%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201069.9%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201069.9%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23939598%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23111111%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%235E30B1%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%23999999%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st6%7Bfill%3A%23371C5C%3B%7D%0A%09.st7%7Bfill%3A%234D4D4D%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M626.3%2C1.3h-67.8c-9.9%2C0-17.6%2C7.7-17.6%2C17.6v168c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h17.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.4-5.3%2C11.4-11.8v-56%0A%09%09h41.8c34%2C0%2C64.1-24.8%2C67.5-58.2C694.6%2C34.1%2C664.3%2C1.3%2C626.3%2C1.3z%20M626.3%2C90.1h-44.6V42.4h44.6c13.3%2C0%2C23.8%2C10.5%2C23.8%2C23.8%0A%09%09C650.1%2C79.3%2C639.6%2C90.1%2C626.3%2C90.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M746.5%2C1.3h-23.5c-6.5%2C0-11.8%2C5.3-11.8%2C11.8V187c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h23.5c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V13%0A%09%09C758.2%2C6.6%2C753%2C1.3%2C746.5%2C1.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M908.2%2C163.4h-88.8V13c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8H790c-6.5%2C0-11.8%2C5.3-11.8%2C11.8v168c0%2C9.6%2C8%2C17.6%2C17.6%2C17.6%0A%09%09h112.3c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8v-11.8C919.9%2C168.7%2C914.7%2C163.4%2C908.2%2C163.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M1058.1%2C36.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V13c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8H957.6c-9.9%2C0-17.6%2C7.7-17.6%2C17.6v162.1%0A%09%09c0%2C9.6%2C7.7%2C17.6%2C17.6%2C17.6h100.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8v-11.8c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8h-77v-45.8h61.9%0A%09%09c6.5%2C0%2C11.8-5.3%2C11.8-11.8V94.1c0-6.5-5.3-11.8-11.8-11.8h-61.9V36.6H1058.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M117.9%2C122.3c22-12.7%2C35.9-37.4%2C31.9-65.3c-4.6-32.5-34-55.7-66.5-55.7H17.6C7.7%2C1.3%2C0%2C9%2C0%2C18.9v168%0A%09%09c0%2C6.5%2C5.3%2C11.8%2C11.8%2C11.8h17.6c6.5%2C0%2C11.4-5.3%2C11.4-11.8v-56h33.7l39%2C59.7c3.1%2C5%2C8.7%2C8%2C14.5%2C8h22c7.7%2C0%2C12.1-8.7%2C8-15.2%0A%09%09L117.9%2C122.3z%20M85.4%2C90.1H40.8V42.4h44.6c13.3%2C0%2C23.8%2C10.5%2C23.8%2C23.8C109.2%2C79.3%2C98.7%2C90.1%2C85.4%2C90.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M471.4%2C116.6c2.4-5.1%2C3.7-10.8%2C3.7-16.8c0-5.9-1.3-11.5-3.6-16.6l48.1-69.6c3.4-5.3-0.3-12.4-6.5-12.4h-25.4%0A%09%09%09c-5.9%2C0-11.4%2C3.1-14.9%2C8l-35.1%2C50.6c-0.9-0.1-1.8-0.1-2.7-0.1c-0.9%2C0-1.7%2C0-2.6%2C0.1L397.4%2C9.3c-3.4-5-9-8-15.2-8h-25.1%0A%09%09%09c-6.2%2C0-10.2%2C7.1-6.5%2C12.4l44.1%2C64H234.5c-2%2C2.8-3.6%2C5.8-4.8%2C9h167.6c-1%2C2.8-1.6%2C5.7-2%2C8.7H227.6c-0.2%2C1.5-0.3%2C3-0.3%2C4.5%0A%09%09%09c0%2C1.5%2C0.1%2C3%2C0.3%2C4.5h167.7c0.4%2C3%2C1%2C6%2C2%2C8.7H229.8c1.2%2C3.2%2C2.9%2C6.3%2C4.9%2C9h160l-44.1%2C64c-3.7%2C5%2C0.3%2C12.4%2C6.5%2C12.4h25.1%0A%09%09%09c6.2%2C0%2C11.8-3.1%2C15.2-8l35.3-50.9c0.8%2C0%2C1.6%2C0.1%2C2.4%2C0.1c0.9%2C0%2C1.7%2C0%2C2.5-0.1l35.3%2C50.9c3.4%2C5%2C9%2C8%2C14.9%2C8h25.4%0A%09%09%09c6.2%2C0%2C9.9-7.4%2C6.5-12.4L471.4%2C116.6z%20M435.1%2C73.2c8.2%2C0%2C15.5%2C3.7%2C20.4%2C9.5c-0.4-0.2-0.8-0.5-1.2-0.7c-2.8-1.6-6.1-2.5-9.3-2.7%0A%09%09%09c-3.2-0.3-6.5%2C0.1-9.6%2C0.8c-3.1%2C0.8-6%2C2-8.7%2C3.6l-1.7%2C0.9l-0.8%2C0.4l-0.8%2C0.3c-0.6%2C0.2-1.1%2C0.5-1.7%2C0.5l-0.9%2C0.2l-0.4%2C0.1l-0.4%2C0%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C0.2-4.5-0.3-6.7-1.6C418%2C77.7%2C426%2C73.2%2C435.1%2C73.2z%20M435.1%2C126.5c-9%2C0-17-4.5-21.9-11.4c2.2-1.3%2C4.5-1.8%2C6.7-1.6l0.4%2C0%0A%09%09%09l0.4%2C0.1l0.9%2C0.2c0.6%2C0.1%2C1.1%2C0.3%2C1.7%2C0.5l0.8%2C0.3l0.8%2C0.4l1.7%2C0.9c2.7%2C1.5%2C5.6%2C2.7%2C8.7%2C3.6c3.1%2C0.7%2C6.3%2C1.1%2C9.6%2C0.8%0A%09%09%09c3.2-0.2%2C6.5-1.2%2C9.3-2.7c0.4-0.2%2C0.8-0.5%2C1.2-0.7C450.6%2C122.8%2C443.3%2C126.5%2C435.1%2C126.5z%20M460.4%2C108.2c-0.4%2C0.4-0.8%2C0.7-1.3%2C1.1%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C1.6-4.5%2C2.9-6.9%2C3.7c-4.8%2C1.7-10.1%2C1.4-15.1%2C0.2c-1.3-0.4-2.5-0.7-3.8-1.2c-1.3-0.4-2.5-1-3.7-1.5c-2.9-1.3-6.2-2.4-9.8-2.1%0A%09%09%09c-0.9%2C0.1-1.7%2C0.2-2.6%2C0.5c-0.8%2C0.2-1.7%2C0.5-2.4%2C0.9c-0.4%2C0.2-0.8%2C0.4-1.1%2C0.6l-1%2C0.7c-0.5%2C0.3-0.9%2C0.7-1.3%2C1.1%0A%09%09%09c-1.9-3.7-3-7.9-3-12.4c0-4.5%2C1.1-8.7%2C3-12.4c0.4%2C0.4%2C0.8%2C0.8%2C1.3%2C1.1l1%2C0.7c0.4%2C0.2%2C0.7%2C0.4%2C1.1%2C0.6c0.7%2C0.4%2C1.6%2C0.7%2C2.4%2C0.9%0A%09%09%09c0.8%2C0.3%2C1.7%2C0.3%2C2.6%2C0.5c3.5%2C0.3%2C6.9-0.8%2C9.8-2.1c1.2-0.5%2C2.4-1.1%2C3.7-1.5c1.2-0.5%2C2.5-0.8%2C3.8-1.2c5-1.2%2C10.2-1.5%2C15.1%2C0.2%0A%09%09%09c2.4%2C0.8%2C4.8%2C2%2C6.9%2C3.7c0.4%2C0.3%2C0.8%2C0.7%2C1.3%2C1.1c0.9%2C2.6%2C1.3%2C5.4%2C1.3%2C8.3C461.7%2C102.8%2C461.3%2C105.6%2C460.4%2C108.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M311%2C131.3c-10%2C14.7-26.9%2C24.4-46%2C24.4c-30.7%2C0-55.6-24.9-55.6-55.6s24.9-55.6%2C55.6-55.6%0A%09%09%09c19%2C0%2C35.7%2C9.5%2C45.8%2C24.1H360C346.8%2C28.8%2C309.3%2C0%2C265%2C0c-55.2%2C0-100%2C44.8-100%2C100s44.8%2C100%2C100%2C100c44.3%2C0%2C81.8-28.8%2C95-68.7H311z%0A%09%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
A battle that hasn't been resolved yet
Who is the starting RF?
As we break down position battles this spring, there may not have been a better battle than the one for the starting right field job. It was widely considered to be Sean Bouchard's job, especially with Kris Bryant moving to first to try and stay healthier.
Two players have really thrown a wrench into this and made it a serious competition in a couple of different ways. First off, Michael Toglia, has been scorching hot this spring, making it a serious possibility that he is the opening day starter. For being 6'5 and nearly 230 lbs, Toglia is a surprisingly good athlete that can play a decent right field. This spring he is slashing .333/.415/.750 with four home runs, 12 RBI, and three doubles in just 16 games. Toglia is still running a 34% strikeout rate this spring, which is very concerning, but the production can't be ignored.
The other name that is making this position battle a little murky, is former top prospect, Elehuris Montero. Montero was the starting third baseman last year, but that will be occupied by Ryan McMahon this year, with Brendan Rodgers starting at second base. Montero has been pretty solid this spring, though he's cooled off lately. He is slashing .238/.298/.524 with three home runs, nine RBI and three doubles. Montero's strikeout rate is sitting at 27.66%, which is manageable considering his power output. If Bud Black wants Montero in the opening day lineup, we could see Kris Bryant shift back to right field, with Montero getting the start at first base.
Sean Bouchard is the final piece of this puzzle, but he hasn't run away with the job. He is hitting .267/.378/.433, but only has one home run in 15 games. Bouchard is probably the favorite, but no one is running away with the job, leaving the job wide open.
Call to Action
Are you a fan of the Rockies? Do you love talking about all things Rockies? Do you want to write about the Rockies on your own schedule with the potential to earn some extra cash? Go to https://openings.fansided.com and look for the Rox Pile site and apply to join our staff.