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Colorado Rockies: Who would be their designated hitter?

By Olivia Greene

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 29: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies hits 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)
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 29: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies hits 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) /
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Carlos Gonzalez

DENVER, CO – JUNE 06: Carlos Gonzalez
DENVER, CO – JUNE 06: Carlos Gonzalez /

Why: Now that the ink has finally dried and Nolan Arenado has gotten his hugs in, it’s time for Carlos Gonzalez to jump right back into Rockies baseball. When CarGo has a good season, he rakes though. Since he’s getting a little older, I’d definitely consider him to be the DH. Last season wasn’t his best out all of his years with the Rockies. His slashline was .262/.339/.423, he had 14 homers, 57 RBI, and was 123-for-470. If he gets back to his All-Star form from 2016 and prior, he’d be a monster threat in a DH spot.

Projections: Projection-wise, I think they’re in the wheelhouse of where he should be, though he could do better. Taking a look at those projections for 2018, Baseball-Reference has him hitting 22 home runs, with 72 RBI, and getting 129 base hits. This would reassure a lot of Rockies fans that CarGo is back to his regular form. I don’t think 2018 will be hard for him to perform. However, if he was the DH, it’d open up right field to those younger guys as well.

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Where in the lineup: Well with CarGo in the DH spot, it opens up a lot for lineup including getting some playing time as well. Here’s a hypothetical lineup that could work:

  1. Charlie Blackmon, CF
  2. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
  3. Nolan Arenado, 3B
  4. Carlos Gonzalez, DH
  5. Trevor Story, SS
  6. Gerardo Parra*/ Ian Desmond, RF
  7. Ryan McMahon*/Ian Desmond, 1B
  8. Raimel Tapia/Mike Tauchman, LF*
  9. Chris Iannetta, C

*Gerardo Parra is coming back from hand surgery.

*Ryan McMahon will have to wait until the last two weeks to know if he’s made the roster.

*David Dahl does not appear on the Rockies official depth chart. Therefore, he will not appear on any of these lineups.

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