Colorado Rockies Quick Hits: Arenado, Dunn, Story

It has been an uneventful final weekend of the offseason thus far but there have been some Colorado Rockies in some news and notes this weekend.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com published an article on Friday in where he discussed the implications of Nolan Arenado signing an extension with the Rockies, if that does indeed come to fruition, as Dick Monfort is “optimistic” that it will.

Feinsand spoke with some front office executives about how Arenado could impact the current free agent market (particularly for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado), the trade market before the July trade deadline, the 2020 free agent market, and other Rockies looking for extensions.

For Harper and Machado, one American League executive wondered “if Arenado is motivated [to sign an extension] due to those stars still being out there.” Another AL general manager said that “[i]t depends on the numbers, but I would expect the agents to fight to be above [Arenado’s deal]” and a NL GM said that a possible Arenado extension would “just [be] another data point” so that they could compare themselves in relation to Arenado.

Feinsand believes that Arenado would not really impact the trade market but if he really does end up extending his contract with the Rockies, he could impact next year’s free agent class. Feinsand contends that some of the other members of the 2020 free agent class could also look to sign extensions.

Scott Boras’ clients usually test free agency rather than sign extensions but some, like Stephen Strasburg, have signed extensions. Another AL executive said that they “think it could impact guys currently under control if they get spooked by whatever Harper, Machado and Arenado get” but another AL GM thinks that future free agents being scared by the current free agent climate is, in Feinsand’s words, “overblown.”

For Rockies players looking for an extension, like Trevor Story, German Marquez, and Kyle Freeland, it will show them that the Rockies are willing to pay to keep them there but for them, an extension is likely a few years away.

If you want to read the full article, you can read it here.

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An update on Mike Dunn

Thomas Harding of MLB.com spoke with Rockies manager Bud Black on Friday about reliever Mike Dunn, who’s 2018 season was injury-shortened, and Black said that “Mike should be ready for Opening Day. We will monitor him closely early in Spring Training. He’s currently throwing off the mound and feeling good.”

Rockies bullpen coach Darren Holmes also said that Dunn “looks great.” Holmes added “[b]reaking [spring training] with the team healthy is what we believe right now. He has shown no indications otherwise. We may start him at a little slower pace the first week, but it looks his arm is working as well as it did in 2016 or better.”

He is one of a few Rockies relievers that they will look to improve on a 2018 season, a season that was not good for them as a whole.

Top 10 Shortstops Right Now

On MLB Network on Saturday, they had their “Top 10 Right Now” for shortstops and Rockies shortstop Trevor Story was ranked third on their list, behind only Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez at number two and Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor as the best shortstop in the game.

You can check out the rest of the list (and the other Top 10 Right now lists) here.