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Colorado Rockies: 4 key spring training battles to watch

By Kevin Henry

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 25: Archie Bradley #25 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch during the fourth inning of the spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 25, 2017 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 25: Archie Bradley #25 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch during the fourth inning of the spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 25, 2017 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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David Dahl of the Colorado Rockies
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 23: David Dahl #26 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2017 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /

Corner outfielder

As we talked about in the previous slide, Ryan McMahon’s success (or lack thereof) in the spring could have a domino effect on the rest of the position players to fill out the Opening Day roster. If McMahon makes it to the season opener, that likely cuts out a spot that would be possessed by a David Dahl or Raimel Tapia or Mike Tauchman.

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All three of those players (along with others like Jordan Patterson) will be competing for a spot in the outfield on the Opening Day roster. If McMahon can hold down first base, Ian Desmond and Gerardo Parra would likely start alongside Charlie Blackmon in the Rockies outfield. The others mentioned previously would then likely be fighting for the fourth outfielder spot.

If McMahon isn’t able to hold down first base and Desmond starts the season there, that leaves a starting spot open in the outfield. Can Dahl come back from his injury to claim it? Can Tapia work through some of his defensive issues from last season to be more reliable in the outfield? Could Tauchman, Patterson or even Noel Cuevas emerge as a darkhorse candidate? These are the questions we will be asking and the results we will be following.

Even if the players mentioned above don’t make the Opening Day roster, there should still be plenty of opportunities for them to contribute throughout the season … just like they did last year.

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