A Rockies pitcher’s best friend is a groundball.
Last season, Colorado starters induced 85 groundball double plays, the most by any rotation in the majors. The starters’ 45.3 groundball percentage ranked fourth.
That’s why one of the club’s most important offseason moves was signing veteran shortstop Jose Iglesias to replace two-time all-star Trevor Story, who is now playing second base for Boston after signing a six-year, $140 million contract.
“Replace,” in this case, is a misnomer. There’s no way that Iglesias will replace Story’s power at the plate or his athleticism in the field or on the bases, but manager Bud Black is confident that Iglesias can hold his own.