(Kirby Lee — USA Today Sports)
Being in the big leagues can be an intimidating experience for prospects after experiencing the no pressure life in the minors. It either toughens a player up or it can overwhelm a player. For Nolan Arenado, playing in the majors was no different than playing in the minors last year.
The Rockies called Arenado up on April 27 last season, and he made his debut on April 28 last season. He was there to stay with the big club for good. The Rockies thought he was good enough to handle the major leagues, and he did just that.
The 22-year old phenom had a good rookie campaign by hitting .267 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs. He had a .706 OPS and a .405 slugging percentage in the 133 games he played. It was good enough for him to finish seventh in National League Rookie of the Year balloting.
It wasn’t his hitting that attracted attention. It was his work at third base that made him a fixture on highlight reels. He made spectacular plays that rob base hits by diving to the ball, and he knew how to make double plays from the hot corner. His ability to read where the ball was going was what stood out for him. It’s something Rockies pitchers appreciated for sure.
It’s funny Arenado was more known for his defense than offense last year. He hit the ball well in the minors, but it was his awful fielding that was troubling to Rockies officials. Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd said he was not calling up his prized prospect unless he improved at his position at third base.
Arenado does not have to answer questions about his defense anymore. Not when the Fielding Bible ranked him second to Manny Machado in defensive runs saved of plus-36 his position at third base last year. Not when he has a Gold Glove to show for it as a rookie last year.
It’s about how good the Rockies third baseman can do at the plate. It’s about how he improves at the plate and makes adjustments to pitchers who figure him out. As good as Arenado did last year, he is still learning on the job. It takes two years until he has a good feel for the game.
To Arenado’s credit, he wants to do better. He feels he is better than the numbers he showed. He wants to be a player that can hit 25 to 30 home runs and drive in 100 RBIs. That’s the mark of what a great player should do, and that’s the goal he set for himself.
Last year’s rookie took good at-bats to start his campaign, but then he was pull happy in the final three months of the season. That might have been the case of him trying too hard or being anxious at the plate in carrying the load on offense with Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez spending time on the disabled list. It’s part of the learning experience he has to deal with.
What the Rockies like about Arenado was how he was even-kneel in the majors. He never complained about the grind of major league life. He never let frustration get to him. He always worked hard at the plate and on the diamond. He always had a smile in his face when he went to work.
He absorbed the tricks of the trade by seeking knowledge from Helton, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez, and he feels he will be better for it.
There’s no question Arenado has to improve in being patient at the plate. That will come with experience. The Rockies have to figure his on-base percentage and home run numbers will improve as he gets better with experience. His handling of sophomore expectations is going to be the key how he does this season.
It’s hard to believe he will be fazed about sophomore slump. He seems like a player that does not get fazed by anything. His work ethic and his approach to the game should help him avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. He seems like a natural when it comes to playing the game.
Arenado has a chance to be a foundation player for the Rockies to build around for years to come from watching him play last season.
What the Rockies hope is he does not become injury-prone like Tulowitzki and Gonzalez.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter.
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
