Why the Colorado Rockies will be over the .500 mark in 2020

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Ryan McMahon #24 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after he was called out on strike against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the six inning at Oracle Park on September 25, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

I have saved an article from MLB.com for a few days now, waiting until the dust from the end of the regular season settled and well after the Colorado Rockies held their much-discussed end of the season press gathering.

That article, which you can see by clicking here, picked five teams which the author felt “seem the most poised to take a step forward in 2020 — the ones you feel like are building toward something better.” That list did not include the Colorado Rockies.

Rather than the Rockies, the author picked the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels as the five teams who finished below .500 in 2019 but could also make that “step forward” in 2020.

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The author did start his article with an interesting point, pointing out that only three teams (the Minnesota Twins, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies) finished the 2018 season under .500 but rebounded in 2019 to finish at .500 (we’re looking at you, Philly) or better.

Additionally, the author points out that, since the start of the 2015 season, nine teams have finished the previous season below .500 and bounced back to make the postseason the following season. That includes the 2017 Rockies as well as the Arizona Diamondbacks, who topped Colorado in the National League Wild Card Game that season).

After reading the article, I began looking at the possibilities of the Rockies improving by at least 10 games over this year’s final 71-91 record in 2020 to finish at least at the 81-81 mark. I also remembered the words of Colorado owner Dick Monfort, who said during the end-of-the-season press conference that, ““I don’t think we have a lot of flexibility next year of making some great big splash. Now that doesn’t mean that we can’t get creative and do some things that will help if the right deal comes along.”

Can the Rockies improve by 10 games next season without “making some great big splash?” It’s possible if these three things happen.

Note: Later this week, we’ll pull a counterpoint and discuss the three reasons why the Rockies won’t reach .500 again in 2020.

I have saved an article from MLB.com for a few days now, waiting until the dust from the end of the regular season settled and well after the Colorado Rockies held their much-discussed end of the season press gathering.

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