in heaven tbh.
If he still has any nagging injury issues Colorado will be a terrible place for him to play and hurt his chance of the hopeful bigger future payday. If he is fully healthy, then it’s a great spot for his power numbers and up his value.
He be smart to sign there. He knows he needs a 1 year deal to rake. A few years ago he looked like the next big thing
I heard he’s going to play for the Yomiuri Giants.
I think his shoulder issues have severely hampered him & It is highly unlikely he gets the power back. He might have to redo his swing & just be a gap hitter. Comerica Park would force him to hit that way due to CF being 420 RCF 365
He may not get his swing back, but we know Colorado is a great place for providing legal relief from constant pain
It’s not the lack of power so much as his lack of contact in general on top of poor plate discipline.
I just don’t see the Colorado Rockies spending $8-10m to sign him.
Why? They spend $8-10 million on mediocre players all the time lol.
When you think Rockies deals, think Desmond.
Colorado might be the perfect place for Belli to bounce back. The thinner air may remind him of how it felt to hit juiced balls back in 2019.
I realize there is high demand and he is a solid defender & baserunner…but anyone who offers more than6M guaranteed for one season is either goofy or has too much money.
Clubs, I feel would be more excited about seeing Belli hit for power outside of coors field than in it. But he’s hit for power before so it may not make that much of a difference. Good trade chip for Colorado if he does produce.
If he’s hoping for a big bounce back to reclaim value on a one year contract and to be traded at the deadline to avoid the QO, the Rockies might be a risky organization to try that with.
On the other hand, if he only thinks a bounce back to being close to league average at the plate is more attainable, that should earn him a 5 year extension in Denver.
play in Colorado seems like a no brainer. Boost stats + weed.
“Rockies fans will buy jerseys and cheer for Grichuk even though he stinks because he’s so goddamn handsome and has been in the big leagues for years.”
-Dick Montfort
He’s got that Travis Shaw thousand mile stare going… lights out/not coming back/done..
Anyone who signs Bellinger just hasn’t been paying attention the last couple of years
He’s still worth 1.5 wins on defense and baserunning alone, and that’s worth $10m at today’s prices.
Looks like Bellinger is interested in stealing some of Colorado’s money after fleecing the Dodgers for a few years.
To be fair he was a steal his earlier years. He made peanuts his MVP season. But anyone who’s actually watched Bellinger play the last few seasons knows that he’s a fraction of the hitter he was.
Sure, Colorado can be a great fit for him. That huge OF needs to be covered by athletic outfielders. And the ballpark may get his numbers to look more respectable. Key will be how much contact he can get and avoid chasing out of the zone.
That would be a good move for the Rockies. I assumed that they would overpay for Nimmo, and this should prevent from doing so.
Toronto is also a good place for him on a one year deal. Skydome is a great hitter’s ballpark. And pot is legal there as well if it’s important to him. Marcus Semien turned his one year in Toronto into a fairly large sized contract with Texas.
OH GOD NO!!!! I have spent the past 5 years hating this guy more than any other player. Kris Bryant was bad enough, but I might just have to opt out if Bellinger becomes a Rockie.
He like more left handers will really benefit from the no shifts. I would think his batting average based on that alone should raise 25-30 points. Plus with the bigger bases he should easily steal 25-30 bases.
I could and will look it up after this post but who the hell are the Rockies paying that much salary to? Before this post I would have guessed a payroll around 90 maybe.
Forgot they got Bryant and are still paying for the corpse of Charlie Blackmon.
Blackmon doesn’t have a big contract, and it’s his last year. It’s Bryant, and they extended a bunch of their regulars at moderate sized deals. Also, this is their last year paying part of Arenado’s deal.
Why not? Play solid CF defense and crush 40 HRs on a pillow contract then cash in during the next offseason.
Rockies are a good, low-key fit for Bellinger. I’m sceptical of any bounce back from Bellinger short of completely overhauling his plate approach – hope he can sort-it-out.
If he hits well there, people will claim it’s because he’s in Colorado. Playing in a hitters park like Cincy, Cubs, Milwaukee type place would help his value more.
All those places make sense for belli to try and boost his value.
Of course if he goes to a playoff team and does well including in the post season his value will sky rocket.
Same thing I was thinking. I don’t see it as a match. It will be interesting to see if he passes a physical.
Because COL has the biggest OF dimensions in all of baseball, they have to be really careful how they address OF
Much better off getting speedster types that can hit .350 with 50 doubles than to try to get monster hitters who are mediocre fielders.
Not that Cody is bad…but I cant see him putting up great defensive numbers in COL the way he did in LAD
Not one player in MLB this year hit .350 or had 50 doubles let alone both.
Belli and Bryant on the same injured list, combined .440 hitters
Scrap heap find?
Came here for the Belli-weed jokes.
Was not disappointed.
Alot of “media” for a washed up pot head who chose drugs over baseball. Now he is JBJ.