Do the Colorado Rockies have enough infield depth to cope with injury?

 

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The Colorado Rockies have been fairly active this offseason, adding impact names in Ian Desmond, Mike Dunn, and most recently, Greg Holland.

But one thing they have rarely addressed, not only this offseason but in the past, is their infield depth.

The Rockies have always lacked the necessary depth to cope with injuries. A prime example was rookie sensation Trevor Story going down this past season, leaving the Rockies to decide between Cristhian Adames and Daniel Descalso to man the position. Descalso slashed a respectable .264/.349/.424 in 99 games but oh boy did the production from the shortstop position drop off.

Colorado’s outfield depth is second-to-none, featuring Gerardo Parra and prospect Raimel Tapia, who is likely to start the season in Triple-A Albuquerque as well as Jordan Patterson whose fate remains undetermined. The lingering question will be featured around the infield, including newcomer Alexi Amarista and Adames.

Colorado recently inked the former San Diego Padres infielder (Amarista) to a one-year, $1.25 million deal this offseason to serve primarily as a utility. Amarista appeared in 65 games last season, slashing .257/.295/.271 with two doubles and 11 runs batted in.

Is that enough?

Adames, on the other hand, isn’t much better with the bat but the defense is what kept him in the lineup. Adams slashed at a line of .218/.304/.302 in 2016, collecting seven doubles, three triples, two home runs, and 17 RBI in 121 games.

Pat Valaika was a guy I was lobbying for to get more action in September while the Rockies were well out of the playoff race — and well — that didn’t really happen. Valaika was a pleasant surprise in Double-A Hartford, hitting .269/.314/.450 with 33 doubles, 13 home runs, and 67 RBI. Not bad for a guy who didn’t play a single home game.

With the addition of Desmond, the Rockies have flexibility to work with regarding potential injuries.

If a middle infielder were to be sidelined for a week or so, Desmond could slide to shortstop or second base, or Colorado could simply keep Desmond at first and elect to go with Amarista or Adames.

But what happens if Colorado slides Desmond to the middle infield? Or to the outfield for that matter? What do they do at first base? Colorado has a couple options to consider.

Option No. 1: Gerardo Parra

Yes, you read that correctly — Parra back at first base.

Now, it’s not that bad of an idea considering he spent some time there last season, yet it is not one to get excited about. Parra is coming off of an underwhelming season in which he hit just .253/.271/.399 with 27 doubles, seven home runs, and 39 RBI. Don’t even get me started on his walk percentage.

Option No. 2: Jordan Patterson

Patterson got his first taste of big league action last September, appearing in 10 games. Patterson recorded eight hits in 18 at-bats, good for a .444 average. He started to get some notoriety from the fan base after his performance in Triple-A, slashing .293/.376/.480 with 24 doubles, seven triples, 14 home runs, and 61 RBI in 119 games.

Option No. 3: Sign Adam Lind

This has been discussed quite a bit amongst the BSN family — bringing in a veteran such as Lind on a low-risk, high reward type of deal. Lind has some serious pop, hitting 20+ home runs in six of his last eight seasons. The question is, would he be willing to accept a bench role to start barring injury?

Option No. 4: Re-sign Mark Reynolds

Reynolds was a serviceable first baseman last year for the Rockies. Reynolds hit a career-high .282 with 24 doubles, 14 home runs, and 54 RBI. Given the Rockies current situation, having a guy like Reynolds wouldn’t be a bad idea. He also provides a decent option for a bat off the bench late it games he doesn’t start and is well liked in the clubhouse. Of course, the question will be whether or not the Rockies can afford him and if he would accept a bench role.

Also … don’t forget that Tony Wolters can play middle infield in a pinch.

As for Jeff Bridich’s plan with this team — it’s quite clear. He likes versatile guys that can play multiple positions in case of injury. That’s exactly why he brought in Desmond.

The infield depth has always been a main concern outside of pitching, and it looks like Colorado is on the right track in addressing it. But they might not be done yet and even if they are, the final few spots on the bench could be decisions that comes down to the last minutes.