Colorado Rockies: What to expect out of this week’s GM meetings

This week marks the official start of the craziest part of Major League Baseball’s offseason. With the GM Meetings being held in Orlando, you will plenty of rumors and thoughts about what might happen with the Colorado Rockies and the 29 other MLB teams.

This is a week when general managers and agents continue their discussions and the Hot Stove gets a little bit hotter. Here are the biggest things Rockies fans should watch for this week.

First, you will hear a lot of talk about which players and agents are talking to which teams. It is an indication of what might happen in the near future, but most of the banter and real deal-making will happen during next month’s Winter Meetings. Expect there to be a lot of posturing this week but no big deals to be announced until later in the calendar year.

In fact, the day that could have the biggest impact on the Rockies this week could be Thursday, one day after the GM meetings are slated to conclude. That is the deadline (5 p.m. Eastern time) when Greg Holland will have to decide if he is going to accept Colorado’s $17.4 million qualifying offer or truly test the limits of free agency and the high contract it might bring.

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As a note, the $17.4 million salary would be the highest single-season salary for any closer in Major League history. However, with three closers signing contracts worth $62 million or more last offseason, it will be tempting to see exactly how high Holland can push the market.

Also, remember that Holland has the only qualifying offer that was offered by the Rockies. Additionally, if another team signs Holland, Colorado would receive a compensatory pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.

With Scott Boras as his agent, do not expect Holland to discount his services or offer the Rockies any kind of deal as a payback for the team taking a chance on him last offseason. This will be all about the money and where Holland believes he has the best chance at a good payday and have a chance at once again reaching the World Series. Could that be Colorado? It is possible, but it will come with a price.

Next: What a hypothetical Charlie Blackmon to the St. Louis Cardinals trade might look like

The GM Meetings are set to go through Wednesday and we will be paying attention to who is talking to who and what rumors are being floated out there.