Colorado Rockies: Looking at some potential batting order tweaks

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The Colorado Rockies made the postseason in 2017. However, getting back in 2018 may be a little more difficult thanks to an offseason that has seen teams like the Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants make moves to strengthen their lineups.

Colorado certainly has the talent to compete for a Wild Card spot and even (dare we say) the National League West pennant. However, as we discussed in this article, the Rockies are making some big bets on some of their younger players to come through in a big way.

Knowing that (as of this writing) players like Carlos Gonzalez and Mark Reynolds aren’t slated to be a part of the 2018 Rockies, it’s time to look at what a potential batting order for the Rockies might resemble. We tackled conventional wisdom with the lineup in this article. However, today, let’s take a look at how the Rockies might be able to change things up a little bit in order to maximize the talent they will field this season.

So let’s dive into some possibilities, no matter how wild they may seem on the surface. Let’s crunch some data and see what tweaks to the 2018 lineup might benefit the team the most. After all, it can’t be just about Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu and Charlie Blackmon. Colorado will need production from top to bottom to make Rocktober a reality in 2018.

DENVER, CO – JUNE 21: Raimel Tapia #7 of the Colorado Rockies rounds second base after hitting a triple in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on June 21, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Absolutely, Charlie Blackmon is one of the game’s most dangerous leadoff hitters. His historic season last year can only cement his role at the top of the lineup. He is the sparkplug that gets the Colorado offense going.

He is also one of Colorado’s best hitters. With this in mind, it brings up the question we have asked before: Should Charlie Blackmon be hitting in the leadoff spot?

Consider a lineup where Blackmon is moved down in the order to take advantage of his power and ability to get on base. Consider a lineup where the speedy Raimel Tapia takes over the leadoff position, allowing Chuck Nazty to shift down.

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Think about this…

Raimel Tapia, RF

DJ LeMahieu, 2B

Charlie Blackmon, CF

Nolan Arenado, 3B

Trevor Story, SS

Gerardo Parra, LF

Ryan McMahon, 1B

Chris Iannetta, C

Pitcher

Tapia showed last season that he has the ability to get on base and produce at the plate, going 8-for-20 in September on his way to an overall .288 average in just 160 at-bats. It is very likely that Tapia will be a bigger part of Colorado’s plans in 2018 … and that should include using his speed as a weapon.

Last season, Tapia was named as the fourth-fastest player in Major League Baseball thanks to Statcast measurements. Imagine putting him at the top and allowing him to use that speed with LeMahieu, Blackmon and Arenado coming up.

Blackmon batting third also allows Arenado to move into the cleanup spot. Let’s talk about that now.

Some will argue that Nolan Arenado batting cleanup could potentially give him fewer at-bats per season … and that’s one way to look at it. However, we want to take a little different spin.

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Last season, with some of the struggles displayed by Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Story, Colorado’s lineup was powerful with Blackmon, LeMahieu and Arenado, but dropped off often after that. There was little consistency after the first three batters of the order. Sure, Mark Reynolds and Gerardo Parra had their moments, but it wasn’t something that was consistent like the threat the top three brought to the plate.

Arenado batted fourth in a nice 69 games in 2016 and actually hit for higher average (.301) versus third (.291). He also hit more home runs and drew more walks from the cleanup spot as well. It goes along with a career trend that shows Arenado has a higher slugging percentage and OPS from the cleanup spot than the third position.

A lineup with Arenado fourth could still happen with Blackmon leading off. It would be dicey but it is conceivable. Possibilities would include Trevor Story hitting third (if he can cut down on his strikeouts) or even a Gerardo Parra stepping into the role (if he is on a roll like last July when he returned from injury to hit .443 and drive in 17 runs in 61 at-bats). Absolutely, both of those options bring risks.

Extending the lineup by pushing Arenado down could make a difference for the Rockies and allow plentiful RBI opportunities … if someone like Tapia or Story could step up.

DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 29: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates as he crosses the plater after hitting a 2 RBI home run in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 29, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Another big question for next season will be how Story adjusts in his third MLB season. If he displays the power that made him a Rookie of the Year candidate before a thumb injury ended his 2016 season and cuts down on the strikeouts that haunted him in 2017, he could slide into the third position as we discussed previously. He could also strengthen the middle of the order and serve as some protection for Arenado.

In 10 games as the cleanup hitter last season, Story batted .278 while striking out 10 times in 10 games. The average of once a game is high … but it’s also the lowest strikeout per game ratio that Story posted at any position in 10 or more games last season.

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Let’s use our lineup from earlier … and shift it around a bit …

Charlie Blackmon, CF

DJ LeMahieu, 2B

Nolan Arenado, 3B

Trevor Story, SS

Gerardo Parra, RF

Ian Desmond, LF

Ryan McMahon, 1B

Chris Iannetta, C

Pitcher

With this, we have replaced Raimel Tapia at the top with Chuck Nazty and moved Parra to right field while bringing Desmond into the game. It’s perhaps a more “2017 lineup” than what we showed earlier but still brings questions into the mix. Again, it will take the 4-8 hitters coming through more than they did last season for this lineup to flex its muscles.

If Story, Parra and Desmond are hitting, the lineup is formidable.

DENVER, CO – APRIL 23: Trevor Story #27 and Gerardo Parra #8 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate their win over the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on April 23, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

We can move the players around in any way that we want, but the fact remains that players like Gerardo Parra are going to have to duplicate their success from 2017 in order to make an impact. Players like Trevor Story and Ian Desmond will need to bounce back from their frustrating 2017 seasons. Players like Ryan McMahon and Raimel Tapia will need to show they can produce at the Major League level on a consistent basis. David Dahl will need to show he can return to form after his injury that wiped out his season last year in Denver.

Remember, last season, outside of Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado, Colorado’s lineup produced a 0.0 WAR. That simply can’t be duplicated in 2018.

Yes, there are a lot of possibilities with the lineup and manager Bud Black will have plenty of options this season. However, players outside of the top three are going to need to make an impact. If that happens, Colorado’s chances of returning to the postseason improve greatly.

Next: 4 key Rockies spring training battles to watch

What lineup changes would you make, if any? Let us know in the comments section below. We always love to hear your ideas and opinions.

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