Colorado Rockies:
2015 Projected Outfield
By. Nick Stephens
In
2014, we got a solid look at a group of players who can play a big part in
creating a championship caliber team in Denver. With the absence of star
players such as Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer, we saw a lot of playing
time for Charlie Blackmon, Corey Dickerson, Brandon Barnes, and Drew Stubbs.
Below, I will break down each player and project where I see them starting for
the 2015 season.
Carlos Gonzalez - During his 6 years in Colorado,
Cargo has become one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball. His
.300/.360/.540 slash line tells you exactly why. He will hit for power, drive
in base runners, steal bases, and catch just about every ball hit in his
direction in the outfield. He is one of the few players who possess all 5
tools. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the tool necessary to keep himself off of
the disabled list. Since 2010, he has missed a total of 223 games, and in 2014
alone, he missed 92 games. He is currently coming off a knee surgery and is
hopeful to be ready by Spring Training in 2015. There have been trade rumors
about Cargo possibly being traded this offseason, but I fully expect to see
Carlos Gonzalez as the starter for the 2015 season in right field.
Charlie Blackmon - Charlie Blackmon didn't have a
ton of MLB experience prior to the 2014 season. He had played in just 151 games
up until he beat Corey Dickerson for the starting job in the Rockies outfield
to begin the year. Blackmon came storming out of the gates hitting
.389/.434/.642 in his first full month as a starter and solidified his spot as
a first time All Star. He finally came back down to earth and finished his
first full season hitting .288 with 19 homers and 72 RBI's and stole 28 bags to
go along with his impressive offensive numbers. He was primarily the lead off man
for the Rockies and did a great job in that role. While his defense can use
some work, I don't think it's enough of an issue for him to not be an everyday
player. I believe he has shown he can handle the duties as a leadoff hitter and
can patrol the outfield well enough to keep his starting role in the outfield
as the Rockies center field in the 2015 season.
Brandon Barnes - 2014 was the first season in
Colorado for the 28 year old outfielder who came over from the Houston Astros
in a trade involving former center fielder, Dexter Fowler. Brandon Barnes came
in as another piece of the puzzle in hopes to configure a solid outfield.
Although he never got a starting job, he was a great utility outfielder who
provided solid at bat's when called upon. He provided the Rockies with 17 pinch
hits throughout the season, which led the league. I don't see Barnes being a
starter in the near future, but I do like his spot off the bench and expect him
to continue in that role in the 2015 season, assuming he is still with the
club.
Drew Stubbs - 1st year as a Rockie alongside
Brandon Barnes, there was some uncertainty where he would fit with this team as
well. Drew fit in well as a utility outfielder alongside Barnes, making
occasional starts to fill in when needed. Stubbs absolutely crushed the ball in
Coors Field hitting .356 on the season, as opposed to .211 on the road. Stubbs
has blazing speed on the basepaths, successfully stealing 20 times out of 23
attempts. Given his inability to hit on the road, it's tough to see him
becoming a starter anytime soon. If Stubbs is still in purple pinstripes next
year, expect his role to stay the same in 2015.
Michael Cuddyer - Coming off a season in which he
won the 2013 NL batting title, the Rockies expected another great season from
the veteran right fielder. While he was healthy, he was great, hitting .332 in
190 at bats, but unfortunately that's all of the at bats he would get during
his final year of a three year contract, due to injury. Cuddyer was great in
his time in Colorado, but I expect him to sign elsewhere and no longer be a
part of the Rockies.
Corey Dickerson - As mentioned earlier, Dickerson
was competing with Blackmon for a spot on the team during Spring Training. He
was ultimately beat out by Blackmon, but because of injury to Gonzalez and
Cuddyer he was called up. Dickerson thrived in his opportunity as a full time
player and finished his season hitting .312 with 24 home runs and 76 RBI's over
131 games. His defense needs some work and he doesn't have the arm strength to
throw out runners, but with his 2014 performance I project Dickerson being the
starting left fielder on Opening Day 2015.
The
Rockies have some great talent in the outfield, and I'm looking forward to
seeing them at full force next season.
