Carlos Gonzalez is no longer elite, maybe he doesn't have to be

Carlos Gonzalez was once an anual Triple Crown threat for the Colorado Rockies. His bat, athleticism and range made him a rare and coveted outfielder across MLB.

CarGo is no longer this player.

He’s still good great. But he is no longer an elite outfielder in MLB, and that’s okay. Posting three straight under 2.5 WAR seasons, including a very rough first half in 2015, his value is surpassed by several others on the Rockies’ roster.

The club will need not to rely upon the 31-year-old outfielder for 40 home runs or a .336 batting average. What he did last year for the Rox — 25 dingers, a .298 batting average while driving in 100 runs — should suffice. He was also nominated for a Gold Glove, which seems unlikely to happen again, but his brilliant arm remains very much a weapon that can help the Rockies in 2017.

No longer relying on Gonzalez is a good thing for Colorado. The inconstancy both in his health and the massive hot/cold streaks is something the Rockies can just ride out this year without it derailing the team for a time.

The reason they can let CarGo be CarGo without needing him to be an MVP candidate is because of the talent that surrounds him.

Charlie Blackmon in center, coming off a career year; David Dahl, the highly rated prospect; coupled alongside the up-and-coming Raimel Tapia and the veteran Gerardo Parra, they will make for one hell of an outfield.

That’s not even to run down the list of the players Denver possess that can play in the grass, such as a Jordon Patterson or Ian Desmond.

With the slick hitting slugger in a contract year, Colorado is a great position where they can actually sit Gonzalez, a three-time All-Star, for days and not face too much of backlash all while keeping his legs fresh. In fact, it’s somewhat hard to envision a world where CarGo will play 150 games this season; like he did in 2016.

CarGo is a great talent, and the potential is still there, but the Rockies now have an opportunity to utilize him in positions that best allow him to succeed rather than relying on him to carry the team to the playoffs.