Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
When will the Rockies sign Brenton Doyle to a long-term deal like they did with Ezequiel Tovar last year? What are they waiting for?
— John R. Warrenton, Va.
Jonn, that’s an excellent question. I poked around a bit, and I’ve been told that the club is already having internal discussions regarding Doyle. I don’t know if a long-term deal is imminent, but it wouldn’t shock me if the Rockies reached an agreement with the two-time Gold Glove center fielder this spring.
That said, they don’t have to do anything right now. Doyle is not arbitration-eligible until after the 2025 season.
The 22-year-old Tovar signed a seven-year, $63.5 million contract extension during spring training last year. The deal includes a team option for 2031, which could boost the agreement to $84 million over eight seasons.
“First and foremost, we believe in him and what he has a chance to be down the road,” general manager Bill Schmidt said at the time. “He has a chance to be a very, very good player. We believe in him, and like a lot of our young players, he’s somebody we can build around.”
Tovar won a Gold Glove last season, and if he can cut down his strikeouts and become more disciplined at the plate, he has a chance to be a perennial All-Star. Overall, it was a smart move by the Rockies and a team-friendly deal.
I loved the idea of Kris Bryant, but he’s been an unmitigated disaster in purple. Is he on a short leash this upcoming season? With his injury history, I can’t see how he can ever be the player the Rockies bought. The money being wasted on him would help the team a lot!
— Dan O’Reilly, Monument
Dan, it’s clear that Bryant, who turned 33 on Jan. 4, will never be the player the Rockies planned on when they signed him to a seven-year, $182 million contract before the 2022 season. In three seasons, Bryant has slashed a disappointing .250/.332/.381 with 17 homers and 60 RBIs in 159 games.
Is he on a short leash? I’ve asked that question, and I’ve been told that Bryant will enter spring training as the primary designated hitter and will also see some time in right field. However, if he fails to produce, the Rockies’ brass owes it to the rest of the team to bench Bryant. So I would say that, yes, he is on a short leash. Patience has worn thin.
Denver Post columnist Troy Renck recently wrote, “They should cut him, earning some of the fans’ trust back, like the Broncos did with (Russell) Wilson.”
Frankly, I don’t see that happening. It would be a very un-Rockie-like move. But who knows?
Although many in the organization are incredibly frustrated with Bryant’s lack of production and inability to stay on the field, the team continues to express hope — at least publicly.
“We need Kris Bryant to be Kris Bryant, he’s still, in our opinion, very capable of that and he will be the first person guy to tell you he’s very capable,” manager Bud Black said during the winter meetings in December. “The proof will be in the pudding, but he’s having a great winter so far. He’s very adamant about his offseason conditioning program and he’s staying on top of that. Routine checks with our medical and training staff. I talked to him about 10 days ago and he’s in good spirits.”
In mid-December, Bryant told me he was in “a good head space” and I thought he was remarkably upbeat about the 2025 season.
If Bryant can play 100-110 games, hit .275-.280 and slug 20 home runs, that would be a plus for the team. If he can’t, the Rockies need to clear space and allow the younger players a chance to show what they’ve got.
Hi Patrick. I hope you had a great holiday. Thanks for all your coverage of the Rockies. It is super! So, if Kris Bryant wants to contribute to success for the Rockies, how about if he plays in less than 75% of the games, then, after the first two months, he asks the Rockies to redo his contract — over more years, to free up some money? I mean, keep enough for gas for his Lambo (Lamborghini), but get us through a couple of years when Nolan Arenado’s $5 million goes away. We should be able to get a player that can help.
— Paul, Aurora
Paul, piggybacking off of the previous question, it’s unlikely Bryant would defer any money. He’s still owed $108 million over the next four seasons — guaranteed. It’s rare for a major league player to redo his contract. For those unaware, the Rockies are still paying $5 million of Arenado’s contract as part of the 2021 trade with the Cardinals.
What do you think? A recent MLB prediction …
2034: Athletics over Rockies. The A’s should be settled into their new home in Las Vegas by this point, and honestly, who wouldn’t want to have a post-World Series celebration at The Sphere? It’s impossible to know who will be on either of these teams by this point, which might be the best argument I can make for why it could happen. Someone who contributes to the 2034 World Series winner is currently a middle school student — heck, maybe your child will be the one leading the A’s to their first title in 45 years!
— Dennis Capps, Lakewood
Dennis, dare to dream.
I’m excited for the Rox this year and most looking forward to seeing the young guys take the next step. I would like to see Hunter Goodman get a good amount of at-bats early in the season because I love his power at the plate. But with a logjam of young outfielders, do you think there is a chance that the Rockies will commit to playing Goodman two to three games a week behind home plate? I’m a big fan of Jacob Stallings, but I feel his starts could be better served by going to a younger, stronger hitter.
Thank you,
— Shawn T., Chicago
Shawn, I’m a big fan of Goodman’s.
He’s better behind the plate than I thought he’d be, and right now, he’s the No. 2 catcher behind Stallings. Still, Goodman has much to prove before he gets more than two starts a week.
Plus, the Rockies have a lot of young pitchers in the bullpen and possibly in the starting rotation, so I think Stallings will be needed to tutor those pitchers. Plus, Stallings is a more reliable hitter than Goodman.
Goodman did have an encouraging September, hitting .226 and launching five of his 13 homers. In 16 September games, he posted an OPS+ of 125.
However, like many young Rockies, Goodman struck out a lot (28.6%) and walked only eight times in 224 plate appearances. His .190/.228/.417 slash line needs to improve.
I love baseball but have only watched about 20 games over the past four years. The sport has lost me. What can be fixed to bring people like me back? Specifically, regarding the Rockies, why should I tune in to them when they are playing in a division with the Dodgers? This makes the Rockies obsolete after opening day.
— Michael H., Greeley
Michael, I’m confused. You say you love baseball, but then say the sport has lost you. So, do you dislike the current brand or style?
I generally like the current state of the game. The pitch clock was a good move, and we’re starting to see the return of speed as a big part of the game. Too many strikeouts still lead to less action, but I hope that’s changing.
There are a lot of exciting players on the scene now.
Perhaps the Rockies’ losing ways have soured your opinion of the game. I agree that the Rockies have zero chance to supplant the Dodgers atop the National League West, but that doesn’t make them obsolete. They will be relevant again if they can get their act together and post a winning record. But that might take a while.
Can you give me two or three things to watch at spring training to make it fun?
— Paula, Boulder
Paula, I anticipate an intriguing camp because so many young players are trying to make their mark, and the door is open for a few of them to make the roster.
Keep a close eye on young pitchers Chase Dollander, Carson Palmquist and Sean Sullivan. If they pitch well, one of them could break camp with the team. It’s a long shot, but it will be fun to watch.
The outfield competition will be fierce. The only player with a lock on a starting job is center fielder Brenton Doyle. Nolan Jones, Jordan Beck, Sam Hilliard, Zac Veen, Benny Montgomery and Sterlin Thompson will be in the spotlight, especially early in camp.
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