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Motte, Qualls healthy, ready for bullpen battle By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | February 15th, 2017 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- One source of Rockies optimism is the offseason bullpen beef-up. But caution: Right-

handers Jason Motte and Chad Qualls know free-agent contracts don't always pay off.

Motte and Qualls want to show that their signings to two-year deals can work the second time around.

Motte missed the first 44 games, then 46 more just after midseason, because of a right rotator cuff strain -- the residual

effect of three years of arm issues since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2013. Qualls did a 34-game term on the

disabled list when he came down with colitis just after midseason.

Both arrive healthy, with hopes of holding their spots on a relief staff that has added free agents Greg Holland and Mike

Dunn, and of helping a bullpen that posted a Major League-worst 5.13 ERA last season -- partly because of its health-

related struggles.

Motte, under a two-year, $10 million contract, was 0-1 with a 4.94 ERA in just 30 games. Qualls, signed for two years and

$6 million, was 2-0 with a 5.23 ERA in 44 games. Motte, 34, and Qualls, 38, will make a combined $8.75 million this

season.

"Anytime you're hurt, it's frustrating," said Motte, who earned a National League-leading 42 saves with the Cardinals in

2012 but suffered the elbow injury the following spring. "Last year, to be hurt twice is frustrating. So to have a normal

MEDIA CLIPS – February 16, 2017

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offseason feels good. Even last year, the four or five games I pitched in September was nice. To be able to do that and go

into the offseason healthy was definitely good. I come into spring ready to go."

After his colitis bout, Qualls appeared in eight games from Aug. 20 to season's end.

"It was the offseason, about a month or so ago, when I started to really feel a lot better," Qualls said. "I've gone off the

mound five or six times. I'm excited this Spring Training. I've worked pretty hard this offseason, long-tossed a lot more and

did a lot more shoulder stuff to get my strength up."

Injuries and inexperience left the Rockies struggling to fill relief roles last year. But it could be a crowded situation if all

stay healthy this spring.

Motte freezes Souza Jr.

Jason Motte strikes out Steven Souza Jr. looking with the tying run on third base to end a scoring threat in the top of the

8th inning

In addition to Holland and Dunn, righty Adam Ottavino and lefty Jake McGee have key roles, lefty Chris Rusin and

righty Jordan Lyles are being counted on and are out of Minor League options. That's six spots in an eight-man bullpen.

Righty Carlos Estevez had his moments last year as a rookie, and righty Scott Oberg has recovered from blood clots in

his forearm that shortened his 2016 season. Righty Jairo Diaz, who had Tommy John surgery last spring, likely won't be

ready until May but could fight his way into the mix. As is the case everywhere, camp is full of prospects.

"Every single year there's a Draft in June and they're picking young kids that are throwing harder," Motte said. "Even

signing different guys -- having Dunn here, having Holland here along with some of the other guys that they have in that

bullpen, it makes us better. You want to them do well and in turn you want to do better, and you end up making the

bullpen better. For me it's being healthy."

So Motte and Qualls must forge on, and keep, their spots. Both will have to be better at Coors Field. The injuries and the

toll going in and out of altitude might have had something to do with it, but they'll have to improve on a 7.43 home ERA for

Qualls and an 8.31 for Motte.

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"Both these guys have a lot of pride in their performance," said Rockies manager Bud Black -- who managed Qualls with

the Padres in 2011 and saw him go 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA in 77 games. "Last year it didn't work out, mainly because they

were physically not where they needed to be, which is unfortunate. Offseason of work, clean bill of health, these guys

have had success in the big leagues."

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Black bringing superior baseball knowledge to Rockies By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | February 16th, 2017 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- After a season working in the Angels' front office, it's great to have Bud Black back in the day-to-

day mix.

Black is one of those rare erudite baseball people who knows the game inside out and can explain his managerial

machinations with grace and intelligence. A left-handed pitcher, pitching coach and now the new manager of the Rockies,

Black first received a degree in management from the Fowler College of Business Administration at San Diego State in

1979.

From there, Black won 121 big league games, captured a World Series pitching for the Royals in 1985 -- and another with

the Angels working under Mike Scioscia in 2002 -- and managed the Padres for a little more than eight seasons, from

2007 until he was fired on June 16, 2015.

At 59, Black's challenge now is taking everything he learned through all his trials and tribulations with the Padres and

Angels into his new job in Colorado.

"You become an amalgam of everywhere you've been, basically," Black told MLB.com during an interview in his new

Spring Training office at Salt River Fields on Tuesday. "You take all of your experiences, but there's no doubt that the

years of managing a Major League team give you great resources to draw from.

"Not only in-game stuff, but before the game, after the game, conversations with coaches, players, front office that you

use in your managing skills presently."

Black and the Rockies are about to embark on a new adventure. The team in the Rocky Mountains is at times a victim of

playing in Coors Field at 5,200 feet, the highest elevation of any ballpark in the Majors.

Humidor or no humidor, the ball tends to fly in the higher, lighter air, giving offenses a greater advantage. Hurlers say their

pitches have less break and bite there, and the ballpark has been a graveyard for pitchers since it opened in 1995.

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Into this environment steps Black, with his vast knowledge of how to compete in the National League, and in the NL West

in particular. Aside from Bruce Bochy, who has managed 22 years in the NL West with the Padres and currently the

Giants, no one has as much experience managing in the division than Black.

No manager save for John Farrell in Boston and Bryan Price in Cincinnati has as much experience working with pitchers

as Black. They are the only former pitchers and pitching coaches currently managing a Major League team.

"When I was in San Diego, and I'm doing it here, I empower my pitching coach to coach as he sees fit," Black said.

"Ironically, I think I spend more time talking to position players than I do pitchers. When I do get technical with pitchers,

that comes very naturally to me. I know how important our defense is to their success. From an offensive and defensive

aspect, I know how I want my team to play and feel. Coors Field, we'll deal with that."

Black was the constant during his tenure in San Diego. He worked under two ownership groups, three club presidents and

five general managers. The roster was in constant flux, and the two times the Padres had a chance to make the

postseason under Black, they lost the final game of the season in both 2007 and '10. Every other full season, they were

below .500.

The Padres still haven't made the playoffs since back-to-back appearances from 2005-06, the last two years Bochy was

manager.

Black is the third Rockies manager since Clint Hurdle resigned 46 games into the 2009 season. They made the playoffs in

'09 under Jim Tracy, and haven't been back since.

Under Black two years ago, the Padres bulked up their roster in the offseason, but they were 32-33 and six games behind

the division-leading Dodgers as of June 15. At that point, management decided to replace Black with Pat Murphy. They

finished that season at 74-88, and Murphy was also let go.

Black, who has a wry sense of humor and an upbeat personality under most circumstances, actually laughed about his

dismissal. He said current Padres GM A.J. Preller called him into a meeting and gave no explanations. Black's contract

was set to expire at the end of that season, and the meeting was very short.

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"From my side of it, I thought it would have been better to go through the year," Black said. "Give the coaching staff and

the players a chance to go through the season, and if that didn't work, then make a change. But those in management

who made the decision obviously felt that at that point, my time had ended. And I understand. There's a time to end all

things."

Black has an introspective personality, and as one would imagine, he said there were lessons learned that will help him in

his new job.

"I have no animosity at all," Black said. "I've run into A.J. a couple of times, and things are fine. In this business, you work

with people, and in most cases, you remain baseball connected and baseball friends. I can draw something, no check

that, I can draw a lot from my experience there that hopefully will benefit us moving forward -- us meaning the Rockies."

Black is certainly a great get for the Rockies. Welcome back.

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Kyle Freeland, lefty from Thomas Jefferson High, pushing to make Rockies’ rotation Last year Freeland went 11-10 with a 3.89 ERA combined at Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque By Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | February 16th, 2017

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Left-hander Kyle Freeland, the prospect, is moving closer to becoming a genuine player in the

Rockies’ quest to reach the playoffs.

“I see him pushing to be on the big-league staff. I see him with thoughts of making our team,” pitching coach Steve Foster

said Wednesday. “As we start competing here in spring training, I want that to be his thought process. The door is wide

open. Anything is possible.”

Freeland, 23, a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School and the eighth overall pick in the 2014 draft, is confident his

time is near.

“Making my (major-league debut) is definitely in my mind this season. It’s something I’m working toward,” said Freeland,

who honed his pitching skills at the University of Evansville in Indiana. “Compared to last season, I have a much better

mind-set and a clearer vision of where I am and what I want to accomplish.”

The first four slots in the Rockies’ starting rotation are filled by Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson, Chad Bettis and Tyler

Chatwood. It’s an open competition for the fifth spot, with right-handers Jeff Hoffman and German Marquez entering

spring training as leading contenders. But a good camp by Freeland or right-hander Antonio Senzatela could change the

equation.

“All signs point to Kyle as a guy who is going to pitch in the major leagues, and if he stays healthy, he’s going to pitch

awhile,” manager Bud Black said.

Freeland began his professional career in dominating fashion, going 1-0 with a 1.56 ERA at rookie ball in Grand Junction

in 2014 before being promoted to Low-A Asheville. He was moving quickly up the organizational ladder until he suffered

from bone chips in his elbow and subsequent shoulder fatigue in 2015. Last year, he bounced back against stiffer

competition, going 11-10 with a 3.89 ERA combined at Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque.

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It was a season of growth. He arrived in the minors with a 91-94 mph fastball that he could occasionally get up to 95-96

mph, complemented by a slider he throws at two speeds. But he has struggled to develop an effective third pitch needed

to become a big-league starter, hence his continued work on a sinking change-up.

“I feel 10 times better with my change-up,” he said. “I have a lot of confidence to utilize it in any count that I want to.”

Freeland’s aha moment came in an Aug. 22 game in Albuquerque vs. Fresno when he had his change-up working on

command. He pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing one hit and no walks and striking out four.

“I remember how good it felt using the change,” he said. “I was throwing it in correct counts and I had a good feel for it.

That’s when it hit me. I was like, ‘That’s it, right there.’ ”

In three of his final four Triple-A outings, Freeland pitched seven, seven and six scoreless innings, setting him up for a

possible big-league promotion this season.

“Kyle has an unbelievably quick arm,” Foster said. “I wouldn’t say it’s an unorthodox style, but he does have some

crossfire action, which makes it very difficult for left-handed hitters to see the baseball. Those things, in combination,

make him a tough guy to see and a tough guy to hit.

“And I see him as much more than just a situational lefty. I think even right-handed batters can get eaten up as that ball is

coming into them. Kyle can keep them honest inside and then get them out going away. Plus, he’s already pitched at

altitude. So you add all of those things together and the guy has a legitimate chance of being in the mix all the way

through camp.”

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Rockies pitchers must be better fielders, and Bud Black knows it Rockies pitchers committed 23 errors last season, third most in the major leagues. By Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | February 16th, 2017 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Shortly after working on their sliders, fastballs and changeups during a morning bullpen session

here Tuesday, Rockies pitchers moved to the diamond for PFP — pitchers fielding practice.

They handled bunts and made throws to first, third and home plate. It was the beginning of groundhog day. In some form

or fashion, pitchers will go through PFP every morning at spring training.

“There comes a time when it can get monotonous, for sure, but that’s when you have to keep your focus,” right-hander

Chad Bettis said as pitchers and catchers opened camp with their first official workouts. “In games, it’s something we have

to do better as a staff. We need to get better coming off the mound.”

Rockies pitchers committed 23 errors last season, third most in the major leagues. New manager Bud Black, a former big-

league pitcher and pitching coach, vows to make improved fielding a priority for his pitchers.

“It’s very important,” he said Tuesday. “I think to be a good pitcher, a successful pitcher … you have to incorporate all of

those things. Controlling the running game, fielding your position, and keeping your emotions in check.”

Compounding Colorado’s pitching woes last season was the Rockies’ sub-par performance throwing out would-be

basestealers. Opponents stole 100 bases against the Rockies a season ago and were thrown out just 31 times. That 23.7

caught-stealing percentage ranked 20th in the major leagues. That statistic cannot be blamed solely on the catchers.

Some pitchers’ lack awareness and slow delivery times to the plate played a huge role.

Case in point: former Rockies left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, who sometimes lost his composure and simply

forgot to check baserunners. In a 4-3 loss at Cincinnati on April 19, the Reds stole five bases in a four-run second inning

— the most stolen bases ever against the Rockies in one inning. The blame was largely De La Rosa’s.

Rookie catcher Tom Murphy, likely to share time behind the plate with Tony Wolters, said catchers must play an active

role in helping pitchers manage their fielding duties.

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“It’s part of our responsibility, because we see the whole field,” Murphy said. “It’s never one person, it’s a team thing. We

need to give (pitchers) information to help them out in certain situations.”

Right-hander Jon Gray, however, see it as a pitcher’s responsibility to slow the running game.

“Absolutely,” Gray said. “From fielding to bunting to holding guys on base, those are little edges you can give yourself to

help win a game. We need to know our scouting reports and be on the same page with the catchers. That’s our

responsibility.”

Black agrees.

“Those guys who need work will get it,” he said. “Those guys that need the repetition from a fielding perspective, will get it.

Those guys that need to improve the control of the running game, we will teach them.”

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The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 70 Wilin Rosario By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | February 16th, 2017

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 70 on our list, Wilin

Rosario.

Wilin Rosario is arguably the best hitting catcher in Rockies history. In 2016, he signed with the Hannah Eagles who are

part of the Korea Baseball Organization. What happened and how did happen so quickly? If the Rockies were in the

American League, Rosario might still be in the majors.

Rosario debuted in early September 2011. He showed his power immediately hitting three homers in just 16 games. His

first full season might have been his best playing in 117 games, finishing 4th in the 2012 NL Rookie of the year voting. He

hit .270 with 28 home runs (the most for catchers that year) and 71 RBIs. Rosario didn’t slouch at all in his sophomore

year, playing 121 games, batting .292, 79 RBIs, and 131 hits, all career highs. Not to mention 21 home runs. Between

2012 and 2013 he had a 4.4 WAR.

The problem started for Rosario in 2014. Although his offensive production declined he was still was a formidable hitting

catcher. Unfortunately Rosario’s defense didn’t improve much. His defense was easier to overlook when he was hitting 28

home runs. But the Rockies needed a catcher that could develop and guide their young pitching staff.

In came Nick Hundley for the 2015 season. Hundley took control right away limiting Rosario to 87 games. Many of those

games were played at first base where he didn’t show much improvement with the leather. Rosario’s WAR for 2014 and

2015 was -1.4.

The disappointing aspect for both parties is that the team could not find any trade value in Rosario. Maybe trading him

earlier in his career giving him the opportunity to DH would have extended Rosario’s MLB service and gave value back to

the Rockies. But few teams showed interest and Rosario signed with the Hannah Eagles in 2016. Rosario played well in

Korea hitting 33 homers with 120 RBIs. There was talk that he might return to the majors but Rosario re-signed with

the Eagles this offseason.

Hopefully his time in Korea will give him the opportunity to prove what he can do if he just has to focus on his bat. In the

meantime, he was one of the best Rockies catchers.

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The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 71 Taylor Buchholz By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | February 16th, 2017

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 71 on our list, Taylor

Buchholz.

Taylor Buchholz deserves to be on this list for pitching 1.1 scoreless innings against the Padres in the one game playoff in

2007 alone. But Buchholz’s career is much more important than his context in Rockies history. Especially considering

his courage to speak about his anxiety and depression during his playing career.

Buchholz is from just outside Philadelphia and went to the same high school as Mike Scioscia. He was drafted by the

Phillies in 2000 right out of high school. The Phillies traded him in 2003 to the Houston Astros as part of a deal for

perennial All-Star Billy Wagner. Buchholz started out as a starting pitcher and pitched with the Astros with varying

degrees of success in 2006.

Things changed for Buchholz when he was traded to Colorado along with Willy Taveras and Jason Hirsh for Jason

Jennings and Miguel Aasencio. It was strange to be in the playoffs without one of the most prominent Rockies pitchers in

Jennings but the trade was successful.

Buchholz initially was a starter with Colorado but was transitioned into a long reliever and eventually a setup man

for Brian Fuentes. This new role all culminated during the 2008 season going 63 games with a 2.17 ERA with a .950

WHIP striking out 56. He only gave up 46 hits that season.

That’s when everything started to change for Buchholz. In 2009 he underwent Tommy John surgery. Then came one of

Buchholz’s biggest battles. When recovering in 2010 from surgery he became a perfectionist becoming very anxious

about every pitch. This story by Wayne Coffey of the New York Daily News on Buchholz is a must read. It

chronicles the struggles Buchholz overcame and how he is continuing to confront new challenges.

Buchholz pitched with the Mets in 2010 and had success but was never the same pitcher he was with the Rockies. He

ended his career with one of the highest WAR values for a reliever in Colorado at 3.0.

Buchholz is on this list not just for his performance with the Rockies but his courage to bring the issue of anxiety and

depression to the forefront of baseball. Thank you Taylor Buchholz.

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Colorado Rockies: 3 Things You Should Know on February 16 By Kevin Henry / Rox Pile | February 16th, 2017

The Colorado Rockies have their pitchers and catchers working out in Scottsdale, Ariz., as spring training is officially

underway. With new manager Bud Black overseeing his new squad, it’s a time of getting to know each other and figuring

out together how this year’s Colorado team will be different from years past. Of course, with workouts going on, there are

plenty of things to talk about with the Rockies and plenty of news stories to examine. We looked at three of the most

interesting for this article. Check them out below.

They’re baaaaack…

Jason Motte and Chad Qualls certainly had seasons that were cringe-worthy at times last season for the Rockies. Of

course, that sentence could sum up some of the games for the entire bullpen, let alone the two veteran pitchers.

However, both believe they’re healthy and ready to contribute this year. It’s interesting to see two veteran pitchers in the

final year of their contracts understand that they need to contribute more this year. Thomas Harding of MLB.com talked

with both and has their thoughts in this article.

Kyle Starts With K

We’ve talked for a bit now about Kyle Freeland and the impact he can potentially have this season on the

Rockies. Check out this article that lists him as one of the five bold predictions we made about Colorado’s spring

training. The Denver native wants to make his big league debut this season and there’s every chance that that’s the

minimum of what could happen with Freeland and the Rockies this season. Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post has a

talk with him and Rockies coaches in this article.

Young and Ready?

Sports Illustrated took a look at Colorado’s young rotation in this article, reminding readers that none of Colorado’s

projected starters have more than 90 career starts. They also highlight the lack of experience behind the plate with Tony

Wolters and Tom Murphy. It’s a short read that leads in to the magazine’s winter scorecard with the Rockies. It’s a good

idea of what the national media is saying about Colorado’s chances this season.

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There’s nothing crazy about believing in the 2017 Rockies By Benny Bash / Mile High Sports | February 15, 2017

Cruise down Denver’s Blake Street or 20th Street and you’ll find no shortage of folks holding up cardboard signs with

messages that will make you question the lucidity of their authors.

If I held up a cardboard sign on the corner of 20th and Blake that read “The Rockies are going to contend,” you would

wonder the same about me.

If I told you the Rockies can win the division and surpass the San Francisco Giants and the LA Dodgers, you would shield

your children’s eyes as you passed me and tell them I need to get professional treatment.

If I told you the Rockies might have the recipe and ingredients to win it all, and the right man to cook the meal, you would

call the authorities and say I might be a danger to myself and others.

Well, I am here to tell you, the Rockies could do the impossible and make a serious run in 2017. But don’t lock me up just

yet.

The Colorado Rockies this year have done something we have not seen the Rockies do in a long time – make moves.

The Rockies added real talent to this roster and they are not done. They added Mike Dunn, who held opposing left-

handers to a .226 batting average during his time in Miami. They added Ian Desmond, an All-Star in Texas and truly a

unique athlete. Formerly a shortstop who last season played both left field and center, Desmond averaged .497 slugging

at home. (Think that won’t go up at Coors Field?) And finally they made a roll of the dice additon in Greg Holland, who is

15 months off Tommy John Surgery. Holland was (and the Rockies are banking that he still is) a stellar relief pitcher who

knows how to win in the regular season and postseason. If healthy and back to his filthy self, Holland can be the pine tar

that keeps this bullpen together. The Rockies bullpen last season was riddled with injuries and question marks. This move

could make the Rockies parts and pieces more steadfast and regular. If Holland makes it 100 percent back to where he

was with the Royals, it will be a legitimate bullpen that can hold and win games, both home and away. And in no uncertain

terms are the Rockies done making moves. At the trade deadline, the Rockies will be buyers, not sellers.

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With prospects galore down in Albuquerque for the Triple-A Isotopes, the Rockies are in a great situation to make moves

within the 162 game season. Rather than the usual talk of losing key players, the Rockies can now be in key position to

move decent prospects for players who could fill in a hole in the rotation or perhaps solidify an already powerful lineup.

Again, a unique scenario in Colorado. I’m telling you the Rockies could contend.

I know what most of you are saying: Say what you will about the lineup, say what you will about the additions, but it all

starts with pitching and starting pitching.

The Rockies have that too, and you are going to be pleasantly surprised.

It all starts with the Gray Wolf, Mr. Jonathan Gray. Jon Gray is a decent changeup away from being a 20-game winning,

mound-dominating, seed-throwing, dime-dealing starter. New manager Bud Black knows something about pitching and is

just the guy to get Gray that offspeed pitch he needs to become elite. Gray, the former Boomer Sooner, has a slider that

on a good day, no one can touch and a consistent fastball that has great movement. He has been working on his

changeup and according to reports it’s almost there.

The rest of the crew behind Gray will be just fine as well. Chad Bettis was phenomenal after the All-Star break last year

and proved himself as a leader of this rotation. Tyler Chatwood was nothing short of outstanding with an 8-0 record on the

road and an ERA of 1.69. Tyler Anderson also showed flashes in his rookie year and that last spot in the rotation might

belong to Colorado hurler Kyle Freeland (of Denver’s Thomas Jefferson HS). Freeland in the mold of Jon Gray has a 90

MPH fastball, a good slider, and is a changeup away from being formidable. Freeland will have his role on this team,

either as bait at the deadline, or as the fifth starter late in the season. (Listen to Freeland’s recent interview with Afternoon

Drive.)

Combine all of this with the best infield in baseball with All-Stars Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu and budding star Trevor

Story, not to mention and an outfield consisting of David Dahl, Charlie Blackmon, and Carlos Gonzalez: The Rockies will

be contenders.

It’s not crazy at all to think the Rockies could be playing in October.

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Mental preparation paramount for Rockies pitchers to succeed By Mile High Sports / MHS Staff | February 14, 2017

It’s almost that time again. Baseballs and bats are out of the bag, as the pitchers and catchers report to Arizona. For the

Colorado Rockies, the group’s first official workout was on Tuesday, but many have been at it for some time now.

“Frankly, guys have been been here since Nov. 1,” Thomas Harding of MLB.com told Gill Whiteley on Mile High Sports

Radio. “The old thing about pitchers and catchers report, and everybody shows up and glad-hands, that’s kind of out the

window.”

For some, its working themselves into game shape, for others it’s working back from injury, for others still, it’s working to

find a place on the big league roster. The Rockies have a combination of all of the above.

As opening day nears for the Rockies, they’re looking for their guys to have closer mentalities in the seventh, eighth and

ninth innings.

It was an issue the Rockies faced many times last season. Jake McGee started out as the closer for the Rockies and

notched 15 saves, but a knee injury landed him on a disabled list from June 1 to July 1; and he was far from consistent.

He finished the season 2-3 with a 4.73 ERA.

Closers are a high priority in the league, and the teams that are usually the strongest have great ones. The Rockies will

need better late-inning performances from the likes of McGee, Adam Ottavino, and newly-acquired Greg Holland. Harding

feels in order to be an elite team, a strong bullpen filled with solid closers is a must.

“They have to be able to,” Harding said. “If you look at the teams that have won, Kansas City, then Cleveland getting in

there last year and also Chicago going out there and getting a closer in addition to what they had.”

Harding also feels newly hired manager Bud Black will do a good job of strengthening and reinforcing the importance of a

strong bullpen. Still the question of whether their bullpen will improve will have to wait until the season is underway.

“It’s nice to have a manager that reinforces a pitching mentality,” stated Harding, “What you hope is you have the pieces

that can do it.”

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DJ LeMahieu Gets No Respect By Jeff Sullivan / FanGraphs | February 14, 2017

Monday afternoon, I put up an InstaGraphs post titled “The Least Intimidating Hitter in Baseball.” The idea was to use a

formula including fastball rate and zone rate, because, the way I figure, the more aggressively a hitter gets pitched, the

less the pitchers are afraid of. I combined a couple z-scores to get a number I’ll refer to today as the Aggressiveness

Index, and many of the players in the linked post are unsurprising. Turns out pitchers go after Ben Revere aggressively.

Ditto Nori Aoki and Billy Burns. There’s nothing weird there.

But a certain name showed up in eighth place. Last year, pitchers didn’t show any significant fear of facing DJ LeMahieu.

That makes sense if you weren’t paying attention, but LeMahieu played every day, and finished with a 128 wRC+.

LeMahieu, ever so quietly, had himself a breakout, four-win season, yet it looks like pitchers just didn’t care.

LeMahieu is a fascinating player for a few reasons. One, we pretty much never talk about him, so he’s gone about his

business under the radar. Two, he’s so far run a career BABIP of .352, and it’s been elevated even away from Coors

Field. Three, he just pulled only 22% of his batted balls, easily the lowest rate in baseball among qualified hitters. And

four, LeMahieu just took a substantial step forward. So many times, we’ve talked about hitters who’ve sacrificed contact

for power, or power for contact. LeMahieu got better at contact and power without sacrificing anything.

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Over the last two seasons, 237 hitters have batted at least 250 times in each year. LeMahieu just managed the 16th-

biggest improvement in hard-hit rate, and he also managed the fifth-biggest improvement in contact rate. You see him

there next to two other dots. One belongs to Chris Iannetta, which is odd. The other belongs to Wilson Ramos, which

makes a lot more sense.

Anyway, LeMahieu posted a career-high wRC+. And yet pitchers remained aggressive on a regular basis. His fastball-rate

z-score was 2.3, and his zone-rate z-score was 1.0, meaning his Aggressiveness Index was 3.3. That was one of the

highest in the game, and in this plot, you can see LeMahieu since his career began in earnest.

The Aggressiveness Index has actually gotten higher each season. That made enough sense until 2016, when LeMahieu

reworked himself into a threat. I’ll apologize now for the number of plots I’m embedding, but here’s Aggressiveness Index

and wRC+ for individual hitter-seasons going back five years. LeMahieu is highlighted in appropriate purple.

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The purple point is among the ones that stand out. Now, I do hear you, all the way over there. LeMahieu finished last year

with a BABIP closer to .400 than .375. He hit just 11 home runs, and, again, he seldom pulled anything. I can see why

some people might conclude that LeMahieu’s wRC+ was inflated. I’m prepared for this! Here’s a similar plot, except

instead of wRC+, I’ve used a hard-hit-rate index, also z-scored.

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LeMahieu wound up with a hard-hit rate that was 0.6 standard deviations higher than the mean. His Aggressiveness Index

was 3.3, but according to the best-fit line, it should’ve been -0.6. That’s the biggest positive difference in the whole

sample. Which means, no other point is further above the dotted black line.

This is the Statcast era, right? Might as well do one better than hard-hit rate. The latter might be somewhat subjective.

Here’s Aggressiveness Index against average exit velocity for the last two years, using the corrected EV numbers to fill in

missing data.

I highlighted LeMahieu’s 2016 point. Perhaps I should’ve also highlighted his 2015 point, which is the one immediately to

the left. Two years ago, LeMahieu ranked in the 92nd percentile in average exit velocity. Last year, he ranked in the 96th

percentile. If you can believe it, he wound up with a slightly higher average EV than David Ortiz and Freddie Freeman.

For LeMahieu, it’s more about consistent good contact than occasional great contact, but you see how that point is an

outlier. Despite everything LeMahieu was doing, he wasn’t getting pitched with respect. Pitchers either weren’t buying his

improvements, or they didn’t know about them.

You might be wondering: Is LeMahieu another one of those recent swing-change guys? No.

LeMahieu said he hasn’t changed his swing mechanics this season.

Instead, he changed more of his mental approach. He went into each plate appearance with more of a plan.

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“Usually when a guy gets to 28 or 29, DJ’s age, he’s pretty much set,” the scout said. “But DJ is starting to figure out

major-league pitching. He used to just go up to the plate and slap at the ball, but now he’s a lot more selective and looks

for a pitch he can drive.”

In fairness, he did also get stronger. Standing 6’4, it’s not like LeMahieu is a little dude. He’s coming off a career-high walk

rate, and a career-low strikeout rate. He’s also coming off a career-low grounder rate, and a career-high pop-up rate. That

last point is interesting — LeMahieu wound up with 11 pop-ups, where over his career he had just six before, combined.

That speaks to someone trying to get more lift, and trying to drive the ball somewhere. Pop-ups themselves obviously

aren’t good, but a changing rate is another indicator.

So in DJ LeMahieu, we have someone who seemed to make positive changes. He improved, such that he no longer

resembled so extreme a slap-hitter. At the same time, in DJ LeMahieu, we have someone who was pitched very

aggressively. That reflects a lack of fear, which in turn reflects either ignorance or disbelief. Other pitchers didn’t think of

LeMahieu as a problem, meaning they’re either behind the times or out in front of them. It’s hard to be certain, although

my inkling is that LeMahieu deserves more credit than he’s received.

Pitchers delighted in going after Matt Carpenter in 2014. That year, even though he posted a 117 wRC+, he had an

Aggressiveness Index of 3.2. The following year, that dropped to 2.4, and this past season, it dropped further, to 0.9.

Pitchers have become increasingly cautious around Carpenter, because he’s proven he can punish them. Carpenter,

granted, does his damage by pulling the ball, and putting it in the air. LeMahieu’s damage is a little less conspicuous.

We’ll see if he can keep it up, and if he does, we’ll see how much longer it takes before pitchers figure it out. For now,

signs are tugging in opposite directions.