2014 Outlook: Colorado Rockies

I may have underrated the Colorado Rockies, but then again, they are the Colorado Rockies -- Which can be taken a couple ways.

You could go back to the early part of the turn the century when the Rockies had a knack for late season magic and even made the World Series in 2007, and say, yea they're the Colorado Rockies.

Or you could go to the past couple years when the Rockies have had all the talent to win what was once a very down National League West, unfortunately never lived up to the hype. You could again say, yea, they're the Colorado Rockies.


It's been a tale of two teams really.

I tend to lean towards to the latter. The Rockies have always had the talent to do something special, and really, until the recent rise of the Dodgers, and the dynasty-like Giants have come on, the Rockies just haven't been able to live up to the hype.

When your star shortstop and outfielder can't stay on the field, it really takes away from the offensive potential your team can realize. The Rockies have definitely built up a very nice lineup with trades and quiet free agent acquisitions recently. Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki are probably two of the top hitters in baseball when they're healthy, and they are in the same lineup.

I started to think about talking about Tulo and CarGo not being able to stay on the field, but I've decided not to go that route. Instead, I want to just take a broader look at this team.

Yes Tulo and CarGo are the staples of this lineup, and while they are very good staples, you just cannot count on having them in your line up for 150 to 161 games a year. If I was proven wrong this season, I'd be the first to admit it and be happy to. If these two guys are doing well, the game of baseball west of the Mississippi is far more interesting.

I look at a guy like Nolan Arenado (left) as a guy the Rockies can throw in this lineup to take a lot of pressure off their dynamic duo. Arenado is a strong offensive hitter with a pretty good glove at the hot corner. He's got the power you want in a 3B, and he can hit for a good average.

Then I look at what they did bringing in Justin Morneau. In Minnesota, even when the team started to decline, Morneau was still a feared hitter, though his injuries did start to rack up over the past few seasons. When in the line up and healthy, Morneau can be a 30 homer guy. I've always like Morneau and felt he is one of the more underrated 1B in baseball, in this lineup that is pretty right-handed heavy, he should be a nice boost.

Since his promotion in 2011, then a full year in the bigs in 2012, Wilin Rosario has shown to be one of the top offensive catchers in baseball, but you wouldn't know it because of the lack of press he gets. In two full seasons, Rosario has hit 49 homers and has a career .277 average, which is exceptional for a catcher. He's also shown to remain fairly healthy. If you get 100 games started from your catcher, that is terrific. Rosario has reached the 100 game threshold the past two years.

Rosario and Arenado have always been highly regarded by the Rockies, unfortunately, the Rockies troubles to develop pitching is going to hold them back.

When you look the line up the Dodgers will roll out, and even the improved lineup in San Francisco, you're going to have to be able to pitch. Jorge De La Rosa has certainly come on strong in recent years, but I don't see much past him. Tyler Chatwood was strong last year, he could develop into a solid No. 2 option. The Rockies are taking a huge risk with Brett Anderson. And their 4th and fifth spots are really a crapshoot.

When I look at the bullpen, it is very old. The ageless wonder that is LaTroy Hawkins will be this team's closer, but what if he doesn't pan out? There's not a lot of good options. Rex Brothers could be the next in line, and likely will be. In my opinion, the bullpen in Colorado leaves a lot to be desired.

Now, I'll say this up front, the Rockies have a lot of great players on the horizon, including the third overall pick from last year's draft in Jon Gray. He's a big time power arm out of Oklahoma, and anyone that knows me, knows I'm a huge fan of college players because of their general fast track to the big leagues (especially elite players, which Gray is). I wouldn't be surprised if Gray has some success, seeing him up shortly after the All-Star break.

I'm also a big fan of a young guy named Kyle Parker, who has played the outfield most of his minor league career. Kyle Parker was a QB at Clemson before ultimately choosing to play baseball. I think he made the right choice. He's one of the top prospects in baseball and it shouldn't be long before the Rockies add his solid bat to their lineup.

Parker, Arenado and Gray are just a few of the young players the Rockies continue to groom as they look to turn Coors Field back into one of the most ruckus parks in the majors.

I know a lot of people like the Padres, and I can't argue with the reasoning. They have a lot of good players, but like I said yesterday, a lot of those young players seem to have hit a wall in their development. And while the Rockies have their share of issues, I like the line up they run out everyday, and I like the players they will likely bring up at some point this season.

And while we could argue about the two teams for a while, we are still talking about teams that are likely to finish in the bottom third of the league.

I know I have the Rockies finishing pretty low this season, but like many of the teams I've previewed already, the future in Colorado is bright.