Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Rockies

 

Merry Christmas! This may not be the holiday season any of us asked for, but it still is what it is. The minimized state of Christmas this year means I can get away with posting this on the 25th and not fear a supreme lack of views. It's like Thanksgiving, everybody's home, everybody's together in some way, and there's more time to relax, I presume [I write these in advance].

Anyway. 2020 Rockies. Uh...perhaps the most middle of the road a team could be this year. Under .500, but not in a way that still garners playoff time. A few good seasons, but not enough to merit much attention. Another step backward for the 2018 playoff contenders.

Nolan Arenado was one of the victims of the lack of crowds this year, along with Javier Baez and Christian Yelich. This was Arenado's most human year yet, as he bat .253 with 26 RBIs and 8 home runs. The lower contact numbers are concerning, especially considering the large contract the Rockies just signed Arenado to. I sincerely hope it's a one year fluke, cause Arenado is still an elite player and I'd hate for him to suddenly not be.

2021 Prediction: He finally gets that MVP he's been inches from for years. 

German Marquez, after a few years of ruling the Rockies' rotation, had a bit of a down year as compatriots Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela did most of the heavy lifting. Despite pitching the most games with 13, he had a 4-6 record with a 3.75 ERA. His 75 Ks were still the team high, though.

2021 Prediction: Will lead the team in wins and Ks. If the DH is taken away, he'll hit .250 again. 

Daniel Murphy has served his purpose as a contact hitter, and is now just your regular, old fashioned power 1st baseman. Anybody can do what Murph is doing in Denver, and they already had Ian Desmond for it, but he opted out. So Murph now just sorta...is there. He bat .216 with 13 RBIs and 3 homers. Not much to cry about, but for a former MVP candidate it's a sad fall.

2021 Prediction: If anyone signs him, it'll be as a backup DH. Then he retires. 

Raimel Tapia is the Boba Fett of baseball. Looks cool, does nothing to warrant it. Last few years he's been fun on the base paths and in the outfield but has no positive stats to note. However, this year was a few steps up, as he bat .321 with 59 hits and 17 RBIs, and had some positive defensive numbers to boost his WAR. He's not Story/Arenado levels yet, but he's getting there.

2021 Prediction: The contact mojo wears off, and the Rockies cut him midyear. 

If 2020 was a normal season, this would be a Marlins uniform that Matt Kemp would be wearing, as he made camp with the Marlins and was close to making the team. Then the pandemic hits, Kemp gets released...and signs with the other 93 expansion team, the Rockies, makes the team and becomes the go-to DH for the Rockies. While it wasn't a HIGH mark for Kemp, he still got 21 RBIs and 6 homers out of the deal, and he revitalized himself after a disappointing 2019, so...better than nothing.

2021 Prediction: That said, I don't know if he'll make camp with whoever signs him this year. His best numbers are clearly behind him.

The other guy who made the team based solely on summer camp tryouts was Daniel Bard, a former Red Sox reliever who'd kicked around the majors for 6 years, trying to make camp with Chicago, Texas and other clubs with no avail. 2020 was the year Bard finally returned to the majors, and oh what a return it was- Bard led the bullpen in strikeouts with 27, eventually got the closing gig, and had a 3.65 ERA and a 0.9 WAR, highest in the 'pen. 

2021 Prediction: A season that won't be as starry as 2020, but will still be consistent. 

In the absence of Jon Gray, the Rockies brought up Ryan Castellani to add to the bullpen. In 9 starts, Castellani struck out 25, had a 1-4 record and a 5.82 ERA. The perils of pitching at Coors Field.

2021 Prediction: Either he learns from the Big 4 how to pitch in Denver or he's repurposed as a reliever. 

Of the two backup infield options from 2019, Josh Fuentes had the starrier year. Fuentes took some starts at 1st from Daniel Murphy and was clearly the more feasible option, as he hit .306 with 17 RBIs in 30 games, and had a WAR that topped even Charlie Blackmon's. It's looking like he'll be the option at 1st going into next year, unless Ian Desmond really wants it. 

2021 Prediction: A full-season star-making turn for Fuentes, joining with the Arenado-Story core to really aid this team. 

As for the guys the Rockies got from the trade deadline, the weaker of the two was Orioles reliever Mychal Givens, who had a 6.75 ERA in 10 games. The Rox got him as a closing option and he blew more saves than he kept. 

2021 Prediction: Will be one of the more overlooked relievers of the 2021 Denver 'pen.

And then you have Kevin Pillar, pinched from Boston as a decent outfield bat for the stretch. Pillar hit .308 in 24 games, with 28 hits and 13 RBIs, a decent bit of pop to a lineup that sort of trailed off as the playoff race took shape.

2021 Prediction: Similar to this year- cheap 1 year signing, some solid outfield time without much statistical impact.

Coming Tomorrow- The Royals are rebuilding, and this year was...for better or worse, the result of that.