Rockies’ Nolan Arenado: No sit-down meeting with GM Jeff Bridich is not a big deal | Denver Post ($)
Nolan hasn’t yet talked to Jeff Bridich about the contentious offseason, but he’s cool with that. I mean, after what went on in their last sit-down, I wouldn’t be too eager for another one either.
Arenado’s patience paving way for Rockies | MLB.com
The Rockies chase a lot of pitches and thus strike out a lot. Nolan thinks this is perhaps a bad strategy.
The Rockies didn’t make a lot of moves this offseason, but one interesting signing was José Mujica, a 23-year-old from Venezuela. Mujica pitched pretty well in Double-A and Triple-A in 2018 before Tommy John cost him all of 2019. He has four pitches, but his secondary stuff needs some work, so look for him to start the year in Albuquerque. But he has a lot of potential, and if all goes well, we could see him in the majors at some point this year.
Also, it turns out Mujica is from the same hometown in Venezuela as Antonio Senzatela. So that’s neat.
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black on Ubaldo Jimenez: “He’s here as a starting pitcher” | Rox Pile
Our friends at Rox Pile are predicting Ubaldo Jimenez makes the Opening Day roster. I ... don’t know how I feel about that.
Colorado Rockies: How long can they keep a struggling Bryan Shaw? | Rox Pile
Too long, my friends. Far too long.
Inevitable Nolan Arenado trade is only the start of Rockies’ problems | New York Post
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, it sucks that Nolan Arenado wants to win because no team in Denver will ever be able to win. Given the lower oxygen and lengthened recovery times, pitchers are screwed forever, and probably hitters are too.
So that’s certainly a take.
Rocky Mountain Low: the 2020 Colorado Rockies | Baseball FYI
This article makes Purple Row look like Pollyanna.
I have a lot of thoughts about this article’s analysis of the Rockies and suggestions for free agent signings. Here are some of them:
- Jon Gray goes by Jon.
- Jeff Hoffman is not guaranteed to be the Rockies’ fifth starter. He may have been the favorite to win the spot, but his poor 2019 and rough start to Spring Training are not doing him any favors.
- Kyle Gibson only pitched 160 innings last year with a 4.84 ERA, so we definitely don’t know that he would pitch 185 innings and be at all serviceable at Coors.
- Dallas Keuchel’s stuff would not play well at Coors.
- Gio Gonzalez is 34 and had a “dead arm” for much of last season, as well as shoulder issues that have lingered into Spring Training.
- Yes, OK, I agree about Wade Miley.
- Eric Thames is a 32-year-old left-handed first baseman. What are the Rockies going to do with that?
- Jason Castro is also 32, has battled injuries recently (including knee surgery in 2018) and is a career .231 hitter.
- Travis d’Arnaud is a career .246 hitter who had Tommy John in 2018 and was released by two different teams last year.
- “Freeland isn’t quite that bad, but he’s also not going to ever post four wins again like he did in 2018, and believing otherwise is a fool’s errand.” Wow. OK.
Look, I agree it was disappointing that the Rockies didn’t sign any free agents this offseason, but if these were the best available options ...
Anyway, sorry about that rant. Deep breath. Let’s just think about how pretty Nolan’s swing is for a minute, and then we’ll all feel better.
Yelich, Crew nearing extension | MLB.com
Rumor has it Christian Yelich will be rolling out the barrel with the Milwaukee Brewers for a long time. His current contract has two years and $26.5 million left on it, and the new contract would reportedly add seven years and $190 million. If you’re doing the math, that’s $216.5 million over nine years. With a mutual option for 2029. Yelich is 28 years old, so this would lock up the superstar through his age 36 or 37 season, at a cost of roughly $24 million a year ($27.1 million in the new deal alone).
I like this move for the Brewers.
MLB has no plans yet to cancel or postpone games due to coronavirus | ESPN
Japan’s preseason games are currently being played in empty stadiums, and they’re discussing the possibility of canceling the 2020 season altogether due to coronavirus concerns. We’re not there yet, but MLB has established an internal task force and issued guidance on suggested preparations, including avoiding handshakes and not touching anything fans want autographed. So that’s fun.
Dude, 2020 is an election year. Is a baseball season that’s uninterrupted by a global pandemic too much to ask for?