Rockies offseason news: Adam Ottavino and DJ LeMahieu to become free agents
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Jeff Bridich held a conference call Friday morning with reporters, and Nick Groke among others sent a series of tweets with the most notable information. The Rockies will not make qualifying offers to impending free agents Adam Ottavino and DJ LeMahieu ahead of today’s deadline. That means both will become free agents, and if they sign elsewhere, the Rockies won’t be due any compensation. It would have been risky to make an offer to either one, as it could have added more than $30 million to next year’s payroll for positions the Rockies need some flexibility in figuring out.
In addition, Bridich indicated that “We’ll likely be a little more focused on our offense this offseason than we were last year.” As they say, big if true. The Rockies offense was the team’s weakest area in 2019, and the crew’s disappearing act in October did more than anything else to lead to Colorado’s early exit from the postseason.
Bridich also said that there have been “positive conversations” with about a long-term contract extension for Nolan Arenado. That, too, would be welcome. The Rockies have had mixed experiences with long-term contracts in the past, but each case is different, and there are a lot of reasons for the Rockies to figure something out with Arenado to keep him in Colorado for a while. Time is now running out.
https://www.purplerow.com/2018/11/2/...-adam-ottavino
Jeff Bridich’s track record as Rockies GM being put to the test this offeason
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Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich is not a man prone to bold public pronouncements. So when he does say something provocative, the antenna goes up.
On Friday, Bridich said: “I do believe that in 2018 we had a roster and a team that was good enough to go to the World Series, but there were certain opportunities in September and October that we did not take advantage of. We have nobody to blame but ourselves to blame for that.”
He also called the 2018 season a “learning experience,” and made it clear that he believes the Rockies’ postseason window remains wide open, despite the potential loss via free agency of all-star second baseman DJ LeMahieu, dominant late-game reliever Adam Ottavino and veteran outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.
In other words, the time is still now for the Rockies.
Bridich said the Rockies’ primary offseason focus will be to improve an inconsistent offense, adding, “This team is not going to look the same in two or three months as it does right now.”
rest - https://www.denverpost.com/2018/11/0...s-gm-offeason/
