TREVOR STORY WINS SILVER SLUGGER AWARD | MLB.com
Trevor Story will at least have one form of formal recognition for his outstanding 2019 season, one in which he finished the season as the top player on the Rockies in terms of rWAR. He’s an elite player on defense, as evidenced by the fact that he was a finalist for a Gold Glove award, and he’s an elite player on offense who was more than deserving of a Silver Slugger award. This is his second consecutive Silver Slugger.
Given the degree of difficulty for a player to be so good both ways at shortstop, Story might have been an MVP candidate if not for the sorry state of the Rockies. All told, he slashed .294/.363/.554 with 35 home runs and 23 stolen bases. If the question after 2018 was whether Story could keep up his All-Star numbers from that season, he answered that question with authority.
Let’s just focus on being happy for Story here. We have plenty of time this offseason to wonder how the hell the Rockies messed up a nucleus that has Story and Nolan Arenado on one side of the infield.
Speaking of Story, Patrick Saunders mentions a multi-year for Story as a possible move the Rockies could make as part of their 2020 spending. The challenge, of course, is that they don’t believe they have the room to spend anywhere else. Like, say, in free agency. Saunders speculates that leaves a trade as the main option to add starting pitching, presumably in addition to the inevitable arrival of free agent Tanner Roark.
As for the Rockies’ starting pitching, Saunders quotes himself as saying the Rockies are “counting on a breakthrough from Chi Chi Gonzalez.” That says as much about the state of the starting rotation as anything I could, so let’s hope for a trade.
Colorado Rockies: Future at first may depend on health at second | Rox Pile
It’s the health of Brendan Rodgers and also his ability to adjust to big league pitching. That’s what might set the Rockies up for success at first and second base after their decision to go with Daniel Murphy over DJ LeMahieu last offseason. Aaron Hurt writes about the importance of a healthy Rodgers for the Rockies to move forward and improve their lineup, with the potential for Ryan McMahon taking more time at first base if Rodgers breaks through at second base.
We’re a long way from there, but if Rodgers does reach anything like the potential we all think he has, it will at least remind us why the Rockies made the decision to let DJ walk.