Oddsmakers not showing much faith in the 2019 Colorado Rockies | Rox Pile
Any high rollers out there looking to make a buck or two might want to consider the “over” on the Rockies’ 2019 win total after Caesar’s Palace released its latest betting lines. According to Vegas, the Rockies are in line to win a mere 82 games next season and finish well outside the Wild Card race—they have the Dodgers 13 games ahead and the Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Braves, Mets, and Phillies all winning more games than the Rox.
The Rockies are coming off a 91-win season, so this line represents some significant regression. We can only speculate as to why that is, of course, but as Kevin Henry points out , this roster has undergone significant changes with many main stays now free agents, and the front office has done little to rectify those losses.
If the Rockies truly are betting on themselves and young talent like Dahl, Hampson, Tapia, and others to keep their playoff dreams alive this year, then Vegas is probably skeptical of their ability to make up for those veteran losses. If that’s the case, Rockies fans who have faith in this young core look like they could make some moolah...
What if Colorado Rockies open their season with this roster? | Mile High Sports
Speaking of the young guns getting more playing time, Luke Zahlmann of Mile High Sports decided to take a closer look at the roster as it stands now if the regular season started tomorrow. The major differences revolve around the absence of former veteran Rockies (Carlos González, DJ LeMahieu, and Gerrardo Parra) and how David Dahl, Garrett Hampson, and Raimel Tapia will have to fill their roles.
Interestingly, Luke suggests Ian Desmond will primarily slot into the lineup as a utility man—not a starter—due to the Daniel Murphy signing, which would be a relief to many Rockies fans. In combination with Hampson and Tapia getting more playing time as a result, it appears the offensive philosophy next year is trending toward speed and getting on base, while overall power numbers may take a hit.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic isn’t mad that Bryce Harper and Manny Machado haven’t signed with a team yet, he’s just disappointed... well, he’s a little mad, actually. According to Jim, there isn’t a single team in baseball who shouldn’t be interested in signing either of the two 26 year old generational talents, regardless of their payroll.
The Rockies? Well, Jim’s argument goes as far as to suggest that Bridich is willing to pay Desmond and Wade Davis large sums of money, so why not Harper? Obviously there’s more to it than a single season’s paycheck—the Rockies, like many clubs, aren’t necessarily jumping at the opportunity to spend $30M+ a year for the next ten years.
I, for one, would love to see Bryce Harper in a Rockies uniform. But if that means we’re offering him the mega-contract that would otherwise go to Nolan Arenado? Absolutely not. Nolan deserves the opportunity to go down as the face of the franchise, if he wants to, and Bridich should absolutely be focused on him instead of Harper.
McHugh debuts podcast with McCullers as guest | MLB.com
Old friend Collin McHugh has started his own podcast, and Brian McTaggart of MLB.com was able to discuss this new endeavor with him and give us the low-down in this article. Titled “The Twelve Six Podcast,” Collin’s show will focus on the “human side” of the game and bring in former or current players to discuss “life in the big leagues and beyond.” Most importantly, as McHugh notes, baseball players have been conservative in displaying their personalities, and he hopes to help change that flaw in baseball’s marketing strategy.
Rockies notes: Colorado linked to Dozier as market heats up | Mile High Sports
Aniello Piro brings us more on the latest rumor involving the Rockies and the free-agent market. No, it’s not for someone in a position we actually need filled (i.e. Yasmani Grandal, who is now off the board after reportedly signing with the Brewers on a one-year, $18.25M deal), it’s for Brian Dozier to fill in at second base. Considering that the Rockies have Ryan McMahon, Garrett Hampson, and Daniel Murphy—all with the flexibility to man the keystone—this rumor is a bit of a head-scratcher.
San Francisco Giants’ home now called Oracle Park after AT&T split | San Francisco Chronicle
AT&T Park is officially no more! But before you get too excited, no, the ballpark itself isn’t going anywhere or changing in any meaningful way. The Giants have split ways with American multinational conglomerate AT&T and sold the naming rights of their stadium to Oracle, a local Sillicon Valley technology colossus (who also have naming rights for the home court of the Giants’ NBA brethren, the Golden State Warriors, who play at Oracle Arena). The bad news for the Rockies? The deal will give the Giants “substantially more revenue” to work with as they look to rebuild themselves into a contender.