Apr 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; General view of fans heading to Coors Field before the game between the San Diego Padres against the Colorado Rockies. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
With 2016 in its final few days, it’s time to look ahead to 2017. If you’re a Colorado Rockies fan, there’s a lot of reason to be excited about what’s potentially coming in the New Year.
There have been a lot of changes for the Rockies since this time last season, most notably a new manager and a new first baseman. Could those moves be among the reasons why the Rockies break their postseason drought and find themselves playing deep into October in 2017?
Of course, it’s going to take more than some new faces to make that happen. It’s going to take a combination of things … and that got us thinking about what we’d like to wish for the Colorado Rockies in 2017. Sure, it would be easy to say “a World Series trophy” or “people to quit talking about the altitude,” but we decided to dive a little deeper into some wishful thinking for the season ahead.
With that in mind, we present to you our 2017 wish list for the Rockies. Some are down to earth, some are altruistic and some are just keeping our fingers crossed. But hey, it’s a great time of year to be optimistic and hopeful about what lies ahead, right?
Let’s dive in…
May 17, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres manager Bud Black (20) looks out of the dugout during the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Wish No. 1
This one goes out right out to you, Bud Black. As the new manager of the Rockies, you have a lot on your plate. You have to get to know your players, figure out strengths and weaknesses and see who performs well enough in spring training to get a spot on the 25-man roster.
Yep, those things are tough. But here’s the toughest thing we think Black may battle, so we’re making this our biggest wish for him in 2017. We’re wishing upon you the gift of proper bullpen management.
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During his introductory press conference, Black talked about how he had some experience at Coors Field during his days as the San Diego Padres manager. Whether we want to talk about the altitude or not, there are going to be days when the score is going to look more like a football game than a baseball game. It happens in Denver (and at Wrigley when the wind is blowing out, right?). There are also going to be days when it’s a tight 3-2 game heading into the eighth inning.
Jon Gray isn’t going to give you eight innings every outing. Neither is Chad Bettis or Tyler Anderson or Tyler Chatwood. It’s going to be up to the bullpen to come in and hold a lead. It’s going to be up to Black to push the right buttons to make that happen.
One of the biggest complaints Rockies fans had against former manager Walt Weiss was how he used his bullpen. It’s been well documented how the bullpen struggled last season … and some of the relievers who had some of the biggest issues in 2016 are back again this year.
Part of that was health. Part of that was ability. Part of that was how the reliever was used in a certain situation. It was a perfect storm of putridness at times last season.
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But this is 2017, right? A new manager with a healthy Adam Ottavino to close and a new left-hander in Mike Dunn to bring out of the pen certainly adds some hope that the bullpen will be improved next season.
It may take some creativity at times, but we have faith that, with the right bullpen management, a few games that were lost last season can be won this year under the same circumstances.
Aug 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) hits a three run home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Wish No. 2
Nolan Arenado, let’s make one thing clear from the very start. We think you are the best all-around third baseman in the game. Yes, we know who won the National League MVP last season. We also know there are plenty of folks in Baltimore who think they have the best third baseman. That’s fine. We’ll stand by you and your stats, Gold Gloves and Fielding Bible awards.
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So here’s our wish for you this season … national recognition. We think it’s high time people around the league know the kind of player you are. Not just from the highlights that may take a Web Gem or two on ESPN. We’re talking about games where people can actually watch you play, no matter where they live. They can see you’re not just a “Coors Field product.” They can witness for themselves the way you mash the ball and handle just about any play that comes your way at the hot corner.
Now some of that recognition is going to come from the Rockies actually reaching the postseason. If that’s what it takes, we’re all for that. However, we’d love to see you getting the kudos you deserve for the player you are.
We’re lucky to get to watch you on a daily basis. We’re hoping more and more of America realizes the special talent you are in 2017.
By the way, side note to ESPN, with your release of your Sunday night telecast schedule, there are some TBDs in there. You might check out when would be a good time to feature Nolan and the Rockies early in the season and beat the bandwagon rush.
Jul 25, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) turns a double play over Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) in the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Wish No. 3
Welcome back Trevor Story! Hey, we missed you the last couple of months of last season, but I’m sure you already knew that. You took the nation by storm with your historic home run barrage last season and then, before we could see just how far you would take it, the thumb injury knocked you out for the season. I was there the day you were talking about how disappointed you were to be out for the season. I know we’re supposed to be unbiased as journalists but, trust me, the media members standing in that room were just as disappointed to hear the news.
But hey, that was then and this is now. You’re back and we’re anxious to see what your sophomore season is going to bring. You have a full spring training as “the man” at shortstop so it will be a completely different February and March for you.
It’s also going to be a completely different April as well. You won’t be sneaking up on any pitchers this season. They know you can hit for power so they’re going to be ready with their scouting reports and try to stump you with their toughest pitches.
Our wish for you is this … the wish of patience. Everyone is going to be expecting you to smash homers from Day 1. If you don’t, people are going to wonder if you were just a flash in the pan and they’ll mutter about “a sophomore slump.” Those of us who watch you every day know better. We’ve seen not only the homers but the way your approach at the plate changed as the season went along. We know it’s only going to get better the more Major League experience you get.
The Rockies need a solid shortstop who can hit for average and power and steal some bases. They also need someone who can make plays in the field. That’s you. We saw it last year. We’ll see it again in 2017. It may not be an immediate splash like last season but it will be there. We have faith and wish you all of the patience you need to make it happen.
Aug 21, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Ian Desmond (20) looks on while on deck against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Texas Rangers 8-4. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Wish No. 4
Ian Desmond may be the member of the Colorado Rockies who is under the microscope the most this season. Signing a big, long-term contract to play a position he’s never played before in his career will come with a lot of pressure. Even after he signed, Rockies fans were still clamoring for the team to land Mark Trumbo, Edwin Encarnacion or Chris Carter to play first. Now it looks like Desmond is the man at first base.
With that in mind, our wish for him is that he learns the position quickly and grows thick skin. Every time something doesn’t go exactly right at first this season, Rockies Twitter will blow up because of his inexperience. It’s not a matter of if … it’s a matter of when. With that in mind, he will have to have many, many more good moments than bad.
That’s going to take a lot of practice before the regular-season opener. We saw numerous times last season where Mark Reynolds make some great picks at first base to scoop up errant throws from the other side of the infield. Desmond will have to quickly become adept at doing the same thing.
It’s going to be a tough job, but Desmond has time this offseason to learn. We hope and wish the learning curve for him is as easy to conquer as when he moved from the infield to outfield last season.
Oct 2, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Fans watch in the seventh inning of the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Wish No. 5
We saved our final wish for you, the Colorado Rockies fan base. We know, we know. It’s been a tough ride since 2009. There have been plenty of times when you’ve thrown your hands in the air and turned off the TV. There have been plenty of moments when the sunset view from the party deck looked a lot better than what you were seeing on the field. We get that.
With that in mind, here is our wish for Rockies fans in 2017 … the wish of true fandom. What is that you say? It’s a wish that means we hope you’ll be behind the team from the moment the season opens in April to what will hopefully be a postseason run in October. There will be plenty of room on the bandwagon later in the season. Why not beat the crowd and join in on the cheers early in the campaign?
Here’s another thing true fandom means … it means you’re going to have to actually come to the games and make sure your voices are louder than the opposing fans. There were plenty of times last season when it felt like San Francisco and Los Angeles were playing a home game at 20th and Blake. That simply can’t happen in 2017.
We talked in one article earlier this year about if Denver would ever be a baseball town. Here’s hoping (and wishing) that’s exactly what happens in 2017.
