ESPN even lower on the Rockies than other’s basement projections
Feb 20, 2024, 1:24 PM
Nobody expects much out of the Colorado Rockies in 2024 but nobody expects less than ESPN.
The four-letter network projects the Rockies to not only be the worst team in Major League Baseball but have their worst season in franchise history. And ESPN could barely take the team seriously enough to give the team a blurb, instead focusing on a Russell Wilson joke.
“The 2024 outlook for the Rockies already looked exceedingly grim. Then, just as spring training dawned, we learned that their closer, Daniel Bard, would be out for a few weeks because of a knee injury. And so begins another season at high altitude. Maybe the best thing for sports fans in Denver would be if the Rockies could somehow absorb the contract of Russell Wilson, who played two seasons in the Colorado system. He might have some remaining upside in this sport, and it would give the Broncos some much-needed roster flexibility during the NFL offseason. Win-win. This would be allowed, right?”
The projection said the Rockies had the 24th offseason in baseball and it cost them 2.9 wins. That pushes the Rockies to a grand total of 57 wins on the season or up to 65 even if everything goes right according to the network. Like Fangraphs, ESPN gives the Rockies a 0.1% chance at making the postseason.
The Rockies finished 2023 with their worst record ever of 59-103, making for the fifth-straight losing season. It’s widely expected Colorado will again fall under .500 in 2024 and struggle to stay out of last place in the NL West. While those two things have sadly become common in Colorado baseball history what’s not is the mark of the worst team in baseball. The Rockies have never been the worst team in the sport, a mark ESPN projects the team to reach this season.
It’s expected Nolan Jones will lead the Rockies in 2024 and be their best option for an All-Star choice. The soon-to-be sophomore is projected by many to take a small step back in contact and speed but keep up his power numbers. Ryan McMahon, Brendan Rodgers, Ezequiel Tovar are among the several expected to positively contribute to the lineup. While Ryan Feltner, Austin Gomber, Kyle Freeland, Cal Quantrill and Dakota Hudson make up a who’s who of rotation arms that most teams would push to the pen. Bud Black will be desperate to get German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela back from major injuries.
It’ll be rough at 20th and Blake in 2024, and help does not appear to be on the way anytime soon.
