Dodgers: Sizing Up the NL West Competition- Rockies

The Rockies’ offseason was executed with tunnel vision. The front office focused almost entirely on the bullpen and in doing so they signed three big-name relievers that will ultimately be key additions in 2018. Of their four major league signings, three of them were bullpen additions.

The first to big additions were made within hours of each other. The team signed hard-throwing lefty, Jake McGee, to a three year-$21 million contract. McGee who is 31-years-old was paid generously after having a nice season in Colorado in 2017. McGee will make for a solid lefty specialist and, although he was signed to a massive deal, he could be a positive piece for the team this year,

Just hours after signing McGee, the Rockies signed right-handed-pitcher, Bryan Shaw to yet another lucrative deal. Shaw was given the exact same deal McGee signed and yet again the Rockies left fans puzzled. Shaw is 30-years-old and the Rockies yet again committed a large amount of salary to an aging player.

Two weeks after signing Shaw and McGee the Rockies decided they would go for one more. On December 29th the team added former Cub, Wade Davis. As if there was a strategy, the Rockies again signed a pitcher over the age of 30. Wade Davis is 32-years-old and unlike the first two players, he made even more money. Davis and the Rockies inked a contract worth $52 million over three years and thus concluded their bullpen shopping spree.

With the 30’s the magic number, the Rockies continued the trend but this time in the field. The team added 34-year-old catcher Chris Iannetta on a two-year packed worth $8.5 million. Iannetta will serve the team as catching depth with occasional starts.

As for subtractions, the team lost Tyler Chatwood and Greg Holland both of whom were huge pieces of the team in the year prior. The team did a good job of replacing Holland but the hole left by Chatwood has not been filled as nicely as the Holland’s.