Rockies Write New Story in Wild West Race | Forbes
Dan Schlossberg of Forbes believes it’s time to start giving the Rockies some credit. The Coors Field narrative is the main reason that the Rockies tend to be discounted, but the 2018 team is a very solid 40-32 on the road. The Rockies are currently first place in the National League West. If they win the division, it will be the first time in franchise history that they have done so. Lately, Trevor Story has powered the offense, and particularly in Wednesday night’s much-reported three-home run affair over the San Francisco Giants. As it currently stands, Story is the first shortstop with 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases since Hanley Ramirez took home the honor in 2008.
Then there’s the bullpen, which has been much better as of late. Wade Davis leads the National League in saves, and after some struggles, has rounded back into form. And Adam Ottavino and Scott Oberg have been good to excellent all season long.
All of this comes before even mentioning a starting rotation that has been the backbone of the Rockies in 2018. The 1-2-3 punch of Kyle Freeland, Jon Gray, and German Marquez can truly go toe to toe against the top three on any starting staff in the game. The Rockies are the only team in baseball to use a starting rotation of all sub-30 year olds in 2018, and the youngsters have risen to the occasion.
‘You just get these feelings’: How Trevor Story entered Coors Field lore with the longest homer of the Statcast era | The Athletic ($)
Nick Groke of The Athletic provides further details on Story’s prodigious power display from Wednesday. Manager Bud Black notes that Story’s success has been building for quite some time. Meanwhile, bullpen coach Darren Holmes is impressed with Story’s feat, but still remembers Mike Piazza’s 496-foot blast from 1997, which Holmes believes was more like 560 feet.
BSN Rockies Podcast: Ranking the impressiveness of Trevor Story’s three home runs | BSN Denver
In the latest episode of the BSN Rockies podcast, Drew Creasman breaks down each of Story’s three big flies, and how a case can be made for each having their own level of importance.
Arenado slowed by lingering shoulder pain | MLB.com
Over the past month, Nolan Arenado has simply not looked himself, whether it be at the plate or at third base playing defense. Arenado admitted to Owen Perkins of MLB.com that he is still dealing with lingering shoulder soreness from an August 10 injury when he had to leave the game. Arenado was careful to add that no one’s body is feeling 100 percent as the grind of a 162-game schedule wears into September, but that he’s also feeling worse than he did at this point last year. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt for Black to give Arenado a day off soon.
What’s the best way for a team to ward off injuries? | Bleed Cubbie Blue
Bleed Cubbie Blue’s Tim Huwe details how the best recipe for avoiding injuries is to give players some necessary days off.