SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The crystal ball does not have a kind vision for the 2016 Rockies.
the Rockies once again will finish last in the National League West with a 62-100 record. It would be the first 100-loss season in franchise history.
Other national media outlets are only a wee bit kinder.
and a last-place finish in the NL West. , but finishing fourth in front of San Diego.
Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook makes the Rockies 300-1 longshots to win the World Series and lists them at 75-1 to win the NL pennant.
It’s understandable. The Rockies have lost 90 or more games in three of the past four years. That performance hasn’t inspired faith in baseball fans as Colorado prepares to open the regular season Monday night at Arizona.
that has generated nearly 5,000 responses finds that 25 percent believe the Rockies will lose at least 100 games.
About 40 percent predict the club will win 63 to 70 games. Just 150 optimistic voters (3 percent) see the Rockies making it to the 2016 World Series.
So what do the Rockies think about the dire predictions?
“It’s annoying, but it’s nothing new,” star third baseman Nolan Arenado said Friday. “But at the same time, every time they pick us to lose 90 games, we do lose 90 games.
“So we can get mad about it, or not. But then — let’s go make a change. It doesn’t do us any good sitting here being all ticked off. Let’s go do something about it.”
Center fielder Charlie Blackmon figures winning is the only way to change the perception of the Rockies as perennial losers.
“That’s pretty much how it’s been and that’s how it’s going to be until we do well,” he said. “It’s the easy thing to pick us (to lose), and maybe it’s the right thing for (the media) to say.
“So until you prove otherwise, this is where you are going to be. I don’t blame them for doing that. I’m the same way at this point. I’m sick of talking about it, and the only thing left is to go out there and do something about it.”
Veteran catcher Nick Hundley said he doesn’t pay attention to the pundits.
“We have so much work to be done and we just have to work on improving, so I try not to pay attention to all of the prognosticators,” he said. “The work is getting done. This camp has been outstanding and the guys have been really single-minded in their approach. I feel good about this team. It’s talented and athletic.”
Arenado shares Hundley’s enthusiasm about spring training, but admits he isn’t sure how that will translate in the regular season.
“I like the group and things feel different,” he said. “I don’t know what that means, and I don’t know if that’s a good sign, but it feels good around here.”
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or @psaundersdp
