MEDIA CLIPS – January 17, 2017 Marquez sets sights on permanent rotation role Young righty uses self-maintained database of outings to continue improving By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | January 16, 2017 DENVER -- Rockies right-hander German Marquez's cellphone tells the story, in words and motion pictures, of a rapid climb that he hopes lands him in the big leagues for good when the 2017 season starts. Two seasons ago, while still within the Rays' organization, Marquez would type notes from each start into his phone, and at times augment the entries with video clips. He continued last year, after he joined the Rockies in a four-player trade. Marquez provided numerous highlights -- a standout season at Double-A Hartford (9-6, 2.85 ERA, 126 strikeouts in 135 2/3 innings) that earned him Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors, five solid starts at Triple-A Albuquerque and a promising Major League debut -- 1-1, 5.23 ERA in six games (three starts). "Every outing I had, I kind of jot down notes about the good things and bad things that I did so I can learn from it and kind of utilize that moving forward," Marquez said in Spanish through his agent, Daniel Szew. "At the end of the season, I check everything, but I also study video of other pitchers that remind me of myself to see how they attack hitters and try to learn from them as well." Now Marquez, who turns 22 on Feb. 22, hopes to have a cellphone full of Major League highlights in 2017. Barring injury or other change in the Rockies' situation, Marquez, the Rockies' No. 5 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com -- is part of the competition for one open spot in the pitching rotation. 1 Also vying are some other highly regarded former first-round MLB Draft picks -- righty Jeff Hoffman (the No. 2 prospect), who also debuted last season, and lefty Kyle Freeland (No. 7), who spent last season at Albuquerque -- and veteran swingman Chris Rusin, who spent most of last year in the bullpen but will come to Spring Training stretched out and ready to start. Even if the Rockies add a starter via trade or a free-agent Major or Minor League signing, Marquez will find himself with a chance to earn a role with the big club. To prepare, Marquez has turned down an invitation to pitch for his home country, Venezuela, in the World Baseball Classic. Instead he will head to the Rockies' complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., about three weeks before the initial pitcher- catcher workout on Feb. 14. "I'm going to go 100 percent in Spring Training," said Marquez, who joined the Rockies with lefty reliever Jake McGee in the trade that sent outfielder Corey Dickerson and infielder Kevin Padlo to the Rays on Jan. 28, 2016. "I wanted to go to the Classic, too, but I want to fight for the five-man rotation. Marquez's debut, against the Padres on Sept. 8, was a nervous relief appearance -- he hadn't thrown out of the bullpen since a Class A Advanced game for the Charlotte Stone Crabs in August 2015 -- during which he gave up three runs on two hits and an uncharacteristic three walks in 2 1/3 innings. But he calmed down to toss two scoreless relief appearances. In his first start, he held the Cardinals to one run and four hits in five innings of his first Major League win, an 11-1 Rockies victory on Sept. 21 at Coors Field. The Giants tagged him for 12 hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 12-3 road loss on Sept. 27, but he pitched far better in a no-decision in the season finale against the Brewers -- six innings, six hits, two runs and seven strikeouts -- on Oct. 2. Marquez's hallmark was easy power -- a four-seam fastball that topped out at 96.9 mph during a relief appearance but usually sat around 94.5 mph. He doesn't have the long fingers like many pitchers, but his wide-shouldered, 6-foot-1 frame naturally produces power. Marquez did not have a personal tutor growing up, but he displayed enough talent that he drew the eye of Venezuelan scout Mario Gonzalez -- whose son, Marwin Gonzalez, is an Astros infielder. From there, the Rays ended up signing him. 2 Marquez offsets his fastball with his curve (79 mph) and changeup (83 mph). His fastball and curve were mostly responsible for a 54.9 percent Major League groundball rate that he can add to if he completes his offseason homework assignment. "I need to work a little bit more on my changeup, and then the pitching coaches want me to work a little bit more on my slider, so I might start utilizing that if I get comfortable with it," said Marquez, who said he has not used a slider but had thrown a limited number of two-seam sinking fastballs." 3 Arenado excited for '17 with contract settled By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | January 13, 2017 DENVER -- Nolan Arenado calls money "one of my least-favorite topics ever." And with the two-year contract worth $29.5 million he signed on Friday to avoid arbitration, he doesn't have to worry about it as he prepares for 2017. "Money doesn't do anything; I'm going to be putting pressure on myself because I want to be the best and be good at this game," Arenado said. "I take pride in it. I don't like to let the fans down, and I don't like to let my teammates down. That's why I'm my hardest critic." Arenado's contract will pay him $11.75 million in 2017 and $17.75 million in '18, and it leaves a year of arbitration eligibility in '19. "Over a couple days, each side kind of thought about it, without going into any specifics, and then we were able to quickly get things done today," Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said. Additionally, the Rockies signed their two other arbitration-eligible players -- center fielder Charlie Blackmon and right- handed starter Tyler Chatwood -- to one-year deals for 2017. The club already reached one-year deals earlier this offseason to avoid arbitration with relievers Jake McGee ($5.9 million) and Jordan Lyles ($3.18 million). Arenado, who turns 26 on April 16 and is one of the game's top young stars, has tied for the National League home run crown each of the last two years -- 42 in 2015 to tie the Nationals' Bryce Harper and 41 last year to match Chris Carter -- and won a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in each of his first four Major League seasons. Arenado also has led the Majors in RBIs the last two seasons -- 130 in 2015 and 133 last year. After hitting .287 in '14-15, he rasied his average to .294 last season, and his .362 on-base percentage was a career high. He still seeks improvement, not only offensively, but also defensively -- even though he is the first third baseman in history to earn Gold Glove Awards each of his first four seasons. He made just one error before the All-Star break, and finished with 13. "That's something that's been bothering me the whole offseason, how I went from that to that," Arenado said. 4 "My overall game needs to get better. You can find ways to get better. I could walk more. I could get more quality at-bats … hitting different pitches better, having more quality at-bats against better pitching, those things. Arenado said he heads into Spring Training with high hopes for a Rockies team that has a solid lineup and young starting pitching. The club has added right-handed-hitting Ian Desmond for five years and $70 million this offseason and left- hander Mike Dunn to the bullpen for three years and $19 million. "I like our chances," Arenado said. "I think we're good. I thought we were good no matter what. We have the talent. We have young guys that are getting better. We have a solidified rotation, which is really nice to know. That's a good start. "We've got to get better, got to keep growing. But this is the year where we've got to take that next step and start winning games." 5 Blackmon, Chatwood agree to deals for 2017 Duo, along with Arenado, avoids arbitration on Friday By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | January 13, 2017 DENVER -- The Rockies reached one-year contract agreements on Friday with center fielder Charlie Blackmon and right-handed starter Tyler Chatwood to avoid arbitration, the club announced. Blackmon signed for $7.3 million, while Chatwood signed for $4.4 million. The deals mean the Rockies have avoided having to go to an arbitration hearing with any of their players. Earlier on Friday, the Rockies announced a two-year contract worth $29.5 million with third baseman Nolan Arenado. Friday was the deadline for teams and players to exchange their filing numbers. Earlier in the offseason, the Rockies avoided arbitration by reaching one-year agreements with left-hander Jake McGee for $5.9 million and right-hander Jordan Lyles for $3.18 million. Blackmon, 30, the Rockies' leadoff hitter, established career bests in runs (111, third in the National League), hits (187), doubles (35), home runs (29), RBIs (82), batting average (.324, fourth in the NL), on-base percentage (.381) and slugging percentage (.552) during a breakout season in 2016.