2015 MLB Team Previews – Rockies
It does not look like the Rockies have improved since last season, the most they can hope for is that their top players are healthy. In a division like the National League West that is not going to be enough to make a run at a playoff spot.
MLB Lines & Matchup Insight
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This might be a last place team this season depending on how terrible Arizona is.
2015 MLB Team Previews – Colorado Rockies
- National League West: +5000
- National League: +7500
- World Series: +15000
Key Additions:
IF Daniel Descalso
C Nick Hundley
Hundley is no star but his acquisition makes it easier for the Rockies to move Wilin Rosario out from behind the plate (where he is terrible).
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Descalso comes from a winning program in St. Louis and will probably be the everyday second baseman but I wouldn’t expect too much.
There were clearly no impact additions this offseason.
Key Losses:
1B/OF Michael Cuddyer
IF Josh Rutledge
RH Juan Nicasio
Losing Cuddyer hurts a little. Even though there was a Coors effect he did still lead the league in hitting last year. Rutledge is a nice piece to have for his versatility but he was unlikely to become a star. Nicasio was a typical Rockies starter (not a good thing).
Projected Lineup:
OF Charlie Blackmon
3B Nolan Arenado
SS Troy Tulowitzki
OF Carlos Gonzalez
1B Justin Mourneau
OF Wilin Rosario
C Nick Hundley
2B Daniel Descalso
Per the intro the key is the health of Tulo and CarGo, neither played 100 games last year. When healthy they are good enough to carry the offense but without them this team gets very ordinary very quickly.
It is nice to see that Justin Mourneau can still be a viable Major League player because in his final days in Minnesota it was pretty sad, he and Wilin Rosario provide a nice second tier of offensive production – someday Rosario will hit 40 homers in a season and he can make contact too.
The bottom of the order is going to be a black hole but no more so than a lot of other NL teams. If they play good defense then it will be acceptable.
This team should be able to put runs on the board no matter where they play.
Starting Rotation:
LH Jorge De La Rosa
LH Tyler Matzek
RH Jordan Lyles
RH Jhoulys Chacin
RH Eddie Butler
It is quite possible that the best starters in the system won’t be on the Major League roster when the season starts.
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When it comes to Colorado starting pitching you just never know what you are going to get.
De La Rosa seems to have figured out how to handle the humidor and he is an effective arm but far from elite.
The rest of the rotation is full of question marks, especially youthful Eddie Butler who was terrible in the Majors last season but has potential.
It is hard to pitch half your games in the thin air and until the Rockies are able to get more consistent production from their starters, at home and on the road, it is going to be tough for this team to go that far.
Closer:
LH Rex Brothers
RH LaTroy Hawkins
RH Adam Ottavino
Brothers has a good arm but he also has a couple of strikes against him. One is that he is a lefty and the other is that he gives up too many walks.
They may want him to take the role but it wouldn’t surprise me if old faithful, LaTroy Hawkins winds up getting a chunk of the save opportunities. Colorado does not have any of those established power arms that are popping up in bullpens all over the league.
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Maybe Jairo Diaz, who was with the Angels last season could surprise and grab a role.
2015 Colorado Rockies Season Predictions:
I am always a little bullish on the Rockies, feeling that if they can just get some pitching they will be OK.
I say that because I think there is a chance they will be really bad this season. It wouldn’t shock me if they dealt Tulo or CarGo (or both) and then this team will go from bad to terrible.
As they do not have even average pitching there is little hope for them going on a surprise run this season.
A surprise would be them finishing at .500 and things might be worse this season with the Dodgers and Padres both improved.
I will probably back the Rox more than I should this season, that doesn’t mean that you should too.
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