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FPF (even though I am late on a Saturday)- 5 Predictions for 2018

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports


1) Trevor Story will post the 3rd highest fWAR among offensive players. Story's bounce back campaign in 2018 will happen. Story will get his K% under 30% (still not good but a dire and necessary improvement) and will play over 150 games for the first time in his career while playing gold glove caliber defense.

2) Ian Desmond and CarGo are better. If Ian Desmond and Carlos Gonzalez had posted quality(ish) numbers last year the Rockies could've won well over 90 games. Ian Desmond was worth -0.8 fWAR last year and CarGo -0.2. There is no way the duo combines for a negative WAR this season (even though there is a way, just not in my envisioned future) and any positive production Desi and CarGo can provide will help this club improve upon its miserable 2017 offensive season.

3) The Rockies best pitcher is... Germán Márquez? This is not a knock on Jon Gray but more complimentary to Márquez's potential to be a top of the rotation arm. His talent is apparent and Márquez was definitely one of the most consistent pitchers the Rox had last year. It's only a matter of time before his nasty fastball curveball combination, mixed with improved complementary pitches takes the league by storm.

4) Rockies go after a franchise catcher at the trade deadline. Chris Iannetta will give the Rockies better production than they received last year from Tony Wolters, Tom Murphy, and Ryan Hanigan. Jon Lucroy was a great addition and I expect the Rockies to make a similar move this year with the club's future in mind. J.T. Realmuto is one of the best catchers in the game and comes with more than a year of controllability. With no catchers in the pipeline that represent premier two-way talents, the Rockies turn to the Marlins for a catcher they can control through 2021. The cost will be astronomical but the Rockies still have a deep farm and Realmuto's price will almost assuredly be cheaper than it was this offseason.

5) Wade Davis flops. There had to be one negative prediction among my 5. Flop might be a strong word but considering how much Davis is being paid, he should be the best relief pitcher on the team. I don't think that will be the case and that is somewhat of a testament to how deep the Rockies' pen is but I also think that statement will prove true, in part, due to an underperformance from Davis.

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).

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