Patrick Saunders has come out with the newest edition of the mailbag, answering fans’ questions. A big question, especially after the Manny Machado deal, is what the Rockies will do with Nolan Arenado. It seems like Arenado is torn between curiosity about what he can achieve elsewhere and wanting to stay with the team that’s been good to him. There’s a good chance that the Rockies will try to hold onto him, but it’s still hard to say before we see what the Rockies can do in 2019. Saunders also answers questions about outfield and bullpen depth. He adorably answers a question from a long-time baseball fan about new-fangled statistics such as WAR. He addresses league-wide questions about Kyler Murray, who has opted to enter the NFL over the MLB. He puts in his two cents about who can find success at second base, a big question after the departure of DJ LeMahieu.
Colorado Rockies: It’s time to stop calling Jon Gray “mentally weak” | Rox Pile
The difference in Jon Gray between the 2017 and the 2018 season was very disappointing. After falling apart in the 2017 Wild Card game, Gray had a hard time delivering in 2018. A lot of the blame for his lack of performance fell to the fact that he couldn’t handle it mentally. However, when we look at his statistics, it doesn’t seem like he was too bad. Sure, he was below average, but he wasn’t awful. Some of the numbers actually add up better for Gray in 2018 than in 2017. It was a rough season, sure, but Gray had a lot of expectations to try and live up to. While something was definitely off last year, Gray has been working very hard to maintain his strength as well as his confidence. There’s still faith in Jon Gray, and he could just prove that he is the Rockies’ ace in 2019.
Murphy feeling right at home at first base | Rockies.com
Daniel Murphy was the big offseason signing for the Rockies. Murphy’s feeling confident with the two-year contract, and he’s ready to play first base. He says he feels natural at first base, which will be beneficial for the Rockies, who struggled at first last season. Murphy’s numbers show that he can be good both offensively and defensively in the position. Things are looking good so far, so we’ll see what he can bring in the new season.