Colorado Rockies rumors: CarGo, Reynolds, Frazier free agent targets?

According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, the Colorado Rockies have three players that they are looking at in particular in improving their offense in 2018.

The Colorado Rockies offense was not particularly a shining area for the team in 2017 and, apparently, they are looking to address it before spring training. Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports that the Rockies have three targets for helping the offense: Mark Reynolds, Carlos Gonzalez, and third baseman Todd Frazier.

With Reynolds and Gonzalez, familiarity would obviously be a key factor in them resigning. They would also help solve the issue of first base or a corner outfielder. Gonzalez obviously had a down season in 2017 but, perhaps, his September numbers could prove that he can be the Carlos Gonzalez of old.

In September, he played in 24 games and he had 22 runs, 29 hits, 12 doubles (he only had 34 all season), 6 home runs (he only had 14 all season), 16 RBI (he only had 57 all season), 15 walks, and a .377/.484/.766. Extracted out to a full 162 game season, according to Baseball Reference, that would be equivalent to 196 hits, 82 doubles, 41 home runs, 108 RBI, and 102 walks. Obviously, even if he had a great year, the slashline and doubles would come down significantly but if the Rockies could sign Gonzalez to an incentive laden one (or even two) year contract and he puts up those numbers, that will be the steal of the 2018 offseason.

Reynolds had 30 home runs and 97 RBI and was nearly an All-Star in 2017 so if he puts anything like he did last season, the Rockies would be very happy with that.

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Todd Frazier

The player that is most interesting on this list is Todd Frazier. He plays third base and, with the Rockies, he sure as heck wouldn’t be playing third because he’s no where near as good as Nolan Arenado. Between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees last season, he had 27 home runs and 76 RBI in 147 games so that would obviously help the Rockies but the main problem is that he has a terrible batting average. Since 2016, his batting average is .220 so that’s obviously not good by any stretch. He does get his fair share of walks but his on-base percentage since 2016 is still only .322.

He has played 94 games at first base in his career so he’d obviously play it for the Rockies, if they were to sign him. At third base, he is good defensively as he had 10 Defensive Runs Saved but in a very small sample size of four games at first in 2017, he has -2 DRS. In the 94 games total at first, he has -8 DRS so, in the small sample at first, he’s not that great defensively.

Final Thoughts

Reynolds and Gonzalez would be good resignings for the Rockies, especially if they are on one- or two-year contracts, which they almost certainly would be.

For Frazier, just hearing his name in rumors is puzzling to me. He did do well in the hitter’s haven known as Great American Ballpark when Frazier played for the Reds but I don’t think he is a fit for the Rockies. He’s relatively inexperienced at first base, he isn’t particularly breathtaking with his defense at first, and he is a bit inconsistent with the bat.

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Signing Frazier would be a mistake in my eyes. If they can’t make a trade or get Reynolds, they should just keep Ryan McMahon at first. I’d be more confident in his abilities there than Frazier’s.