Colorado Rockies Poll: Who Wins The 2016 Shortstop Battle?

Sep 16, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop C. Adames (18) forces out Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A. Ellis (17) out at second base at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies are probably facing a day of reckoning on Opening Day 2016 — at least, in regards to their (short-term) future at shortstop.

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Can you guys tell I’m ready for the Colorado Rockies to wrap up 2015 and start making moves this winter for the future, or what?!

In the last several weeks here, I’ve asked about this, and then this, and also this, and also this. All of which, of course, are only marginally related to the season at hand, but more focused on the bigger picture, or hypotheticals, or next year, or whatever.

Well today… we have another one!! Yay!!

Pretty simple question for you, actually: now that Troy Tulowitzki is gone and the Rox are clearly moving forward with their plans at shortstop, who will be the Colorado Rockies’ starting shortstop on Opening Day 2016?

Cristhian Adames, Jose Reyes, Daniel Descalso, Trevor Story, or… someone else? First… a rundown on the options.

Cristhian Adames
As far as I’m concerned, Adames is the frontrunner. Yes, Story is probably a better long-term prospect at this point, but Adames has Major League experience over parts of two seasons that Story does not, and Adames has succeeded in the bigs this year. As far as I’m concerned, you’d be wise to start the year with Adames at short, and Descalso backing up.

Trevor Story
Story is the more exciting, bigger prospect, so he’ll certainly get a long look at shortstop — and that look is coming in 2016. He’s going to have to really impress this spring (and/or Adames will have to have a truly terrible spring) for Story to start from day one, though.

Jose Reyes
The only way this happens is if the Colorado Rockies don’t find a suitable trading partner this winter for Reyes. Considering how much money he’s owed (at least $48 million over 2016 and 2017, plus a $4 million buyout in 2018), it’s certainly a possibility the Rockies can’t find an even halfway-suitable trade. Let’s hope he’s gone, though.

Daniel Descalso
Descales almost certainly won’t start, barring something weird like injury or a truly concerning collapse by Adames or Story (or both?) next spring. However, he does have some interesting potential as a true veteran utility guy, and as little as he’s done for the Rockies on the field this year… stats don’t lie (or so they tell me), and the Rockies are flippin’ 24-11 when Descalso starts.

A free agent
This is pretty unlikely, but what if the Colorado Rockies trade Reyes (as they should) and then quickly figure out in the spring that Adames and Story both aren’t ready to take the full-time reins? A free agent similar to the comp that the San Diego Padres signed before 2015 (Clint Barmes!!) could hold down the position briefly (though that job would likely still go to Descalso).

So… who’s it going to be?

As always, please tweet us what you think about this, I love talkin’ baseball on Twitter and I’m pretty much on there 24/7: @RoxPileFS or @BobbyDeMuro.

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