Here’s a look at the 2016 Colorado Rockies:
2016: 75-87, third place.
Manager: Bud Black (first season).
He’s Here: 1B Ian Desmond, LHP Mike Dunn, RHP Greg Holland, INF Alexi Amarista.
He’s Outta Here: Manager Walt Weiss, LHP Jorge De La Rosa, C Nick Hundley, LHP Boone Logan, 1B-OF Ben Paulsen, OF Ryan Raburn, INF Daniel Descalso, RHP Eddie Butler.
Projected Lineup: CF Charlie Blackmon (.324, 29 HRs, 82 RBIs, 17 SBs), 2B DJ LeMahieu (MLB-best .348, 11, 66), 3B Nolan Arenado (.294, 41, MLB-high 133, .932 OBP), RF Carlos Gonzalez (.298, 25, 100), SS Trevor Story (.272, 27, 72 in 97 games), LF Gerardo Parra (.253, 7, 39), 1B Mark Reynolds (.282, 14, 53) until return of Ian Desmond (.285, 22, 86 with Rangers), C Tony Wolters (.259, 3, 30).
Rotation: RH Jon Gray (10-10, 4.16, 185 Ks), RH Tyler Chatwood (12-9, 3.87), LH Tyler Anderson (5-6, 3.53), RH Jeff Hoffman (0-4, 4.88 in 8 games, 6 starts), RH German Marquez (1-1, 5.23).
Key Relievers: RH Greg Holland (3-2, 3.83, 32 saves with Royals in 2015; missed last season recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery), RH Adam Ottavino (1-3, 2.67, 7 saves), LH Chris Rusin (3-5, 3.74), LH Jake McGee (2-3, 4.73, 15 saves), RH Carlos Estevez (2-5, 5.24, 11 saves), LH Mike Dunn (6-1, 3.40 in 42 1/3 IP with Miami).
Hot Spot: Starting Rotation. The Rockies are going to miss Chad Bettis, who stepped away from baseball to undergo chemotherapy after discovering that his testicular cancer had spread. There is no timetable for his return. He was going to be counted on heavily after going 14-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 32 starts last season. The last two spots could be up for grabs, with Hoffman, Marquez, lefty Kyle Freeland and righty Antonio Senzatela all trying to stake a claim.
Outlook: Heading into spring training, the Rockies were a trendy pick to make a run at their first playoff berth since 2009. They signed Black to a three-year deal to take over for Weiss. They brought in former shortstop and outfielder Desmond to learn first base, and bulked up their shaky bullpen with Holland and Dunn. They already had one of the most formidable lineups in the league with Arenado, Gonzalez, Story, Blackmon and LeMahieu. But this spring they’ve been hit hard by injuries. Desmond had surgery on his broken left hand and will miss several weeks. Rusin has an oblique injury, outfielder David Dahl is dealing with injured ribs and catcher Tom Murphy could miss a month with a hairline fracture in his right forearm.
Weather the early injuries and it could be a fruitful season for Colorado, especially if Holland can return to the form that made him a lights-out closer in Kansas City before he got hurt.
