Who’s on First? The Rockies Are Open to Suggestions | Mile High Sports
First base has been a bit of a problem for the Rockies in the recent past. For 17 years, the Rockies had #17, Todd Helton playing at first, but have yet to fill the position. Justin Morneau and Mark Reynolds both found some success there, but nothing like Helton, the only Rockies player to have his number retired. The newest attempt is Ian Desmond, which has not worked out well so far. Desmond was a very desirable player, so the Rockies paid him a ton of money, but he got hurt, and then they put him in a spot he’d never played before.
Ryan McMahon and Pat Valaika have taken a stab at the spot. The plan seems to be that McMahon can find his way in the minor leagues and Ian Desmond can figure out first. First base has been a tough question for the Rockies all offseason and so far in 2018, but hopefully the team can all get and stay healthy and someone can rise to the occasion.
Colorado Rockies: Was Wednesday an offensive fluke or a good sign? | Rox Pile
The Rockies’ 11-2 win over the Cubs on Wednesday provided some much needed relief. We were starting to get concerned about their ability to produce any kind of offense. Nolan Arenado, Gerardo Parra, and David Dahl all shone, which gives us hope. There was no Ian Desmond or Carlos Gonzalez in the lineup, though, and we do need to wait and see what kind of performance they can deliver when we see them again. It’s hard to say right now if this game was the turning point for the Rockies’ offense, but I think we can hope that this is a step in the right direction.
The Rockies are paying Ian Desmond a ton of money. A ton. And he is batting .117 since April 5. The return on investment is devastatingly small. It comes back down to figuring out first base. Sure, moving Desmond to a different position probably wouldn’t fix his hitting problem, but honestly, if we’re going to keep him in the lineup, it couldn’t really hurt, either. Ryan McMahon has shown that he’s not quite ready, and there’s not really anyone else ready to fill that gap. So it’s still got to be some trial and error to figure out where everything should fit, but the Rockies had better get to it as we get farther into the season.
Ichiro retires from playing (for now) and joins the Mariners’ front office | SB Nation
Ichiro Suzuki is coming off the field and moving to the front office for the Mariners. He will be a special assistant to the chairman, which takes him off the roster for 2018, but leaves it a possibility for him to come back in the future. Ichiro has had a phenomenal and unforgettable career, and it’ll be hard to see him go, but it’s a comfort to know he will still be around the baseball world.