As Nolan Arenado trotted around the bases in the top of the 2nd inning in San Francisco, it was easy to reminisce about his breakout season. The home run helped start the scoring as the Rockies won 9-3 to start their final series in a great way.
The Colorado Rockies, in an overall horrible season, have had the benefit of watching their third baseman become an absolute star in the big leagues. His season wasn’t just one that showed what the Rockies could have in the future, it showed exactly the superstar that the club probably couldn’t have even imagined when they drafted him.
The home run was his 42nd of the season. While many will point to Arenado playing half of his games at Coors Field, the reality is, that doesn’t have much to do with his success. With two road games remaining, Arenado has blasted 22 home runs on the road, while only hitting 20 at home. Arenado is no Coors Field product.
Later, Arenado doubled to increase his season total to 42 two-baggers. His three RBIs lifted his total to an amazing 130 on the season. He is the National League leader in both categories, giving him two-thirds of the triple crown title. If he wasn’t on a team that is going to lose 93 or more games, he probably would be getting consideration for the MVP award.
On top of Arenado’s big night, the Rockies were also reminded of what can happen when a Corey Dickerson is completely healthy. The lefty clubbed a home run and a double of his own. He can be the type of player who can be a huge compliment to a star like Arenado. That might sound like a backhanded compliment to Dickerson. However, it isn’t saying that he is a complimentary player, but in terms of playing with Arenado, he simply isn’t the same caliber.
The Rockies have some very good hitters up and down their lineup. From Arenado, to Dickerson, to Carlos Gonzalez and DJ LeMahieu, there is no reason that the Rockies can’t put up a ton of runs every single night.
As everyone knows, it all comes down to pitching. The Rockies must take a long honest look at their pitching staff. With the exception of Jorge De La Rosa, the entire staff has holes that are bigger than the Grand Canyon. Filling those holes will be no easy task. However, almost anyone that they pick up could be as bad as this team’s pitchers. The great news for the Rockies is that the only place they can go is up.
It has been a rough season. However, the positive has been watching Nolan Arenado come into his own and become a genuine star in this league. The season will end on Sunday in a very forgettable fashion. However, Arenado has created memories that will be a bright spot in an otherwise terrible season.
