Colorado Rockies: 18 things we are looking forward to in 2018

Number 7: A better year from Ian Desmond

There is no question that 2017 did not go the way that the Rockies or Ian Desmond planned. After signing a big contract in the offseason, Desmond struggled to stay on the field and struggled to produce when he was on it.

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In just 93 games last season, Desmond totaled just seven homers and 40 RBI, far below his numbers from the past five seasons. Colorado is betting on Desmond returning to form in 2018 … and the Rockies offense needs that to happen. Desmond’s offense was penciled in to be a plus for a lineup that already featured plenty of sluggers but outside of Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado and DJ LeMahieu, Colorado’s lineup produced a 0.0 WAR last year. Not good. The 32-year-old outfielder and first baseman will need a bounceback season in 2018 and he will be given every opportunity to make that happen, likely splitting time again between the outfield and first base.

Number 8: More bat antics from Gerardo Parra

If there is a role model for Desmond in 2018, it is looking at how Gerardo Parra bounced back from a bad 2016 to make an impact last season.

Parra hit .571 in six June game before going out with a leg injury, but returned with a vengeance in July by hitting .443 in 16 contests. His offensive outburst led Colorado during the middle part of the campaign … and he did it often with flare. Check out the “bat pose” after his home run against the St. Louis Cardinals.