The Colorado Rockies have been a pleasant surprise in the National League this season. They were always considered a dangerous team, but it seems this year they have taken a leap forward. They are among the leaders in the NL West, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them battling for a playoff berth until the final weeks of the season.
It might sound cliche, but there are three big reasons why the Rockies have been so successful this year. Their offense has been raking, and their pitching has been better than expected. As if that wasn’t enough, Greg Holland has been excellent in the closer role so far. That’s usually a recipe for success.
First and foremost, we have to talk about their offense. Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez get most of the attention, but it’s time the world notices what Charlie Blackmon is doing. The talented centerfielder has been one of the best players in the NL in 2017, and some experts even say he’s among the candidates for the NL MVP Award. The numbers back him up, though. Blackmon has a .320 average to go along with 13 HR and 47 RBI while playing stellar defense in the outfield.
Keep in mind both Arenado and other players are having good seasons as well. Arenado is batting .276 with 13 homers. Mark Reynolds leads the team with 14 dingers. And role players such as Gerardo Parra and D.J. LeMahieu have been hitting well of late. Gonzalez could use some improvements (.239 with only four homers) but the core of the offense has been better than expected. That was necessary to compete with teams like Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The rotation has been a pleasant surprise as well. Despite the loss of their ace Jon Gray due to injury, Colorado have managed to stay afloat. One of the big reasons has been the play of two rookies: Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez. Senzatela has emerged as one of the favorites to win the NL Rookie Of The Year Award with a stellar performance so far. He has a 3.49 ERA and a 7-2 mark in 11 starts. He has been a bit HR-prone with seven allowed in 67 innings, but those things will happen if your home park is Coors Field.
Marquez, on the other hand, had six appearances last year but really came into his own this year. The 22-year-old righty has a 4-2 record and a 3.76 ERA in seven starts. He has allowed only four homers in 40.2 innings, and opposing hitters are batting only .261 off him. Those are solid numbers for a first-year player.
Last but not least, we have the bullpen. Usually the Rockies have struggled with their relief pitchers, but this year it has been the opposite. And everything begins with the presence of a established closer such as Holland.
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The veteran recovered from the Tommy John surgery that made him miss the entire 2016 season, and he’s throwing better than ever. Holland has 20 saves in 22 chances, and looks on track to top his career year of 47 saves with the Kansas City Royals in 2013. Holland doesn’t do the relief job all alone, though. Jake McGee, Chris Rusin, and Adam Ottavino all have their ERA below the 2.60 mark.
It seems everything is going the right way for the Rockies. It remains to be seen if they will maintain this pace during the entire season, but one thing is certain: they will be a dangerous team during the rest of the camapign.