2017 Colorado Rockies Top 10 Insider
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SEASON IN A SENTENCE: For many teams, a 75-87 season is cause for alarm, but for the Rockies it’s significant progress, seven games better than 2015 and the most wins for the franchise since 2010. Nevertheless, manager Walt Weiss stepped down at season’s end when his contract expired.
HIGH POINT: Rookies provided most of them this year, from shortstop Trevor Story’s four homers in his first four hits to righthander Jon Gray’s club-record 16 strikeouts in a complete-game September shutout of the Padres. Lefty Tyler Anderson provided another, when he tossed seven strong innings to get the Rox over .500 on Aug. 3 in a 12-2 home win against the Dodgers. The game included five home runs, one by Nolan Arenado, who tied for the National League lead with 41, and another by D.J. LeMahieu, won the NL batting title by hitting .348.
LOW POINT: The Rockies had the majors’ worst bullpen ERA, with a revolving door at closer. Rookie Carlos Estevez had his moments but also gave up four runs in the ninth in an Aug. 5 5-3 loss to the Marlins that dropped the Rockies back under .500. Seven different Rockies picked up a save.
NOTABLE ROOKIES: Story provided many of the other highlights in his first three months. While he struck out more than any Rockie despite playing just 97 games, he set an NL record for homers by a rookie shortstop with 27. Outfielder David Dahl, a 2012 first-rounder, stayed healthy and hit his way to Denver, hitting safely in his first 17 big league games in a strong debut. Anderson had the staff’s best ERA by a starter with more than 75 innings while Gray struck out 185, a Rockies rookie record. Estevez finished second on the team in appearances (63) and saves (11).
KEY TRANSACTIONS: The biggest deal GM Jeff Bridich made came in January, when the Rockies acquired pitchers Jake McGee and German Marquez from the Rays for minor league third baseman Kevin Padlo and outfielder Corey Dickerson. Shortstop Jose Reyes started the year on the restricted list due to a domestic violence investigation; the Rockies wound up releasing him in June.
DOWN ON THE FARM: No Rockies farm team made the playoffs in a middling year in the minors, though low Class A Asheville had first baseman Brian Mundell set a modern (post-1963) minor league record with 59 doubles.
OPENING DAY PAYROLL: $112,645,071 (17th)
| BEST TOOLS | |
| Best Hitter for Average | Raimel Tapia |
| Best Power Hitter | Brendan Rodgers |
| Best Strike-Zone Discipline | Garrett Hampson |
| Fastest Baserunner | Wes Rogers |
| Best Athlete | Ryan McMahon |
| Best Fastball | Riley Pint |
| Best Curveball | Jeff Hoffman |
| Best Slider | Kyle Freeland |
| Best Changeup | Riley Pint |
| Best Control | Kyle Freeland |
| Best Defensive Catcher | Dom Nunez |
| Best Defensive Infielder | Garrett Hampson |
| Best Infield Arm | Jose Gomez |
| Best Defensive Outfielder | Raimel Tapia |
| Best Outfield Arm | Sam Hilliard |
| PROJECTED 2020 LINEUP | |
| Catcher | Tom Murphy |
| First Base | Ian Desmond |
| Second Base | Brendan Rodgers |
| Third Base | Nolan Arenado |
| Shortstop | Trevor Story |
| Left Field | Charlie Blackmon |
| Center Field | David Dahl |
| Right Field | Raimel Tapia |
| No. 1 Starter | Jon Gray |
| No. 2 Starter | Riley Pint |
| No. 3 Starter | Jeff Hoffman |
| No. 4 Starter | German Marquez |
| No. 5 Starter | Tyler Anderson |
| Closer | Antonio Senzatela |
| TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org. |
| 2007 | Ian Stewart, 3b | Did not play |
| 2008 | Troy Tulowitzki, ss | Blue Jays |
| 2009 | Dexter Fowler, of | Cubs |
| 2010 | Tyler Matzek, lhp | Rockies |
| 2011 | Tyler Matzek, lhp | Rockies |
| 2012 | Drew Pomeranz, lhp | Red Sox |
| 2013 | Nolan Arenado, 3b | Rockies |
| 2014 | Jon Gray, rhp | Rockies |
| 2015 | David Dahl, of | Rockies |
| 2016 | Jon Gray, rhp | Rockies |
| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org. |
| 2007 | Casey Weathers, rhp | Indians |
| 2008 | Christian Friedrich, lhp | Padres |
| 2009 | Tyler Matzek, lhp | Rockies |
| 2010 | Kyle Parker, 1b | Reds |
| 2011 | Tyler Anderson, lhp | Rockies |
| 2012 | David Dahl, of | Rockies |
| 2013 | Jon Gray, rhp | Rockies |
| 2014 | Kyle Freeland, lhp | Rockies |
| 2015 | Brendan Rodgers, 2b | Rockies |
| 2016 | Riley Pint, rhp | Rockies |
| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY | |
| Brendan Rodgers, 2015 | $5,500,000 |
| Riley Pint, 2016 | $4,800,000 |
| Jon Gray, 2013 | $4,800,000 |
| Tyler Matzek, 2009 | $3,900,000 |
| Greg Reynolds, 2006 | $3,200,000 |
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