Uncustomed Heroes of 2018: Rockies

The Colorado Rockies...a year after just missing the playoffs, managed to sneak in, and go up against the Brewers for a little bit. Granted, they weren't going to win, seeing as the Brewers became unstoppable at that exact moment, but they managed to chase them for a little bit.

And oddly enough, it was a year that their core was a little less consistent than in 2017, despite better years from Trevor Story and Tyler Anderson. Plus, there was a slight improvement from Ian Desmond, whose average was a bit higher over .200 than it was last year. The guy's still far from his Nationals numbers, but he's still a fine first baseman.

 Chris Iannetta's first year in a Rockies uniform since 2011 was...not bad per se, but he's still one of the more unspectacular catchers in the league. He's not known for his offensive numbers, and he only had 4 errors behind the plate, so while he's not quite indestructible, he's still a solid defensive catcher. The Rox do seem intent on keeping him around, but I'd prefer them to pick up a younger, steadier catching option.

 After missing a year due to injury, David Dahl finally bounced back onto the Rockies' lineup, and did fairly well for himself, with a .273 average and 16 homers over 73 games. He's probably guaranteed a starting spot next to Gerardo Parra and Charlie Blackmon next year.

 Antonio Senzatela's role in the Rockies' pitching setup was greatly diminished compared to 2017, but he still pitched well enough. Senzatela only started 13 games, and only had 66 strikeouts, but with a 4.38 ERA. So he's inoffensively okay. Still, the core five of this rotation may continue to outdo him for time, and he may just be an extra option in the case of injuries. So hopefully he'll rise to that occasion.

Seung Hwan Oh was a late addition, dealt from Toronto to bolster the weak bullpen, and he definitely delivered, giving up only 6 earned runs in 22 innings, and leaving with a 2.53 ERA and a 1.031 WHIP. Thankfully Oh will be staying in Denver for 2019.

Coming Tomorrow- Three years ago they won a World Series. Now...ugh.

Uncustomed Heroes of Baseball: Cardinals

The Cardinals, shockingly, did not make the playoffs this year.

This could be thanks to injuries, unsuccessful call ups, old-faithfuls that suddenly stopped being reliable, or just the fact that this once-strong World Series squad just isn't what it used to be.

Either way, when he was healthy, Brandon Moss was having one of the best seasons of his career. The guy's come a long way from being a bench player in Pittsburgh, and even if he's not a top-caliber star like he was in Oakland, he's still doing great things in St. Louis. Not sure if he's sticking around, though.

Mike Leake was an offseason addition for the Cardinals that didn't go exactly as planned. Leake's best numbers were as a Cincinnati Red, and he hasn't done the greatest job since his tenure there. His numbers this season were...surprisingly subpar, especially for Leake. Hopefully things will turn up.

Matt Adams has been doing a pretty consistent job as the first baseman in St. Louis, though he has been injured a bit too often. He's a great hitter, and he could step up in a big way, especially in Matt Holliday's absence.

Seung-Hwan Oh took over for Trevor Rosenthal, following his implosion this season (which was incredibly sad but pretty satisfying if you hate the Cardinals). Oh's been a pretty nice reliever/closer, and hopefully will keep the good work up.

As for Matt Holliday...though his final season in St. Louis wasn't his best, there's no doubt that he's been an outstanding presence ever since his arrival in 2009. He's helped them get a World Series ring, as well as reestablishing his career and contenting his great work at the bat. In 2017, he'll be suiting up for the Yankees, which will hopefully mark the next step in his career, especially considering the last Cardinals outfielder who joined the Bombers ended up revitalizing his career as well.

Coming Tomorrow- The little guys that took home the gold this year.