MEDIA CLIPS – February 28, 2018
Raring to go, Davis brings diverse pitch mix New Rockies closer quickly impressed with team's mentality By Thomas Harding MLB.com @harding_at_mlb Feb. 27th, 2018
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- New Rockies closer Wade Davis brings a full mix of pitches, a history of success and, most importantly, high expectations.
Davis started a postseason game for the Rays as a rookie in 2010, appeared in two World Series with the Royals -- including when they won the championship in '15 -- and helped the Cubs reach the National League Championship Series last year. The Rockies signed Davis to a three-year, $52 million deal believing he is just the right guy for a team that made the postseason last year for the first time since 2009, but cannot afford to be satisfied.
Davis has learned that when times are difficult, the expectation doesn't change.
"I've been real fortunate to be on winning teams, but each team goes through a 10-game losing streak, goes through those times where you think you're doomed," Davis said. "The media is asking questions, 'Are you worried?' So you can either buy into that and be worried, or you're buying into your own thoughts, individually or as a team. Are you really buying into what kind of stories you're telling yourself, or what kind of stories that are written about you?
"The good teams always chip away and get out of those slumps, and they stay in those slumps a less amount of time than other teams. When they do come out of them, they are a more consistent team. This team won 88 games last year, so we're capable of doing that again, and then some."
Of course, knowing there's a closer like Davis at game's end helps with the winning expectation.7th, 2018
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Davis, 32, has converted 76 of his 81 save opportunities over the past three seasons, while making the All-Star Game each of those years -- twice with the Royals, last season with the Cubs. He has converted 93.7 percent of his save chances over the past two seasons, which ranks second in the Majors.
With the Rays and early with the Royals, Davis started and pitched in relief. Interestingly, he kept his pitch mix -- a fastball, hard cutter, slider and curveball, with an occasional changeup. He concentrated on mental adjustments.
"I remember telling him when I was going to send him to the bullpen, we were going to send him down for a couple of days and I wanted him to pitch an inning, take a day off, pitch an inning, then come back," said Royals manager Ned Yost, who switched Davis permanently in 2013. "And he said, 'If you don't mind, I want to take a day off, pitch two innings and then take a day off, and then come back. I said, 'Why?' 'Because I've got to get back into a reliever's mindset. I've got to get back to raring back and attacking hitters, instead of pacing myself as a starter.'
"When he left, he was 91, 92, 93 [mph], and he came back throwing 97, 98."
Rockies manager Bud Black noted that whether a closer brings a diverse mix, like Davis, or relies on limited pitches -- like future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera with his cutter -- there are brains behind the arm, because they can hit different spots with their pitches.
"The good ones pitch," Black said. "Very rarely, if you're just a thrower, you don't pass the test of time.”t
According to Statcast™, Davis has reduced his fastball usage from 58 percent in 2014 to 44 percent last season. Over the past two years, he has thrown his cutter/slider 32 percent of the time and his curveball 19-21 percent. Actually, he occasionally manipulates the curve and the cutter into something of a slider.
"I'm always trying to get better, any kind of way I can," Davis said. "At the time, I felt good with all the pitches I had, and I was still working on other pitches. It's something that I'll always continue to do."
The pitches don't matter as much to Davis as leaving the mound with the Rockies winning does. He sees that attitude already among his new teammates.
"One thing that it feels like, those teams that you're on that are like that, they try to win every single game the whole year,"
Davis said. "That's what it feels like. That's what makes the difference between winning those extra games at the end. It's
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those games that we were down and we came back, or holding it down when you're ahead. That's the difference between being a really great team and a good team."
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Rockies pitchers give impressions of Ohtani By Thomas Harding MLB.com @harding_at_mlb Feb. 27th, 2018
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies right-hander Jon Gray was as curious as the fans and the rest of the baseball world to see the Angels' Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese two-way star attempting to erase the barriers between pitching and batting.
Gray, who gave up two runs on three hits (all second-inning ground balls) in two innings of the Rockies' 5-2 loss to the
Angels on Tuesday, is still waiting to see the swing that has captivated the U.S., Ohtani's homeland of Japan and the world. Gray fanned Ohtani, who batted second as the designated hitter, on three looking strikes in the first.
"I heard he was a really good hitter, and he's been doing it for a while, too," Gray said. "He's still young. He looks really athletic in the box. I didn't know exactly what to throw him. We challenged him down and away at the end with the fastball.
"He didn't swing against me. But his next swing, I watched it from the dugout. It looked pretty good.", 2018
That swing, on a changeup from righty rotation competitor Jeff Hoffman (who gave up a Rene Riverahomer, but no other hits, in two innings), resulted in a flyout to right field for Ohtani in the fifth.
"He definitely looks good," Hoffman said. "There's a lot of bat speed, and he's well-balanced. And he's up on the plate.
That can get in some pitchers' heads, so you've got to get in there close to him and take away some of that bat speed.",
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Position competition
The Rockies are playing Ryan McMahon extensively to see if he can handle the first-base job. On Tuesday, he played designated hitter and third base (his original position), going 1-for-3 with a double. He is 6-for-12 this spring.
"I like what I'm seeing as far as his approach," manager Bud Black said. "All the hitting guys are saying that the work he's done, even before games started -- cage work, his drills, batting practices -- have all been solid. That's what we're looking for." 27th, 2018
Even more competition
Mike Tauchman homered to straightaway center off Angels starter Matt Shoemaker in the second inning. Looking to earn an outfield spot, Tauchman has doubled, tripled and homered among his 10 at-bats this spring. 2018
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Lefty-hitting catcher Tony Wolters ended the second by throwing out Kaleb Cowart on a steal attempt. Wolters, competing with Tom Murphy to catch alongside vet Chris Iannetta, threw out 13 of 35 (37.1 percent) potential basestealers last season.
Outfielder Raimel Tapia, hoping to lead off and allow Charlie Blackmon to drop to third in the order, had an interestingly aggressive at-bat in the third. After faking a bunt, he swung at all four pitches, including lashing a single. Then, he was caught stealing by catcher Rivera.
Outfielder/first baseman Jordan Patterson went 1-for-3 with a double, improving to 5-for-13 with three doubles this spring.
Injury updates
Outfielder Gerardo Parra, returning from surgery for a broken hamate bone in his right hand just before camp, grabbed a bat Monday to face a trio of late-bullpen stalwarts -- closer Wade Davis, Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw. But he just tracked pitches and didn't risk his hand swinging.
Righty Carlos Estevez sustained an injury to his left side while warming up recently, but he should ramp up activity in the next 5-7 days.
The real Dahl
Outfield hopeful David Dahl didn't play Tuesday. He is 0-for-10 this spring, but he struck two balls strongly on Monday against the D-backs and has received positive marks. After not appearing in the Majors last season because of a rib injury, Dahl is rebuilding his pitch-reading skills.
"I'm still getting into it," said Dahl, who hit .315 in 63 games in his 2016 rookie campaign. "My timing is good. It's just anticipating how much breaking pitches are going to move or break, how much sinkers are going to sink. I've got to get the feel back for the strike zone, because I'm chasing a few pitches."27th, 2018
"He's getting there -- it's still early, it's Feb. 27," Black said. "The thing that I'm happy about is he's healthy, he's going through all drills, he's playing at a high pace of play and, so far, he's answering all the things that he needs to answer.
"He'll get his hits. He's a good player."
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Up next
Lefty Tyler Anderson will make his first spring start, while right-handers Yency Almonte (Colorado's No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Jesus Tinoco (No. 14) will make their second outings, when the Rockies face the D- backs on Wednesday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
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Cocky? No. A confident Ryan McMahon is playing like he belongs on Colorado Rockies roster Rookie infielder batting .500 in early Cactus League action PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post February 27, 2018
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ryan McMahon’s Cactus League stats are impressive. After batting 1-for-3 with a double
Tuesday against the Angels, the Rockies’ rookie infielder is batting .500 (6-for-12).
You can file those numbers in the irrelevant file, because early spring training statistics have an incredibly short shelf life.
What does matter is how the 23-year-old McMahon is carrying himself.
“I think I am just really trusting myself and trusting what I am doing,” said McMahon, who is penciled in as Colorado’s starting first baseman and made a gorgeous play on a hot shot down the line in Monday’s game against Arizona. “I think there is a little bit more of a noticeable confidence with me, with how I’m carrying myself. I don’t want to say it’s cocky. I just believe in who I am and what I do.”
Shortstop Trevor Story can relate. As a rookie in 2016, Story was the story of camp. He batted .340 with a 1.119 OPS (on- base percentage, plus slugging) and hit six homers in 53 at-bats. His sensational spring cemented his spot on the roster.
“The pressure is whatever you make it,” Story said. “You can put a lot of pressure on yourself, or you can go the other way and just play baseball. I had worked my whole life to get here, and I knew I was prepared.
“I think most players only begin to doubt themselves if they aren’t prepared. I don’t think that’s a problem with ‘Mac.’ I think he’s got that confidence and that attitude about him, and he matches that with his work ethic.”
Told what Story had said about him, McMahon said: “That’s the source of my confidence, right there. The belief in yourself and your preparation. That makes a lot of sense.”
Manager Bud Black is careful not to read too much into what he has seen so far from McMahon, who made his big-league debut Aug. 12 last season and finished batting 2-for-19 in limited action over 17 games. But it’s clear that Black has high expectations for McMahon.
“So far, so good,” Black said. “He’s taken some good at-bats. I like his approach. All of our hitting guys are saying they like the work he’s done. His batting practice, his cage work, his field work, have all been solid.
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“The way Ryan is working in practice, he’s in a good spot. It’s a progression to get a player to the big leagues, and Ryan is doing all of the correct steps to get there. Now it’s a matter of playing through the spring, and we will see how our roster shakes out.”
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Rockies’ Jon Gray opens 2018 Cactus League season with mixed results Outfielder Michael Tuchman homers, continues to impress Bud Black PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post February 27, 2018
Angels 5, Rockies 2
At Salt River Fields
Jon Gray‘s 2018 Cactus League debut was nothing to write home about, unless you consider the fact that the Rockies’ right-hander struck out Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani in the first inning. Indeed, Ohtani looked at three strikes from
Gray, never swinging his bat before heading back to the Angels’ bench.
Gray gave up three runs on two hits in his two innings of work. He left some pitches up in the zone, and paid the price.
“Jon’s stuff was good, but he was up just a little bit,” manager Bud Black said. “They got two seeing-eye groundballs, and then he hung a slider to (Kaleb Cowart) for that second run in the second inning. So Jon was just a little bit up, but I liked his delivery and how the ball came out of his hand. His slider wasn’t as crisp as we have seen it, but for the first outing, he did fine.”
Said Gray: “I thought it went pretty well today. I got a lot of groundballs today. I’m happy I can do that now. I can go down and away and get groundballs.”
On the mound: Right-hander Jeff Hoffman, making his second appearance of spring, looked sharp, save for one bad pitch to Rene Rivera in the fourth. Rivera crushed it for a home run to deep center.
“I felt really good, especially coming back on four days (rest),” Hoffman said. “I felt better than I expected, so I was really happy about that.
“I thought we had (Rivera) in a good spot. We had him down and away, kind of diving for that second strike. Then I tried to go up and in and try to jam him, and I just cut it and it came across the plate. The intent was right, I just needed to execute that pitch.”
Right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino, trying to reestablish the consistency he lost last season, issued a leadoff walk in the sixth, but then got two groundball outs, including a double play.
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At the plate: Keep an eye out for outfielder Michael Tauchman as a darkhorse candidate to make the roster. He hit a solo, two-out homer in the second to get the Rockies on the board. He’s batting .300 (3-for-10) with a double, triple and homer. Black frequently mentions Tauchman’s name when discussing competition in camp. … Trevor Story had another hit, though he also strikeout.
Worth noting: The Rockies are running a lot this spring, especially when possible leadoff man Raimel Tapia reaches base. So far, the results have been mixed. Tapia is 0-for-2 on steal attempts and the Rockies are just 3-for-9.
Looking ahead: Rockies at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, Salt River Fields
Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson vs. D-backs LHP Patrick Corbin
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Shohei Ohtani draws crowd vs. Rockies, even though he goes 0-for-3 Phenom from Japan brought media throng to Salt River Fields PATRICK SAUNDERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post February 27, 2018
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Shohei Ohtani traveling show came to Salt River Fields Tuesday afternoon. And it was quite a show, but not for what happened on the field.
The Angels’ two-way player from Japan drew a horde of media — at least 35 more writers than usual for a Cactus League game in late February. The camera well near the Angels dugout was jammed with photographers who clicked away at
Ohtani’s every move.
“I was thinking this was pretty cool, he’s obviously very talented,” said Rockies starter Jon Gray, who struck Ohtani looking at three pitches in the first inning. “Yeah, I noticed the cameras, but that’s just something you have to block out.
But I know people are really excited about him.”
Ohtani, who hits and pitches, made his third spring training appearance in the past four days. He was a designated hitter
Tuesday, finishing the day 0-for-3.
“I really won’t feel like a major leaguer until opening day,” Ohtani said through his interpreter.
Gray was eager to face baseball’s next big thing.
“I heard he was a really good hitter, and he’s been doing it for a while, too,” Gray said. “He’s still young. He looks really athletic in the box. I didn’t know exactly what to throw him. We challenged him down and away at the end with the fastball.
“He didn’t swing against me. But his next swing — I watched it from the dugout — it looked pretty good.”
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Colorado Rockies: Remembering Carlos Gonzalez’s walk-off cycle Ben Macaluso RoxPile February 28, 2018
For nearly a decade, Carlos Gonzalez has been a constant in the Colorado Rockies clubhouse. No matter the outlook of the season, CarGo brought his infectious smile and a calming quality only a proven veteran can bestow on this young clubhouse. This year already feels different. Nolan Arenado and others are feeling what life is like without CarGo going to bat with every day. No other time encapsulates just how much energy Gonzalez has brought to this organization than when he hit the first walk-off cycle on July 31, 2010 in club history.
Coming into 2010, there were incredibly high expectations on Gonzalez to perform. He was the main piece coming over from Oakland in the Matt Holliday trade. At the time, it wasn’t a forgone conclusion that trading Holiday was a good move.
In his first year in Oakland, CarGo’s sample was small playing half of the season with a .242 batting average. The next year he played about half the season again with the Rockies hitting .284. His presence was mostly felt in the 2009 playoffs. He had 10 hits in 17 at-bats in the series against the Phillies. If the Rockies would have won that series, he would had definitely been the MVP of the NLDS.
While Gonzalez had lofty expectations, the Rockies had much larger ones coming off a season where the club was arguably the best in franchise history in 2009. (No one will ever forget 2007, but that’s for a different article.) The season started off incredibly with Ubaldo Jimenez‘s no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves. The pieces were seemingly in place but by the end of July 2010, the Rockies weren’t meeting these lofty expectations. The team sat at 54-50 tied for third place seven games back of the San Diego Padres, who lost their lead on the last day of the season to the eventual even-year
Giants dynasty. It wasn’t a bad place to be but it felt like this team was better than their record.
Then Gonzalez gave a spark that felt like could lift this team into runs like they’ve seen in previous magical playoff runs. Jason Hammel started the final game in July for the Rockies against an aging Cubs team. Hammel pitched a gem and the Rockies held a 5-2 lead in the 8th inning. Derek Lee had wiped that lead with a game-tying three-run homer.
Then came the magic of Carlos Gonzalez. He led off the bottom of the ninth inning against Sean Marshall, then closer for the Cubs. Gonzalez only needed one pitch. It was shocking how far that ball went. It was almost like you knew the ball was out before he even made contact. The ball traveled 462 feet which was the longest at Coors Field up to that point in the season. He hit it into the third deck in what is now the Rooftop.
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The call was one of the best of Drew Goodman’s career. A time when CarGo was the “Little Pony.” It is certainly one of the best moments in Colorado Rockies history. At that point, the last time someone completed a cycle with a game-ending home was Dwight Evans in 1984. Only five other players have hit a homer to complete a cycle. (This includes Nolan
Arenado in 2017.) After a down year for CarGo in 2017, Arenado hitting that walk-off cycle seemed the official passing of the torch as the clubhouse leader. A role CarGo took over after Todd Helton and especially Troy Tulowitzki left.
Arenado has had tremendous mentors who led by example.
The Rockies finished a disappointing 83-79 mostly due to a late skid at the end of the season but CarGo hit .336 winning the NL batting title that year. Gonzalez is one of the best Rockies of all time not only for what he brought on the field. He sparked optimism even in the lowest moments in this franchise’s history. He made you feel like anything was possible and nothing encapsulates this more than his walk-off cycle.
The Rockies could sign him to another contract to show they can stick it out through hard times. But that wouldn’t be the reason to re-sign him. The reason to re-sign him is there is still spark to his game as he showed in the later half of the season after only being one year removed from being an All-Star. None of that compares though to the spark he brings to this clubhouse and the Rockies are a better team with Carlos Gonzalez.
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Colorado Rockies: 3 things that need to happen for a new lineup to work Mike Macesich RoxPile February 28, 2018
It appears that Bud Black has taken a liking to the Colorado Rockieslineup that features Raimel Tapia in the leadoff spot … as he should. Tapia brings that element of speed that was missed a lot last season, as Charlie
Blackmon started saving his legs a little.
But, with a new lineup, comes new batting spots, and in a game that very much deals with the mental aspect of things, it begs the question … will everyone be able to produce the same from these different spots? Here are three things that will need to happen for this new potential shift to the lineup to be a success.
1. Guys are going to have to adjust to their new spots
As mentioned, so much of baseball is mental, and thinking guys won’t produce the same in different spots is a valid statement. Yes, Blackmon, with his stats from last year, makes for a very dangerous threat in the 3 spot, but can we guarantee his production will stay the same? On paper, this looks amazing, but baseball isn’t played on paper.
Now, there will only be two guys (Nolan Arenado and Blackmon), who will be in new spots with the new possible lineup.
However, that is such a large part of the offense for Colorado that it could swing them both ways. One stat that is interesting: When Arenado batted fourth last year (albeit just 22 games), his batting average was just .247. When he batted in the third spot, that rose to .319. Only time will tell, but for now, the pros would definitely seem to outweigh the cons.
2. The Lemahieu and Tapia combo working
DJ LeMahieu is a great player, and one of the best second basemen in the league. But, he has one flaw at the plate as he led the Rockies in grounding into double plays. This could be an issue, as the whole point of the lineup change would be to have people on base when Blackmon and Arenado came up to bat.
Sure, Colorado could start implementing some additional hit and runs, but the main thing here is that the Rockies want guys on base for the heavy hitters. Plus, there is the possibility that this might not be as great an issue, as Tapia will
(hopefully) be stealing a lot of bags, and making those ground balls less hurtful. If these two play as well offensively as we know they can, this offense will be unstoppable, no questions asked.
3. Tapia will need to be ready for this 14
Tapia showed some great signs last season, which all started with his breakout 4-for-4 game against Pittsburgh, where he was the spark Colorado needed to avoid getting swept. But if he takes over the leadoff, there is a whole new pressure put on his shoulders. He will be looked at as one of the guys who gets things going early in games … but is he ready? Again, only time will tell, but if he in fact is ready to take on this much larger role with Colorado, he will have the chance to make a name for himself across Major League Baseball.
Final Thoughts
The possible new lineup that Bud Black could put in place looks very good on paper. Maybe even better than last year
(which is hard to believe). But, it would rely on guys being able to adjust to things being a little bit different. Even professionals can be creatures of habit, but if the Rockies can adapt to the new lineup, boy, will it be exciting to see!
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The Colorado Rockies will extend & upgrade their netting in 2018 by Noah Yingling RoxPile February 27, 2018
On Monday, the Colorado Rockies announced that they will extend the netting that is currently behind home plate at Coors Field all the way to the end of each dugout.
As a part of a growing trend in Major League Baseball to put fan’s safety first, the Colorado Rockies announced that they are extending the protective screen that is currently behind home plate to the end of each dugout.
This is a move that many other teams have adopted due to numerous incidents of fans being injured due to foul balls hit into the stands. In fact, all 30 MLB teams agreed at the beginning of this month that they will extend the netting to end of the dugouts. However, the Rockies announced yesterday that they will start the installation process of the netting in the early days of March.
In addition, the material that the netting will be upgraded from what was there previously but it will require no addition cabling.
The extending of the netting is part of a bevy of things under renovation at Coors Field this offseason, including the installation of their ginormous scoreboard. Our very own Kevin Henry detailed some facts about the near scoreboard in this article from a few weeks ago.
In addition to the scoreboard, new speakers and a partial renovation of both the Wells Fargo Club Level and the Rockies clubhouse have also happened at Coors Field this offseason.
The Rockies said, in their press release, that the target time of completion for the netting is in early March.
If their goal is reached, it would be in place in time for a handful of high school games that are being hosted at the stadium before the regular season for the Rockies kicks off (Opening Day at Coors is on Friday, April 6 against the Atlanta Braves after the Rockies open up the season with two series, one in Arizona and one in San Diego).
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Rockies incumbent Trevor Story looks to bounce back in 2018 Story has demonstrated great offense and good defense, but not yet in the same season By Sam Bradfield Feb 27, 2018 Purple Row
It has only been 945 short days since Troy Tulowitzki was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays —barely shy of three years.
Since then, the Rockies have had a few guys step into the role of “Tulo’s Replacement,” but Trevor Story seems to be solidifying himself as more than that. He had a huge (but shortened) rookie season with the bat, but he took a step back in
2017. He’ll be looking to rebound in 2018. If he is unable to replicate the magic of 2016, the Rockies have plenty of young guys knocking on the Major League door who might be able to help, including one of the best prospects in all of baseball.
The Starter
Story made quite a splash in his rookie season in 2016. Here were some of the highlights of just his first month in the bigs.
• Hitting 2 home runs off Zack Greinke in his major league debut — only the seventh player in MLB history to hit
two home runs off Greinke
• Becoming the sixth player in MLB history to hit two home runs in his major league debut — the only NL Player to
do so and the only player to do so with his debut being on Opening Day
• Becoming the third player to ever hit three home runs in his first two games
• Becoming the first MLB player to hit a home run in each of his first three games
• Becoming the first rookie to hit home runs in his first four games
• Becoming the first MLB player in to hit six home runs in the first four games of any season
• Setting an MLB record for most home runs (7) in a team’s first six games — the previous record (6) was held by
Larry Walker, Mike Schmidt, and Willie Mays
• Winning National League Player of the Week for the first week of the 2016 season
• Tying José Abreu’s rookie record of 10 home runs in the month of April
• Winning National League Rookie of the Month in April 2016
Story had his rookie season cut short by an untimely thumb injury, limiting him to play only 97 games. However, in those
97 games he was able to post a .272/.341/.567 line with 27 home runs. He also finished fourth in Rookie of the Year votes behind winner Corey Seager, Trea Turner, and Kenta Maeda.
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After having surgery to repair the torn thumb ligament, Trevor Story came back in 2017 ready to roll but hit a major sophomore slump. After playing 145 games, he finished with a disappointing .239/.308/.457 line with 24 home runs and an NL-leading 191 strikeouts. But, there’s a but. Story was much better on defense in 2017 than 2016. He only committed
11 errors (only one more than 2017 but in 45 more games) and saved 11 runs compared to for, according to DRS. So even though his bat went a little quiet, his defensive improvements are something to take solace in.
Story has some pretty lofty expectations placed upon him going into the 2018 season. After his remarkable rookie campaign and uneven sophomore season, he will have to bounce back to justify his spot as the long-term shortstop. He absolutely has the capability to be a major piece in this roster, it was just the offensive consistency that was lacking last year. Maybe having Brendan Rodgers knocking on his door will give Story the push he needs to make his third chapter a combination of the best parts of the first two.
Depth Options
Just like last year, the backup shortstop role is intriguing. Currently, Pat Valaika and Ian Desmond sit second and third on the depth chart. Last year, Valaika showed his ability to be a power bat off the bench if necessary. This year, he is listed as the second or third option for the entire infield, probably for that reason. He will most likely maintain his position as infield utility man unless something horrible happens and he is needed to take on a bigger role. Desmond has played shortstop until 2016, so he’s capable of filling in if needed. The Rockies would probably rather have him in left field or first base though.
On the Farm
Brendan Rodgers (No. 1 PuRP) is once again the best prospect in the organization. Not only is he ranked as the Rockies top prospect, but also as the 22nd best prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America. Last year alone, he averaged
.336/.373/.567 between High-A Lancaster and Double-A Asheville as a shortstop. At 21-years-old, Rodgers is still quite young, but he seems poised to be ready for major-league action in 2018. If Story isn’t able to bounce back, Rodgers might be the man that the Rockies turn to later in the season.
The Rockies also have Garrett Hampson (No. 9 PuRP), Ryan Vilade (No. 7 PuRP), and utility options Daniel Castro, and Shawn O’Malley in their farm system. Hampson’s on a similar path as Rodgers, though he’s not as good and is
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unlikely to see the majors in 2018. The Rockies kept Vilade at shortstop in his first pro season with Grand Junction, but he’s far away from the majors.
If Catastrophe Strikes
If all nine of these guys aren’t able to keep the Rockies season afloat—whether they are injured, don’t play well, or just simply aren’t ready—there are still some decent free agents available, namely Mike Avilés, Stephen Drew, and JJ Hardy.
The only downside is that they will all be 35 or older during this season and haven’t played very well recently for a variety of reasons, so they would definitely just be a signing for the season in hopes that they don’t make things worse.
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Ottavino Knows Little Things = Big Results Tracy Ringolsby Inside the Seams February 27, 2018
SCOTTSDALE, Az. – Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino remembers every agonizing pitch he threw last season.
Nightmares aren’t forgotten that easy.
It won’t happen again. Ottavino won’t let it.
Ottavino is, after all, an honest self-evaluator. That’s not always easily. It was especially tough last winter.
He had come back on July 5 in the 2016 season from Tommy John surgery with an impressive abbreviated effort, throwing only 27 innings but striking out 35, walking only seven and allowing only 18 hits.
All seemed well.
But it wasn’t. Coming back for the full season in 2017 things never got untracked. Oh, the arm was fine. He appeared in
63 games. The results, however, weren’t He still struck out 63 batters in 53 1/3 innings. He only gave up 48 hits. But he walked 39 batters, hit four and gave up 30 runs – all earned.
How bad were things? So bad that the veteran was left off the Rockies roster for their wild-card playoff game with the D-
Backs, and he admits, rightfully so.
“I knew I didn’t deserve to be in the game at the end of the season,” he said. “I have pride. I think I have something to add, but I was not mad at the decision. I was made at myself for letting it happen. I wasn’t going to let it happen again. That was my responsibility.”
It is a responsibility that Ottavino took seriously.
He never did take that month or so to regroup in the aftermath of the 2017 season. There was too much work to be done to get things back in order for the 2018 season.
“There were four areas I wanted to address in the off-season,” said Ottavino. “First I needed to get stronger again. I wasn’t in the shape after (the Tommy John surgery) I needed to be in. No. 2 I worked on my delivery to make it so it was not as extreme as it became. I have always been a crossbody style, but not that extreme.
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“Third I wanted to work on my consistency with my hard breaking ball, the cutter/slider. And four I wanted to retain my focus again. Last year I felt my focus was not where it needed to be.”
It’s early in the spring.
Right now, however, Ottavino is confident he is back, and from early indications manager Buddy Black agrees.
“He knows what needs to happen,” said Black. “Otto is very mature in evaluating himself and addressing what needs to be addressed. He will be a huge part of that bullpen we’ve put together.”
Last year was Black’s first year managing Ottavino, but he saw more than enough of Ottavino when he was in the opposing dugout for the Padres
It was vintage Ottavino in the 2013-14 seasons. Called on in relief in 126 times he compiled a 2.89 ERA His 2.64 ERA in
2013 was the seventh lowest by a reliever in the Rockies 25-year existence. He struck out 148 batters in 143 1/3 innings and allowed only 140 hits while walking just 47 batters.
The difference from last year? Simple. The walk ratio.
And the mental drain.
“I was mentally fried to pieces,” he said. “I was going through the motions. I had so many bad habits. When I first came (to the Rockies) Jimmy Wright (former bullpen coach) worked with me on the mental approach, on locking in on a target and when you do that it becomes easier and easier.”
Last year, though it was difficult.
This year Ottavino knows it can be fun, again.
“To be a fair evaluator you have to look at when you have success,” he said. “You look at what you did then and what you do (during the struggles). You look at what you did to get away from where you need to be.”
And it’s not always a quick fix.
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Last April, Ottavino was as good as he could be. He allowed two runs in 12 2/3 innings giving up eight hits, walking five and striking out 15. But then came May and there went Ottavino’s season. In his first appearance he walked three of four batters he faced, and after that were spurts of success but they were outweighed by his struggles to throw strikes.
Nothing was as haunting as a June 25 game at Dodger Stadium. Ottavino got the call with two out in the bottom of the seventh, a 6-4 lead, runners on second and third and a 6-4 lead. By the time he departed with two out in the eighth the
Dodgers had scored six runs, four of them on wild pitches.
“When you have had success for a long period of time you get used to it and when you start to fail the emotions get to you,” Ottavino admitted. “I am a realist. I knew I was bad. I knew I didn’t deserve to be in there at the game’s end.
“For a long time I was good and the way I did it was by doing the little things over and over for a long period of time,” he said. “I did not do those things last year.”
It won’t happen again. Guaranteed. The strikeout ratio and hits-to-innings-pitched show that when he threw strikes, even last year, he got outs. As Dizzy Dean used to say, “walks will haunt.”
And they did haunt Ottavino.
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The player from each MLB team who doesn't get talked about enough David Schoenfield ESPN Senior Writer February 28, 2018
OK, enough with Giancarlo Stanton and Shohei Ohtani and J.D. Martinez. Those guys have received enough publicity early in spring training. Let’s look at some under-the-radar players, guys who don’t get much publicity but, though they might not be big stars, help their teams win baseball games.
American League
Baltimore Orioles: Mychal Givens, RP. Hey, a relief pitcher! (It will be a theme.) The Orioles don’t really have another strong candidate, especially with Jonathan Schoop getting some love with his breakout, All-Star performance in 2017.
Givens has thrown 153 1/3 innings the past two seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA, which is something. Do you ever get the feeling Buck Showalter could find eight guys at a tryout camp and turn them into a useful bullpen?
Boston Red Sox: Drew Pomeranz, SP. With all the attention given to Chris Sale's Cy Young pursuit and David Price's drama and Rick Porcello's struggles, Pomeranz quietly went 17-6 with a 3.32 ERA while fanning 174 in 173 2/3 innings.
He’s a free agent after 2018, and if he posts a third straight strong season, he’s going to become a very rich man.
Chicago White Sox: Nick Delmonico, LF. These are actual strikeout-to-walk ratios of some White Sox hitters in 2017: 162 to 13, 117 to 19, 111 to 33, 165 to 19. Delmonico, on the other hand, was 31 to 23 in his 166 plate appearances, which was almost Ted Williams-esque for this team. So, please, let’s hope he can actually hit.
Cleveland Indians: Dan Otero, RP. His ERAs the past five seasons: 1.38, 2.28, 6.75, 1.53, 2.85. He had 46 bad innings for the A’s in 2015, which is how the Indians were able to get him for nothing, but at some point, we have to believe he’s the real deal, even despite the middling fastball and low strikeout rate. With the departure of Bryan Shaw in free agency, Otero could see a more vital role in 2018.
Detroit Tigers: Warwick Saupold, RP. I just wanted to type “Warwick Saupold” at least once this year. It sounds like a name from some dystopian novel in which America is attacked by mutant lifeforms and only a baseball player and part- time scientist named Warwick Saupold can save the day. Except Saupold isn't American. He’s Australian! (OK, sorry,
Tigers fans. How about Shane Greene? He could be a good closer this year.)
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Houston Astros: Josh Reddick, RF. He got more attention last season for celebrating the AL West title while wearing
American Flag underwear than for anything he did on the field. The first year of his four-year, $52 million contract was a huge success, however, as he hit .314/.363/.484 while playing a solid right field. He has averaged 3.6 WAR per season since 2012.
Kansas City Royals: Whit Merrifield, 2B. I just realized this: Merrifield led the AL with 34 steals. OK, so it was the lowest league-leading figure in either league since Luis Aparicio led the AL with 31 in 1962. Even so, Merrifield has turned himself into a nice player, with 3.9 WAR in 2017 -- not bad for a ninth-round pick who never got any attention as a prospect.
Los Angeles Angels: Martin Maldonado, C. You might be thinking, “a catcher who hit .221 and drove in 38 runs? What kind of list is this?” That’s kind of the point. Maldonado's defense is that good. The bat is weak other than an occasional home run, but Maldonado was worthy of the Gold Glove he won, throwing out 39 percent of base stealers to go with strong framing metrics.
Minnesota Twins: Jorge Polanco, SS. Polanco’s first full season produced 2.1 WAR and more power than expected, with
46 extra-base hits. Polanco's strikeout rate was well below the league average, and his defense graded out as average as well (minus-1 Defensive Runs Saved). He's young enough to get better, especially if you look at his second-half numbers:
.293/.359/.511, 10 home runs.
Oakland Athletics: Matt Chapman, 3B. He won’t be anonymous for long if he keeps playing defense like Nolan Arenado.
His rookie season showed some promise in the power category to go with spectacular defense, and if he can clean up the offensive approach and improve the OBP (.313 last year), he’s going to make several All-Star teams in his career.
Toronto Blue Jays: J.A. Happ, SP. Over the past three seasons, he's 41-23 with a 3.43 ERA. That's 21st among pitchers with at least 400 innings, better than Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman and Chris Archer. If Happ has another solid season, he’ll pass Mark Loretta in career WAR among players from Northwestern.
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Seattle Mariners: Mitch Haniger, RF. If you want a good breakout candidate for 2018, check out Haniger. He was hitting
.342 in late April when he went down with a strained oblique. Later, he was hit in the face by a pitch and went on the DL.
But he returned in September and hit .353 with seven home runs (though his strikeout-to-walk ratio, strong early in the season, deteriorated to 27/3). He is 27 years old and a plus defender in right and was worth 3.0 WAR last season in just
96 games.
Texas Rangers: Alex Claudio, RP. Claudio is an aberration in this day of flame-throwing relievers, a lefty sinker-baller who throws an 86 mph fastball. His ground ball rate, however, was over 60 percent the past two seasons, so he gets the job done -- 2.61 ERA the past two seasons with just seven home runs allowed in 134 1/3 innings -- with a strikeout rate that even a 1980s closer would blush over.
Tampa Bay Rays: Mallex Smith, CF. Think Ender Inciarte skill set. Hey, nobody thought much of Inciarte his first two seasons, either. If Smith does turn out to be that valuable -- and he has 2.7 WAR in 497 career plate appearances -- that will soothe the loss of Steven Souza.
New York Yankees: Jordan Montgomery, SP. A report the other day said the Yankees were still interested in Lance Lynn.
I’m not sure why, as Lynn isn’t better than Montgomery, who had a completely under-the-radar rookie season, going 9-7 with a 3.88 ERA and solid peripherals. He is a big kid (6-foot-6), has a four-pitch arsenal, throws hard enough for a lefty
(92-mph average fastball) and finished strong (2.49 ERA in September). There’s zero reason to displace him from the rotation.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks: Robbie Ray, SP. Yes, another reason to mention Robbie Ray. I feel like his agent owes me a little under-the-table payment. But he’s really good! He averaged 12.1 K’s per nine innings! If the humidor that is being installed in Arizona works to suppress offense, Ray could be a Cy Young contender.
Atlanta Braves: Ender Inciarte, CF. He has won back-to-back Gold Gloves and made the All-Star team last year, so it’s not like he’s being ignored, but this is the kind of player still underrated by the masses. J.D. Martinez is getting a $100 million-plus contract, but Inciarte has outperformed him in cumulative WAR the past four seasons, 15.7 to 15.2.
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Chicago Cubs: Jose Quintana, SP. Prediction: The best starting pitcher on the Cubs in 2018 will be Quintana, not Yu
Darvish or Jon Lester or Kyle Hendricks.
Cincinnati Reds: Tucker Barnhart, C. The new Gold Glove voting system is a big improvement over when managers and coaches just voted for the same guys every year. Barnhart was a deserving winner in 2017. In the past, the award no doubt would have gone to Buster Posey because of his bat or Yadier Molina as a legacy choice. Plus, Barnhart isn't an automatic out at the plate, with a .270/.347/.403 line.
Colorado Rockies: Jon Gray, SP. Clayton Kershaw might have trouble keeping his ERA under 4.00 at Coors Field in this home-run-dominated era, but that’s exactly what Gray did in 2017. Caveat: He made just 20 starts (only eight of them at
Coors) after a broken foot suffered in his third start. But if he pitches like he did last year over 30 starts, we’re looking at a potential 5-WAR pitcher -- with maybe even more upside, given that he has just 58 major league starts.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Ross Stripling, RP. There’s nothing too fancy about Stripling, and though the Dodgers used him almost exclusively in relief in 2017, he could start for a lot of teams. You know, maybe the World Series turns out differently if Dave Roberts doesn’t bury him at the back of the pen.
Miami Marlins: Derek Dietrich, UT. He’s been a terrific bench player the past three seasons, hitting .261/.351/.432 while playing second, third and left field. He could be the regular in left field, and if he produces, he probably gets traded.
Milwaukee Brewers: Travis Shaw, 3B. His numbers were less than stellar with the Red Sox in 2016. The Brewers picked him up for reliever Tyler Thornburg, and Shaw broke out with .273/.349/.513 season that included 31 home runs, all while caring for his daughter, who was born in June with a heart abnormality that required three life-threatening surgeries (she was released from the hospital in December). Shaw plays a solid third base, especially impressive for a guy who spent more time in the minors at first base, and he hit better on the road, so he didn’t just take advantage of Miller Park.
New York Mets: Jerry Blevins, RP. Every team needs a 6-foot-6, 190-pound LOOGY (left-handed, one-out guy). Blevins has carved out a nice career in part because he isn't completely useless against righties, though Terry Collins limited him to just 91 innings in 148 games the past two seasons.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Cesar Hernandez, 2B. Everyone kind of expected the Phillies to trade Hernandez to clear room for prospect Scott Kingery, but they didn’t and with good reason: Hernandez is good. He averaged 3.2 WAR the past two seasons, and the Phillies might end up keeping him and turning Kingery into a Ben Zobrist-type utility guy.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Josh Bell, 1B. It seems like we waited forever for Bell to arrive, and when he finally played his first full season, we kind of ignored it. There were some positive signs, with 26 home runs and solid control of the strike zone without an excessive strikeout rate. To get to the next level, Bell will need to hit fewer ground balls (51 percent ground ball rate) and take advantage of his natural power.
St. Louis Cardinals: Jose Martinez, 1B/LF. Tommy Pham? You know about Tommy Pham by now. Martinez could always hit -- he hit .384 in Triple-A in 2015 -- but became one of those launch-angle guys last season and began clearing the fence with regularity. He hit 14 home runs in 272 at-bats as part of a .309/.379/.518 line and at the minimum should start against lefties and serve as a strong weapon off the bench.
San Diego Padres: Dinelson Lamet, SP. Hey, they won more games than the Giants, so somebody must be doing something. Lamet struck out 139 in 114 1/3 innings as a rookie while holding batters to a .210 average, so it isn't surprising to see that he averaged 95 mph with his fastball. He’s a fastball/slider guy with below-average control, however, so lefties also slugged .502 off him. If he can develop an off-speed pitch, watch out.
San Francisco Giants: Hunter Strickland, RP. Bryce Harper's favorite relief pitcher. Strickland is known largely for giving up bombs to Harper in the postseason and then instigating a brawl after throwing at Harper last May. However, he has quietly been the one consistent Giants reliever, with a 2.75 ERA the past three seasons.
Washington Nationals: Ryan Madson, RP. Maybe you could go with Anthony Rendon, who led NL position players in
FanGraphs WAR, but he has two top-six MVP finishes in his career (that’s one more than Bryce Harper), so you can’t say he flies under the radar. How about Madson, who has been good for three seasons after missing three seasons after
Tommy John surgery and a long path to recovery? Between the A’s and Nationals, he was quietly one of the game’s best relievers in 2017: 59 IP, 38 H, 2 HRs, 9 BB, 67 K's.
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