Colorado Rockies: German Marquez a dark horse Cy Young candidate? | Rox Pile
In a recent article at MLB.com, Richard Justice compiled a list of ten “dark horse” candidates to win the 2018 Cy Young Award. There are many intriguing names on the list, including one member of your Colorado Rockies: German Marquez. “The Rockies have so many talented young pitchers that it’s a matter of picking one,” Justice writes. That statement is a lot to take in. This franchise has come a long way to the point where a national writer can make a statement such as this. As for Marquez, he had a year to remember in 2017. While he was outpaced by staff ace Jon Gray in many facets, Marquez sported the best strikeout ability and pinpoint command of the rotation’s rookies. Marquez also led the entire pitching staff with 162 innings pitched.
I very much found myself looking forward to Marquez’s starts in 2017. If he can take it to a Cy Young level in 2018, the already strong Rockies pitching staff would look even more impressive to a national audience.
Eyes on Castellani at Rockies’ spring camp | Rockies.com
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding provides many interesting quotes from Rockies prospect Ryan Castellani. Castellani was recently projected as baseball’s no. 48 prospect according to ZiPS projections, and ranked no. 9 on Purple Row’s PuRPs list (and no. 4 on my personal PuRPs list, just to throw in a shameless plug). One name that keeps popping up in Harding’s article is Max Scherzer, whom Castellani is drawing significant comparisons to from Rockies senior player development director Zach Wilson. Castellani’s pitching tutor, Chris Sinacori (who also trained Scherzer), had him adjust his delivery, raising his arms above his head at the start of his windup, just like the Washington Nationals ace and 3-time Cy Young Award winner does. Apparently, Castellani is having great success with this method and he will be a player to keep a close eye on this spring.
Colorado Rockies: Jeff Bridich should trade for J.T. Realmuto | Rox Pile
The Rockies should be in “all in” mode, opines Ryan Ladika of Rox Pile, and a trade to acquire catcher JT Realmuto from the Miami Marlins would be one way of upgrading the roster. Of course, Realmuto would likely require at least one of the Rockies’ top prospects, so a weighing of necessities will need to take places.