Nolan Arenado and the Rockies are approaching a critical crossroads. At stake is nothing less than the direction of the franchise, hundreds of millions of dollars and the future of a once-in-a-generation third baseman.
The Rockies must decide if they are able — or willing — to offer a contract that would likely exceed $200 million and make the 27-year-old Arenado the backbone of the franchise for the better part of the next decade. Or they might determine that a long-term deal is unworkable and attempt to trade Arenado — this winter or next summer — and then deal with the fallout from their fans.