{"id":61715,"date":"2018-03-29T09:19:04","date_gmt":"2018-03-29T09:19:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=61715"},"modified":"2018-03-29T09:19:04","modified_gmt":"2018-03-29T09:19:04","slug":"mlb-salaries-2018-rockies-at-forefront-of-shift-paying-relievers-more-than-rotation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/mlb-salaries-2018-rockies-at-forefront-of-shift-paying-relievers-more-than-rotation.html","title":{"rendered":"MLB salaries 2018: Rockies at forefront of shift – paying relievers more than rotation"},"content":{"rendered":"

MLB salaries 2018: Rockies at forefront of shift – paying relievers more than rotation<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rather than attempting to lure a free-agent starter to Coors Field, the Colorado Rockies spent money early and often on relief pitchers this winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

And now, after their $106 million bullpen investment set the tone for Major League Baseball’s bizarre off-season, the Rockies are the prime example that the game’s pitching evolution is now hitting hurlers in the pocketbook.<\/span><\/p>\n

Colorado is one of seven major league teams that will spend more money on its bullpen than its starting rotation, according to 2018 salary data compiled by USA TODAY Sports.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oakland, San Diego, Tampa Bay, Miami and the New York Yankees and Mets all will pay more for relievers than their rotations, fiscal examples that clubs are increasingly valuing relievers at the expense of workhorse starters.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rockies’ imbalance is most striking – their $49 million reliever payroll is more than 20 teams are paying their starting rotations, and 12 times more than the $4.2 million they’ll pay their five-man rotation.<\/span><\/p>\n

They opened the checkbook for free agents Wade Davis (three years, $52 million) and Bryan Shaw (three years, $27 million) and their own Jake McGee (three years, $27 million). That trio along with holdovers Mike Dunn ($7.3 million) and Adam Ottavino ($7 million all will earn more than Colorado’s highest-paid starter, right-hander Chad Bettis ($2 million). He’s the lone starter to crack seven figures.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeff Bridich, the Rockies’ general manager, said the staff composition is “a byproduct of decisions we made years ago.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it was drafting certain guys where we drafted them,” says Bridich, “and having those guys develop into starters or whether it\u2019s trading for guys, or signing guys out of Latin America. We felt that it was a good way to proceed with developing a young group of starters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like 3-4 years ago, we knew that we would be spending what we spent and allocating what we allocated to the bullpen this year. That wasn\u2019t necessarily a priority or plan. There was a need for other things to fall into place. This was a good team method.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dunn, who signed a three-year, $19 million deal before the 2017 season, recognizes the potential of the young rotation and likes how the Rockies allocated their funds over the winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProps to the organization and their scouts picking the talent that they did,\u201d he said. \u201cThey spent the money in the area that they felt like was needed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shaw, who was an integral part of the Cleveland Indians bullpen during their World Series run in 2016 and historic 2017 season, knows the bullpen payroll is hefty, but said that\u2019s just how the offseason played out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cConsidering all the starters that we have and almost everyone else that signed here in the bullpen were free agents,\u201d he said, \u201cI would assume it\u2019s a big difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Davis, who replaces All-Star Greg Holland as the closer, blew just one save out of 33 opportunities last season with the Chicago Cubs. Shaw has thrown more innings than any pitcher in baseball over the past three seasons and led the majors in appearances in three of the past four years. McGee has performed much better as a setup man than closer, posting a 3.61 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.<\/span><\/p>\n

The bullpen was decent last season, led by Holland, who still remains a free agent. It ranked 20th in the majors in ERA, tied for 15th in innings pitched and 20th in batting average against — respectable in MLB\u2019s most hitter-friendly park.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a veteran bullpen that we can fall back on their experiences and to win tough innings and close out tough games,\u201d said Bridich. \u201cThat\u2019s an important ingredient for a team with a lot of expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately this is going to be a group effort. And if we\u2019re getting the ball to Wade in the ninth inning with leads, then we\u2019re probably in a good spot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Said Dunn: \u201cThe word \u2018expectation\u2019 gets tossed around a lot \u2026 Our expectations for ourselves are a lot higher. No matter how good of a year you had you expect to get better.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The seven clubs spending more on relievers than starters run the competitive gamut, from the big-bucks Yankees, the wild-card ready Mets, the rebuilding Pirates and the Rays, who are constantly trying to find wins on the cheap.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rare is the salary trend that works for markets of all sizes, which could make this an extended trend, at least until market forces dictate otherwise.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very possible, looking at the behavior this winter and the way relievers were compensated,” says Tampa Bay GM Erik Neander. “There\u2019s certainly an importance placed on relievers. I think a lot about how relievers are valued, if you look back, it seems to be a bit cyclical. At the end of the day, as many innings of high-quality pitching as you can afford to get, the better.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Rockies manager Bud Black hopes to build off their playoff appearance last season. He plans to rely heavily on his star-studded bullpen to relieve any pressure on a young staff \u2013 one that has four starters with less than three years of experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a bullpen we feel comfortable with,\u201d said Black. \u201cWe have a lot of guys down there who are very unselfish and who can pitch from anywhere from the sixth inning on. Interchange from McGee, Ottavino, Shaw and Dunn and hopefully get to the end game with Davis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/mlb\/2018\/03\/28\/mlb-salaries-2018-rockies-bullpen-more-money-starters\/458851002\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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