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Baseball world mourns Ventura, Marte By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | January 22nd, 2017 The baseball world mourned the unexpected deaths of Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura and third baseman Andy Marte

on Sunday.

Ventura, 25, died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic on Sunday. Marte, 33, also died in a separate car

crash Sunday in the Dominican Republic.

"Today is a very sad day for our entire game and particularly for the many loyal fans in the Dominican Republic, the home

of both Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte," said Commissioner Rob Manfred. "Yordano was a key figure in the Royals'

recent success. His electric talent on the mound helped lead the Royals to two American League pennants and the 2015

world championship.

"Andy was a respected member of six organizations who played seven Major League seasons, including for the Cleveland

Indians from 2006-10. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to the families, teammates,

friends and fans of both players."

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Andy Marte and Yordano Ventura," Major League Baseball

Players' Association executive director Tony Clark said in a statement. "It's never easy to lose a member of our fraternity,

and there are no words to describe the feeling of losing two young men in the prime of their lives. Our thoughts and

prayers go out to their families, friends, teammates and fans throughout the United States and Latin America."

Ventura, who signed with the Royals as an amateur free agent in 2008, went 11-12 with a 4.45 ERA last season.

MEDIA CLIPS – January 23, 2017

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"We have suffered an indescribable loss today," Ventura's representatives at ISE Baseball said in a statement. "Our

hearts and souls are broken with the passing of Yordano Ventura. Yordano's heart and passion for the game of baseball

and for life had no equal. Today we lost a teammate, who never backed down; a friend, who never let you down; and a

brother, who always made you smile. Rest in peace."

"Our prayers right now are with Yordano's family as we mourn this young man's passing," said Royals general manager

Dayton Moore, who said he learned of Marte's death early Sunday morning. When he subsequently received the call

notifying him of Ventura's passing, Moore thought it had to be a mixup. "[Ventura] was so young and so talented, full of

youthful exuberance and always brought a smile to everyone he interacted with. We will get through this as an

organization, but right now is a time to mourn and celebrate the life of Yordano."

Ventura burst on the scene in 2014 in Kansas City, emerging as an American League Rookie of the Year candidate after

going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA. Marte, who signed with the Braves in 2000 as an international free agent, was ranked No. 9

on MLB.com's '05 Top 50 Prospects list. He last played in MLB in '14 with Arizona.

"Words can't express the emotions from the loss of our client Andy Marte. Gone too soon. A great person on and off the

field," Marte's agency, J.M.G. baseball, said on Twitter.

There was an outpouring of grief across baseball.

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Adam Ottavino embraces chance to close for Rockies, predicts a better bullpen The Rockies appeared to have found their closer of the present and future By Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | January 21st, 2017 As the promise of spring training approaches, the Rockies’ lineup looks like it has the potential to be powerful and

dynamic. Their young starting rotation should be its best since 2009, the last time the Rockies reached the playoffs.

The bullpen? It looms as the team’s biggest question mark. And the question within the question is: Who will be the

Rockies’ primary closer in 2017?

Adam Ottavino wants the job and believes he’s up to the challenge.

“It’s not really my choice, of course,” the 31-year-old right-hander said. “We have a new manager (Bud Black) and he’s

going to try to put us in the best spot to win games. But I think I’m good enough to do the job. I think that’s pretty clear, in

my opinion, so I just have to try to get better.”

Bullpen coach Darren Holmes certainly has faith in Ottavino, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015 and returned

last summer after 14 months of rehabilitation lacking the sharpness he showed before his injury.

“In my view, Adam has the skills and mentality to close — 100 percent,” said Holmes, the man charged with patching

leaks in a bullpen that last season blew 28 saves (third-most in the majors) and had a 5.13 ERA (worst in the majors).

“I’m an Adam Ottavino fan — big time,” Holmes said. “He does things the right way and he’s incredibly prepared. He’s a

very intelligent guy and understands scouting reports. His stuff is really good, plus he has deception. You put that together

and you have the formula for a pretty dominating pitcher.”

In the early spring of 2015, Ottavino looked like Superman.

Standing 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, and armed with a slider that cut down batters like a scythe and a fastball that touched

98 mph, the right-hander was nearly invincible. In 10 games Ottavino faced 35 batters, gave up just three hits, did not

allow a run, struck out 13 and walked only two.

The Rockies appeared to have found their closer for years to come. But then came an elbow injury, surgery and a long

rehabilitation.

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Tough return last summer

In his return last summer Ottavino was solid but not dominating, posting a 2.67 ERA but blowing five saves in 12 chances.

Also troubling were his struggles against left-handed hitters — 5.40 ERA and a .256 batting average against — something

that has been a weakness throughout his six seasons in the majors.

By comparison, against right-handers, Ottavino posted a 1.06 ERA and a .136 batting average against. He struck out 25

right-handed hitters and walked just one.

As an antidote to his major weakness, Ottavino continues to work on a cut fastball to use against left-handed hitters.

“Adam has been working hard on that cutter and I like that pitch a lot,” Holmes said. “He threw that cutter to lefties some

last year but it wasn’t the pitch he wanted it to be. But now he gets a chance for a normal, healthy spring training, so I

think we will see all of his stuff back.”

His sweeping slider, devastatingly effective vs. right-handers, doesn’t work as well against left-handers because it’s

moving toward them. But Ottavino thinks he can manipulate his slider well enough, throwing it at different speeds and with

different breaks, to be effective against all hitters.

Although Ottavino will report to Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz. as Colorado’s incumbent closer, his struggles against

left-handers opens the door for others, including new left-hander Mike Dunn, to win the job.

“Internally here, we have a great appreciation for the abilities of Adam Ottavino in that role,” general manager Jeff

Bridich said recently. “Jake McGee was doing it pretty well last year until he got hurt. Then with (rookie Carlos) Estevez,

he stepped in there for a little bit. He certainly has the type of arsenal, the type of stuff that you’d like to see out of a ninth-

inning guy.”

Ottavino admits that he returned a bit too early from Tommy John surgery. He believes the rust he showed last summer

will be gone this spring.

“I evolved as I came back,” he said. “Right when I came, I don’t think I was totally ready. Arm-wise, I only felt near 100

percent toward the end.”

Ready to dominate

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As measured by fastball velocity and strikeouts, there was not much difference between Ottavino in 2016 and 2015.

According to Fangraphs, his average fastball velocity was 94.9 mph in 2015 and dipped only slightly, to 94.3, in 2016. His

strikeout rate per nine innings was 11.67 last season, up slightly from 11.37 in 2015.

The ability to strike out batters, with the game on the line, is the hallmark of an effective closer. By that measure Ottavino

is the kind of pitcher the Rockies want on the mound with the game on the line. But those five blown saves last year

illustrated vulnerability. His worst showing came Aug. 31 when Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles blasted a grand slam in

the ninth inning, erasing an 8-5 Rockies lead.

“The night I gave up those five runs, I didn’t sleep one minute,” he said. “Because it’s not so much that I gave up five runs

and now my ERA (stinks), it was that I let down the team in a big game. There is no worse feeling than blowing a save.”

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who watched his bullpen blow 30 saves last season, described recently how

critical it is to have a shutdown closer.

“They stabilize your season. Because when you lose games late, it’s a blow. It’s a shot to the chin,” Bochy said at the

winter meetings. “And you take enough of ’em, it can wear your team out.”

Ottavino concurred.

“Any time you lose it hurts, but we had a stretch by our bullpen last season — that stretch in early August against Miami,

Texas and Philly — that essentially buried our season,” he said. “If I’m a position player and I have been out there for

three hours — or 3½ hours at Coors Field — and I fight tooth and nail and have have a slim lead going into the end of that

game, and then it’s suddenly gone, it’s very disheartening.

“Not that you don’t come out fighting the next say. But it’s one of those things where the manager starts losing confidence

in the guys out there. And then the guys start to have those sleepless nights.”

Ottavino sees better things ahead this year.

“Without a doubt our bullpen will be better,” he said. “I think if you look at the young guys, as well as the veterans who

were hurt last year, there is a lot of room for bounce back.

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“I only pitched 27 innings last year, and I really think my only shortcomings were in a couple of clutch situations. That was

somewhat coincidental. I’m ready. I’m excited. I know a lot of the guys in the bullpen are excited. We don’t want to be the

weak link on a team that has a chance to be really good.”

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Colorado Rockies prospect Jordan Patterson already a success story Purple Row Prospect No. 13, Jordan Patterson By Jeff Aberle / Purple Row | January 21st, 2017

13. Jordan Patterson (655 points, 39 ballots)

First things first: with eight hits and a walk in 19 plate appearances in a MLB cup of coffee in September 2016, Jordan

Patterson has produced 0.1 more rWAR than the vast majority of prospects will ever contribute. The 6’4” 24 year-old lefty

outfielder/first baseman has long been overshadowed as a prospect by the presence of teammates like David

Dahl and Raimel Tapia, but he’s an intriguing player in his own right.

Midseason Rank: 16

High Ballot: 7

Mode Ballot: 13

Future Value: 45, MLB platoon player

Contract Status: 2013 4th round, 40 man roster, two options remaining

MLB ETA: Now

In his four-year professional career, Patterson has consistently hit well, never posting an offensive line that wasn't clearly

better than league average—including a monster 2015 season across High-A and Double-A. Until hitting Double-A,

Patterson had always been old for his league, but he didn’t stop hitting as the competition improved—and that includes

this past season in Triple-A.

This year for Albuquerque against pitchers who were 2.4 years older, Patterson had a .293/.376/.480 line (129 wRC+)

with 45 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 495 plate appearances. That's slightly less slugging than he showed in his

breakout 2015 campaign, but a step forward to a 9.5 percent walk rate (up from 5.5 percent in 2015) paired with a high

but acceptable 24 percent strikeout rate is what drove the batting line. That strong line got him the aforementioned major-

league cup of coffee and has made him a strong contender for a 25 man roster slot out of spring training.

With that said, Patterson is at this point something of a platoon player offensively. Against lefties in 2016 he hit just

.245/.333/.391—unacceptable in the offense-friendly Pacific Coast League. Meanwhile, he was a terror against right-

handers with a .309/.391/.511 line that included 37 of his 45 extra base hits last year.

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This fact didn’t escape the notice of Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs, who listed Patterson 24th in the system:

Patterson’s lever length creates too much swing and miss for him to profile in a corner-outfield spot and he doesn’t run

well enough for center field. He mashes righties, though, and should find consistent employment as the larger half of a

platoon in either outfield corner. He can also play first base.

Notably, he gave Patterson a 60 throw and a 55 raw power grade, both of which could serve the Rockies well in 2017.

A big man with long arms, Patterson had a lot going on with his left-handed swing when he entered pro ball but has

calmed it down without costing himself any leverage. He's doing a better job of handling breaking balls and southpaws,

and he still offers impressive bat speed and strength. If he can learn to control the strike zone better, he could be a .270

hitter with 20 homers per season.

Patterson has surprising athleticism for his size and is aggressive on the bases with his average speed. He's a natural fit

in right field with his strong, accurate arm and has also seen time in left and center. The Rockies also have played him at

first base to increase his versatility.

Patterson is an athletic corner outfielder with a plus arm who has dabbled at first base to increase his positional flexibility.

His left-handedness and platoon tendencies don’t help his cause given the glut of potential contributors hitting from that

side of the plate, but he’s a potential impact bat the Rockies could lean on for depth in 2017.

The competition ahead of him means that regular plate appearances will be hard to come by at the big league level. Still,

the fact that he’s at worst a phone call away from providing offensive value in the Show makes him an important part of

Colorado’s 2017 plans. I gave Patterson a 45 Future Value and ranked him 18th on my ballot, but there’s a decent chance

he out-produces several people ahead of him on this list.

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Colorado Rockies prospect Dom Nunez needs his offense to catch up with his defense Purple Row Prospect No. 14, Dom Nunez By Jeff Aberle / Purple Row | January 22nd, 2017

14. Dom Nunez (608 points, 39 ballots)

Coming into 2016, there was quite a bit of prospect hype surrounding Dom Nunez. The lefty-hitting catcher had just

posted a .335/.444/.607 line with all 13 of that season's homers in 206 at-bats after the All-Star Break with Low A

Asheville. In total Nunez produced a 135 wRC+ season at age 20 in full season ball as a catcher. That offensive showing

combined with advanced defense, game-calling, and leadership traits according to talent evaluators vaulted Nunez up

prospect lists entering 2016—including placement as the #7 catching prospect in all of MILB by MLB.com.

Midseason Rank: 14

High Ballot: 7

Mode Ballot: 16

Future Value: 45, potential MLB regular

Contract Status: 2013 6th round, Rule 5 eligible after 2017, three options remaining

MLB ETA: 2019

Unfortunately, the now 22-year-old backstop (who began his professional career as a middle infielder) didn’t quite find that

same offensive punch in 2016 with High-A Modesto. In 450 plate appearances with the Nuts this year, Nunez produced a

.241/.321/.362 line with just 25 extra base hits, good for an 85 wRC+ in the California League against players that were

1.4 years older on average. The good news is that Nunez controlled the running game well in 2016 (41 percent caught

stealing) and cut down on his errors (seven in 2016, down from 16 in 2015), though he did allow 19 passed balls (up from

11 in 2015).

An encouraging sign for Nunez offensively is that he has shown patience at the plate (10.9 BB%, 20.2 K%) to partially

offset his power outage this season. He's been praised up and down the organization (and right here in Purple Row in a

profile by Bobby DeMuro) for his work ethic and maturity, so it feels inevitable that Nunez will find his way sometime

soon.

Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs placed Nunez 18th in the system recently:

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Nunez has modest across-the-board tools and a visually pleasing swing but a lack of bat speed and power on contact are

beginning to show in his performance. Nunez has some bat control and lift in his swing but hits mostly ground balls and

humpback liners, and as he’s moved up the minor-league ladder, fewer of those are falling in for hits. Nunez has a fringe-

average arm and spotty but inoffensive receiving and ball-blocking skills. He could be an average defender at peak. It’s a

backup profile unless the body provides more power down the line.

That represents a good picture of where Nunez was in 2016—the hope is that he regains the hitting stroke that made

people pay attention after last year.

Meanwhile, Nunez has slipped from ninth to 13th on MLB.com's list (and notably from a 50 FV to a 45 FV by their

reckoning) due to his offensive struggles this year:

Though the results haven't been there in high Class A this year, Nunez has maintained a quality approach, patiently

controlling the strike zone and focusing on using the center of the field. The Rockies still believe in his power and think he

can hit 15 or more homers per season.

For someone who shifted behind the plate full-time just two years ago, Nunez is an advanced defender. He has soft

hands and moves well, though his receiving skills have slipped this year. Nunez also has solid arm strength, but he needs

to improve the accuracy of his throws.

Nunez missed the Baseball Prospectus top 10, but he got a writeup from Wilson Karaman:

So walk with me for a minute back in time, to a simpler time in December of 2014, when Nunez cracked the Rockies’ top

ten list with notes of cautious optimism about how the recent catching convert had progressed thus far and was likely to

progress further. All he’s done since is continue to address pretty much exactly what we suggested he needed to address:

quality makeup has driven slow and steady improvement behind the dish, and after sluggish starts at each of his past two

years his bat has grown successfully into his level, leading to strong second-half power displays in spite of in-season wilt.

That he hasn’t managed to reclaim a top-ten anointment is a fault of nothing beyond systemic depth. He lacks for impact

tools, but he shows a broad skillset for a backstop, with proper physicality behind the dish and a solid-average arm. And in

the box there are ingredients for an average hit tool and playable power not far behind. The 22-year-old still has a good bit

of minor-league journey ahead, but he remains on track for a potentially lengthy big-league career.

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Ultimately, Nunez is a potential big-league signal caller who was the primary catcher on a High-A ball team at age 21,

though his offense wasn’t up to par this past season. He’s a potential plus defensive catcher who has a beautiful swing

that, if it comes together, makes him a solid big league starter. Nunez will need to show well in 2017, whether it’s a repeat

in the California League or a move up to Double-A. He’s eligible for the Rule 5 draft after the season, so the Rockies

would prefer to be sure Nunez is an asset worth protecting by adding him to the 40 man roster.

If Nunez can get to the Show, he'd most likely do so in late 2018 or 2019 and his most likely role would be as a backup to

fellow PuRP Tom Murphy or Tony Wolters. I gave Nunez a 45 Future Value as a potential MLB catcher with the ability to

be a decent starter and ranked him 17th on my ballot.

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Colorado Rockies not rumored to be in contact with Matt Wieters By Eric Garcia McKinley / Purple Row | January 22nd, 2017

Yesterday, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweeted that an “MLB insider with knowledge of catching market sees”

the Rockies as one of the three teams that would make a good fit for catcher Matt Wieters on a one-year contract.

Note: this is not a rumor.

It’s useful to take a moment to understand what was actually said and what is actually real. First, we have to ask where

the information comes from. An “MLB insider with knowledge of the catching market” can be anybody from Matt Wieters’s

agent to a Major League Baseball secretary who manages interactions between teams and players. Still, Crasnick has

built trust enough for us to trust his report. We should take him on good faith that the person is a knowledgeable insider.

That said, the substance of the relay is a little bit thin. There is no indication that the Rockies have been in contact with

Wieters’s camp to discuss a contract, nor can we deduce that the two camps are connected in any fashion. The keyword

in the tweet is “sees.” This is the opinion of a girl or a guy with some industry ties and knowledge of a specific positional

market. I would counter and say that my views of Tom Murphy and Tony Woltersmake this a bad fit, unless the Rockies

are seeking out Wieters to form a misbegotten first base platoon with Ian Desmond. Otherwise, I don’t see it.

Words matter. It is not rumored that the Rockies are seeking to sign Wieters. It’s just that one person thinks it would be a

good fit. Things could change and the speculation could begin to turn to truth. For now, we should trust what we know to

be real based on available facts and information.

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The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 86. Cory Sullivan By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | January 23rd, 2017

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 86 on our list, Cory

Sullivan.

Cory Sullivan began 2006 as the Rockies starting centerfielder. Ten years later, he is still one of the most vibrant voices in

the clubhouse.

Sullivan started his career with the Rockies when he was drafted in the 7th round of the 2001 Major League draft. He

made it to the majors in 2005 where he played a majority of the season as a fourth outfielder playing in 139 games and

making over 400 plate appearances. He finished the season hitting .294.

When the team was referred to Todd and the Toddlers in the middle of the decade, Sullivan was in the epicenter of that

era. He proved his worth and in 2006 was the club’s starting center fielder. Sullivan started off well even hitting two triples

in the same inning. It was only the eleventh time a player has done this in the majors. Before Sullivan the feat

hadn’t been accomplished since 1951.

In a starting role, his performance waned where he finished the season with a .267 average and a .321 on-base

percentage with 183 strikeouts.

He started 2007 in Triple-A after the Rockies added Willy Taveras. His role was different but he became a role player

for a team that went all the way to the World Series. For the next five years he would spend time going up to from Triple-A

and the minors. First signing with the Mets in 2010 and the Astros in 2011 where he played his last professional game.

The reason Sullivan is on this list because of his impact on this team will last much further beyond his playing days.

Sullivan talks to everyone in the Rockies clubhouse just like he is still a player. Everybody is forthcoming with him and he

is brutally honest when critiquing any player or even the media. He tells it like it is no matter what. That often leads to a lot

of jokes and a fun clubhouse atmosphere.

In 2011, the great Troy Renck wrote an article for the Denver Post catching up with Sullivan. He spoke to the center

fielders ability to think with an analytic mind. Almost a business approach to baseball. “Sully’s” former teammate and

cohost on Root Sports commented on his friend’s baseball IQ.

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“He would tell you the truth about how you’re playing, and as a teammate that’s all you can ask for,’’ Rockies’

outfielder Ryan Spilborghs said in the Post article. “He quickly recognizes strengths and weaknesses. I completely trust

him when it comes to evaluating players. He really has a knack for it.’’

Sullivan shows this passion in his reporting for Root Sports. But he seems destined for more and will continue to have an

impact on this team for some time to come along with his good friend who is next on this list.

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Colorado Rockies Prospect Countdown – #1: Brendan Rodgers By Nolan Lees / Rox Pile | January 23rd, 2017

We’ve reached the 10th and final day of our Colorado Rockies prospect countdown, and we’re finishing it off with a look at

one of the most promising young players in the minor leagues today.

Here’s a quick recap of the list, with links to each player’s breakdown:

• 10: Antonio Senzatela • 9: Ryan McMahon • 8: Kyle Freeland • 7: Tom Murphy • 6: Ryan Castellani • 5: German Marquez • 4: Raimel Tapia • 3: Jeff Hoffman • 2: Riley Pint

And taking the top spot…

#1: Brendan Rodgers

Position: Shortstop? (More on this in a minute)

Bats/Throws: R/R

Age: 20 (August 9th, 1996)

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 180 lbs

Highest Level Reached: A (Asheville)

Estimated Big League Arrival: 2019

One Sentence Summary: There are no sure things with prospects, but Rodgers’ versatile, polished game should

make him about the closest thing to a sure thing as you’ll get from a guy who was a teenager less than a year

ago.

A decade from now, there’s going to be a fun debate about the first three picks of the 2015 MLB Draft. The Arizona

Diamondbacks took Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson first overall (he’s since been traded to Atlanta). The Houston

Astros went second and selected another shortstop, Alex Bregman from LSU.

And while Swanson and Bregman both reached the major leagues last season, there are some scouts who believe that

the most talented shortstop of the 2015 draft class was actually Rodgers, whom the Rockies selected third overall.

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The first thing that catches your attention with Rodgers is the advanced offensive approach. His ability to hit to all fields

with power is something you rarely see from a player so young. The first home run of Rodgers’ professional career came

on an outside fastball that drove the opposite way over the right-center field fence. There are major league hitters that

can’t do what Rodgers did here, and he was 18 at the time.

Rodgers spent all of 2016 in A-Ball with Asheville, and he put up an AVG/OBP/OPS slash line of .281/.342/.821. It would

be exciting if a corner outfielder put up those kind of numbers, but a shortstop who was 19 for most of the season? Well,

there’s a reason Rodgers made the Class-A All Star team and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Major League

Prospect.

If all Rodgers had to offer was his bat, he would still be an intriguing prospect. But what makes him truly special is that he

offers all of his offensive gifts while playing the game’s second-toughest defensive position (behind only catchers).

While no one is projecting Gold Gloves in his future, a lot of scouts believe that Rodgers would be at least decent at

shortstop. His body is likely still going to change over the next few years and that could change, but at the moment, he

seems capable of filling the position. Fangraphs describes his defense like this,

“Rodgers doesn’t have spectacular range but his hands and actions are worthy of shortstop, and he has an above-

average arm. He projects as an average defender at short. There’s a decent chance he fills out, slows down, and moves

to second or third base where he could be a 55 or 60 defender.”

If you were paying attention at the top, you may have noticed a question mark next to Rodgers position. That’s because

even though some believe Rodgers could play shortstop in the major leagues, it seems more likely that he’ll end up

playing a different position by the time he arrives in Denver.

It’s probably safe to say that Trevor Story firmly established himself as the starting shortstop in Colorado with his bonkers

power production as a rookie. It’s even safer to say that as long as Nolan Arenado is wearing a Rockies jersey, he’ll be

their starting third baseman.

That leaves second base. Colorado has a solid option right now in DJ LeMahieu, but he’s scheduled to become a free

agent following the 2018 season. If Rodgers continues to play well in the minor leagues, the Rockies could let LeMahieu

walk in free agency and get a compensatory draft pick while replacing him with a younger, cheaper (and possibly even

better) player.

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It seems like Colorado is already preparing for this possibility. After playing only shortstop in 2015, Rodgers started 24

games at second base in 2016. Rodgers is already a decent defender as a shortstop, but he would be well above-average

as a second baseman. Add that in to the sterling offensive profile, and you could be looking at one of the best second

baseman in all of baseball come 2020.

Things can change between now and then obviously, and the Rockies may decide on a different solution. But if Rodgers

continues to play the way he has so far in his young career, he’s going to force Colorado to find a spot for him, one way or

another.

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Colorado Rockies Top 10 Prospect Countdown – #2: Riley Pint By Nolan Lees / Rox Pile | January 22nd, 2017

We’ve just about reached the end of our Colorado Rockies prospect countdown. Today, we’re taking a look at the top

pitching prospect in the organization, a teenager who’s velocity is anything but pint-sized (sorry).

#2: Riley Pint

Position: Pitcher

Bats/Throws: R/R

Age: 19 (September 6, 1997)

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 195 lbs

Highest Level Reached: Rookie League

Estimated Big League Arrival: 2020

One Sentence Summary: With a right arm blessed by the baseball gods and an athletic, repeatable motion, Pint

seems destined for stardom (it just might take a little while)

When reading about Pint, there’s one number you’re bound to see come up repeatedly: 102. That’s (reportedly) Pint’s

maximum velocity when he lets his fastball loose. It’s what led the Rockies to take Pint with the 4th overall pick last

year and give him $4.8M to break his commitment to pitch at LSU.

Perhaps the thing that scouts like the most about Pint is that his velocity seems to come easily to him. Pint’s motion and

delivery are smooth, exceptionally so for a guy still in his teenage years. Pint has been compared to Justin

Verlander before, and it’s not just because of the explosive velocity. Mechanically, the two have a lot in common.

While Pint’s heater is his bread and butter, he also has a strong feel for his breaking ball. Thrown between 82-86 MPH,

the pitch has a surprising amount of depth and break for such a high velocity. Pint is another in the recent Rockies

tradition of developing starters that rely on a power fastball-slider combo, but with the possible exception of Jon Gray,

Pint’s might be the best 1-2 punch in the entire franchise.

However, for all the hype surrounding Pint, there are some potential red flags the Rockies need to be monitoring in 2017

and beyond. While his pitching motion is mostly clean, it’s not entirely free of problems. Pint’s head tends to shift violently

right before and as he releases the ball. This motion, informally known as a “head whack,” has some scouts concerned.

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The main problem with Pint’s “head whack” is that it shifts his focus at a critical point in his motion. Ideally, a pitcher is

going to keep his eyes on his target (the catcher’s glove) through his entire motion, even once he’s thrown the pitch. Pint’s

mechanics right now aren’t allowing him to do that.

There’s a reason why archers still their entire bodies right before they launch an arrow at the bullseye; hitting a tiny target

is difficult, but hitting a tiny, moving target is damn near impossible. The head whack isn’t a death sentence for Pint’s

career, but if he doesn’t change it, he’ll probably have a hard time ever showing command that’s anything above

mediocre.

Here’s footage from Pint’s appearance in the 2015 Under Armour high school all-star game. You can see the explosive

velocity and the sharp breaking ball… but you can also see him walk multiple hitters and throw multiple pitches to the

backstop.

That inning does a nice job of summing up Pint as a prospect right now. His lack of command got him into trouble that

probably could have been avoided, but once his back was against the wall, he blew a high-90s fastball past a middle-of-

the-order hitter.

The Rockies drafted Pint to be a front-line starter, but if he’s going to get there, he’ll have to start commanding his pitches

better. The good news is that he’s still very young and athletic, so there’s no reason to believe he can’t do that in time. It

would be unreasonable to expect a kid who was pumping 100 MPH heaters past high schoolers less than two years ago

to have MLB-ready command. The downside is that this process might take a while for Pint and the Rockies. He has all

the arm talent in the world, but it won’t mean much if he continues to 5.59 batters per nine innings like he did in Grand

Junction last season.

If the Rockies want to speed the process up, they could decide to shift him to the bullpen and convert his power arm into a

closer. A few scouts have suggested this might be more logical long-term fit for him, given his strikeout stuff and shaky

command.

Ultimately though, you have to believe Colorado wants Pint to be near the front of their starting rotations. They didn’t use

the 4th overall pick in last year’s draft with the intention of landing a reliever.

I believe in Pint’s ability, and think he’ll eventually become the starter the Rockies want him to be. Patience is going to be

key though; Pint’s learning curve may be longer than some, but if Colorado is willing to see it through to the end, they

could end up with a special pitcher in their rotation.

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Colorado Rockies: 3 Reasons for Optimism with the Offseason By Tim Engquist / Rox Pile | January 21st, 2017

The Colorado Rockies offseason thus far has been a little confusing for most of us as fans.

The national media has continued to give the front office a hard time not agreeing with the vision that Jeff Bridich has for

the Rockies in 2017. There are a lot of question marks, and there is still a possibility for more moves. Regardless, here

are three reasons to be optimistic for the 2017 season with what has taken place over the past couple months.

The bullpen will be better

There have not been any big moves in free agency or through trades to greatly improve the bullpen, the weakest part of

the team in 2016. While lefty reliever Mike Dunn will be joining the team, this seems to be more of a lateral move to

replace Boone Logan.

However, I believe the bullpen will be a great deal better in 2017 for a couple of reasons. The first is a full season

of Adam Ottavino who I think will anchor the bullpen as the closer and be very good at it. He had modest success in

2016 pitching 27 innings while earning 7 saves and an ERA of 2.67. I think he will be even better this year because he will

have less concerns with lingering problems from Tommy John surgery. His K/9 of 11.7 and WHIP under 1.00 in 2016

also suggest good things will be coming. Beyond Ottavino, the bullpen will count on Jason Motte or Jake McGee to

rebound and find some of their effectiveness that both have enjoyed throughout their respective careers. At least one of

these two will likely rebound, and I think it will be McGee who battled injury for most of 2016.

There will also probably be some new faces coming out of the pen for the Rockies. I think that Miguel Castro or Jairo

Diaz will be effective in high-leverage situations for the Rockies. Castro came over in the Tulowitzki deal and impressed

early last year before suffering a shoulder injury early in the year and not being able to find his effectiveness again. Diaz

had Tommy John surgery last spring and will likely be ready early in the year if not for spring training. He has a huge arm

and has impressed the Rockies since being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels. He had an ERA of 2.37 for

the Rockies in 2015 pitching in 21 games.

With guys like Chris Rusin, Jordan Lyles, Eddie Butler and other “failed” starters in the mix for bullpen opportunities,

there will be more options than is typical for a Rockies bullpen in 2017, which is never a bad thing.

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Depth and Versatility

This seems to be the Rockies tagline this offseason, highlighted by the acquisition of Ian Desmond. While it has been

relatively unpopular nationally and on Rockies twitter, I definitely think it makes the team better. Whether it makes the

team better than signing someone like Mark Trumbo is a debate for another time.

The roster constructed how it is currently will give the Rockies flexibility and depth that has been uncommon recently. It

will also prepare the Rockies for the inevitable injuries that come along with playing a 162-game schedule. If a middle

infielder or outfielder were to go down with an injury, Desmond could slide into these positions and provide above average

production, especially compared to a typical backup. Gerardo Parra sliding into the fourth outfielder spot will also give

them an above average option there. Hopefully he will be able to improve on a disappointing campaign in 2016.

I would also like to see Jordan Patterson make the team, giving the Rockies another guy who can play first base if

Desmond is playing elsewhere or outfield if needed. Alexi Amarista will at the very least provide competition for Cristhian

Adames during spring training. If he makes the team, he will also be able to play about any position.

One of the things that impressed me the most about the Cubs during last season’s run to the World Series was how many

solid baseball players they had, and could move guys around to whatever position made the team the best on any given

day. I think with the options the Rockies have this year they will be able to mimic this strategy in a way that they were

unable to in past seasons and also not be as affected by possible injuries.

Keeping the Farm Intact

The Rockies could have and still may make a trade for a front line starting pitcher or a bullpen piece with their stacked

farm system, but they haven’t yet. Maybe that is a good thing. The farm system continues to get love as Keith Law placed

the system in the top ten in baseball.

The Rockies have multiple highly touted prospects on the cusp of the major leagues. Jeff Hoffman, German

Marquez and even Kyle Freeland can compete for the fifth spot in the rotation as well as providing depth in case of injury

or ineffectiveness. There is also a bevy of young arms that could help from the bullpen late in the season in a push for

contention.

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Raimel Tapia could likely start the season in the majors but will likely get more seasoning in AAA. Ryan McMahon will

hopefully bounce back and could be a late season call up. Both will allow the Rockies to make some moves whether they

are filling in for a guy who was traded or being a part of a move themselves.

Another positive of having all of these guys is the ability to make a more informed trade later in the season. This is a

strategy, as pointed out by Thomas Harding in a recent article, which helped propel the Indians and Royals to recent

playoff success. I think this is a good way for the Rockies to go with all the possibilities they have. Maybe they won’t have

the need for a fifth starter with one of the young guys stepping up in a big way in 2017, then they can trade some

prospects for a bullpen guy, or vice versa.

If they cannot sign Carlos Gonzalez to a contract extension, then deal him and let Desmond or Tapia slide into the

outfield.

The Rockies will definitely have the pieces to make significant upgrades at the trade deadline if they need to, but there is

no reason to give up multiple guys for one right now. Either the young guys can fill the need or they can be traded to fill

the need when it is more clear what Colorado’s need is later in the season.

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Colorado Rockies Prospect Countdown – #3: Jeff Hoffman By Tim Engquist / Rox Pile | January 21st, 2017

We’re getting close to the end of our Colorado Rockies prospect countdown, and it’s time to take a look at the cream of

the crop. Today, we take a look at a guy that will look to establish himself as a big league mainstay in 2017.

#3: Jeff Hoffman

Position: Pitcher

Bats/Throws: R/R

Age: 24 (January 8, 1993)

Height/Weight: 6’5″, 225 lbs

Highest Level Reached: MLB

Estimated Big League Arrival: N/A

One Sentence Summary: Despite a rough MLB debut in 2016, Hoffman is an immensely talented young pitcher,

which is good because the pressure on him to succeed is also immense.

By now, most Rockies fans are already familiar with Hoffman. After starring in the prestigious Cape Cod summer league,

he was a candidate to be drafted first overall out of East Carolina University before forearm tightness led to Tommy

John surgery.

The Toronto Blue Jays drafted him ninth in 2014, but he pitched in just 13 minor league games for them before

becoming the center piece of the trade that sent Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto. Roughly one year later, Hoffman made his

big league debut, and to be frank, it didn’t go well.

Hoffman appeared in eight games, and Colorado lost all eight. He gave up seven home runs and walked 17 batters in just

31.1 innings, and was lucky to not have an ERA even higher than his mediocre 4.88 mark.

More often than not, Hoffman looked overwhelmed in his first go around the big leagues. The Rockies fan base, which

had been so excited to see him in Denver, quickly grew frustrated with the poor results, and it’s not hard to see why. “I

can’t believe we traded Tulowitzki for this guy” was a common frustration among fans in Colorado last year.

That’s not entirely true of course, but fair or not, that’s the pressure that’s on Hoffman. Rockies fans are always going to

judge him from the perspective of “how good is he compared to Tulowitzki?”. It’s not right, but given how much Tulowitzki

meant to this franchise, it’s understandable that the expectations for Hoffman are sky high.

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The good news is, despite the numbers in the majors last season, there’s a lot to like about Hoffman. He’s got strong

velocity on his fastball, which sits around 94 MPH but can reach as high as 96 or 97 at times. Watch as he makes Tuffy

Gosewisch look like a little league player with an outside heater.

Hoffman also throws both a curveball and a slider, which can be difficult to tell apart at times. When he gets hitters into

two-strike counts, Hoffman has the stuff to put them away, like he did on this nasty curve to get Derek Norris reaching.

If Hoffman is going to take the next step and seize control of a spot in the starting rotation, he has to start attacking the

strike zone with more regularity. In terms of pure stuff, Jon Gray is the only guy in the entire organization that can

compete with Hoffman. But when the count is constantly 2-0 or 3-1, like it seemed to be with Hoffman on the mound last

season, hitters can ignore most of his weapons and lock in on the fastball.

In the minor leagues, Hoffman’s control wasn’t great, but it was certainly better than it was in majors. It’s not a stretch to

believe that with another year of experience under his belt, and the nerves of his first big league season gone, Hoffman

could have an easier time finding the strike zone in 2017.

Hoffman is likely never going to have outstanding control, but if he can ever be just average at throwing strikes, he can

have a lot of success as a second or third starter. Whether that will be enough to satisfy Rockies fans missing Tulo

remains to be seen.

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Latest On Matt Wieters’ Market By Mark Polishuk / MLB Trade Rumors | January 21, 2017 at 2:26pm CDT

Matt Wieters is still looking for a new team, and the catcher is short one more potential landing spot now that Braves

have agreed to sign Kurt Suzuki. Atlanta had long been cited as a candidate to sign Georgia Tech alum Wieters; just

under 30% of MLBTR readers predicted the Braves as Wieters’ next team in a poll last month.

ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick explored the Wieters market in a series of tweets (1, 2, 3, 4), including the news that there is

some sentiment within the Orioles organization to re-sign Wieters to a one-year deal. Under this arrangement, Wieters

would split time with Welington Castillo behind the plate while also getting some at-bats as a DH. While Wieters is

popular with Baltimore’s on-field staff, however, Crasnick describes the O’s as “a long shot” for Wieters since the team’s

analytics staff has reservations.

Wieters would certainly be an upgrade over current backup catcher Caleb Joseph, and a one-year deal would give the

Orioles future flexibility at catcher — Castillo has a player option for 2018 and top prospect Chance Sisco is close to

being ready for the big leagues. Wieters would still carry a not-insignificant price tag even on a one-year contract, and the

Orioles might not be keen to spend that much on the catcher position when Joseph is still in the fold at a low price and

could rebound from his dismal 2016 season.

A timeshare-esque situation in Baltimore also wouldn’t necessarily help Wieters’ chances at scoring his sought-after multi-

year contract next winter, so he could prefer a clearer path to playing time. An MLB source with knowledge of the

catching market tells Crasnick that the Angels, Rockies and perhaps the Reds seem to be the best fits for Wieters on a

one-year deal. The Angels have reportedly had some internal talks about Wieters already, while the Rockies could use a

more established catcher in lieu of their planned Tony Wolters/Tom Murphy platoon.

The Reds are a new name in the mix, and their interest in Wieters or any other established catcher hinges on Devin

Mesoraco’s health. Mesoraco underwent hip surgery last summer and was scheduled to begin catching drills around this

point in January, so more should be known about his injury situation in the next few weeks. Since signing a four-year,

$28MM extension after the 2014 season, Mesoraco has barely been able to get onto the field, playing just 39 games total

in 2015-16 due to shoulder surgery and procedures on both his left and right hips. Tucker Barnhart handled most of the

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work last year in Mesoraco’s absence, hitting .257/.323/.379 in 420 PA and posting strong blocking numbers according

to Baseball Prospectus, though both BP and StatCorner rank Barnhart as a below-average pitch framer. Rule 5

pick Stuart Turner is the only other catcher on Cincinnati’s 40-man roster.

The Diamondbacks and Nationals have both been linked to Wieters at various times this winter, though Crasnick

echoes other recent reports in saying that the Nats don’t seem to have much interest in Wieters. After Washington

acquired Derek Norris, there were rumors that the Nationals could sign Wieters and then flip Norris, though one would

think that the Nats could’ve just signed Wieters rather than trade for Norris in the first place. It doesn’t seem like D.C. is a

fit at the moment, though “you can never rule out the Nationals with Scott Boras clients,” Crasnick writes.