DENVER – As soon as the Colorado Rockies finished their 2016 season, the hunt to improve the team began in earnest. The consensus was clear and Colorado didn’t outthink themselves, making priorities of bettering their bullpen and making improvements at the first base position.
Little did they know that they would indeed get a massive upgrade in production at first base, but not from their newly minted $70 million free agent. As it turned out, the guy they signed to a minor league contract as an insurance policy for their shiny new toy — the very same guy they seemed ready and willing to part ways with — has been not just the team’s MVP but also one of the best players in MLB through the first two months of the season.