Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
Comparing Young Rockies Catcher This Year To Last
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies have been looking for answers this season on how to turn their young franchise around. While they had their shining moments this year, the 2024 regular season has not gone as expected for the Rockies. With the offense, starters, and even the bullpen struggling, this Colorado franchise has notched 25 wins nearly three months into the season. This Rockies team collapsed on Tuesday night, as their bullpen allowed seven runs at the top of the ninth to allow the Dodgers to steal a win on the road. However, just a few games ago, there was at least a sign of a bright spot for Colorado and their season. The Rockies beat down the Pittsburgh Pirates, scoring 16 runs during a 16-4 victory. One of the key players in that victory was 24-year-old Hunter Goodman. The Rockies catcher will give this franchise and their fans hope for the future and hopes to finish his sophomore season successfully.

Comparing 24-Year-Old Rockies Last Season Stats To This Year

Last season, Goodman appeared in just 23 games for the Rockies. In 70 at-bats, he recorded 14 hits. Four of those hits are doubles, and three of them are triples. He also had one home run with 17 RBI, and one stolen base. He slashed .200/.247/.386. During the 2023 campaign, Goodman struck out 24 times through his 70 at-bats. So far, he’s played in 26 games for the Rockies this season. Through his first 25 games, he went to bat 77 times. He has put up 15 hits. Five of those are home runs, as he’s also brought 15 RBI. Like last season, he has one stolen base but has struck out one less time with 23 strikeouts. He’s slashed .195/.235/.455 through his first 25 games in his sophomore season.

During Colorado’s 16-4 victory, Goodman went four for five at the plate. He smashed two home runs and recorded five runs batted in during the team’s huge and much-needed win. Certainly, this performance during the win over Pittsburgh has been the best game of his young career. In Monday night’s loss against the Dodgers, Goodman ripped his fifth home run of the season, going one for four with a homer and two RBI. Goodman will look to continue to improve upon this season and help the Rockies with every opportunity he gets.

Can Hunter Goodman Be A Reliable Piece For The Rockies?

During his third and final year at the University of Memphis, Goodman knocked in 21 home runs with the Tigers. While he’s still more than a dozen home runs away from 21 homers, Goodman will aim near that number of home runs with Colorado this season. Just like his current teammate, Michael Toglia, Goodman knows how to be a prolific hitter and smash home runs around the ballpark. However, they both have had their struggles getting on base and recording much-needed hits for the Rockies. Colorado could be easing Goodman into that catcher role, as the team looks to generate a trade for the MLB’s 2023 All-Star MVP Elías Díaz. If a trade occurs, it’s most likely Jacob Stallings or Goodman will take that starting spot in the lineup.’

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST

Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg dies after battle with cancer
MLB

Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg dies after battle with cancer

Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg lost his battle with cancer on Monday. He was 65. A 20th-round selection by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 MLB Draft, Sandberg quickly moved through the Phillies system despite his humble beginnings. He made his major league debut at the end of the 1981 season, getting six plate appearances in 13 games, his only hit coming off of a bat he borrowed from shortstop Larry Bowa. Drafted as a shortstop, the Phillies hoped that Sandberg would be the heir apparent for Bowa. However, that 13-game stint convinced the Phillies that he was not the answer. Although Sandberg had played at second and third as well in the minors, he was blocked at those positions by Manny Trillo and Mike Schmidt respectively. Bowa and Sandberg were traded to the Cubs during the 1981-82 offseason, with shortstop Ivan DeJesus heading to Philadelphia. Sandberg, now a second baseman, had a solid first two seasons in Chicago before exploding into stardom in 1984. He posted a .314/.367/.520 batting line in his 700 plate appearances, hitting 19 homers and 36 doubles while stealing 32 bases as he led the Cubs to their first postseason berth since 1945. Sandberg made his first All-Star Game, was named the NL MVP, won a Silver Slugger and his second Gold Glove award. A perennial All-Star, Sandberg possessed a combination of power and speed at second base that was rare for his era. He was a 10-time All-Star, winning nine Gold Gloves and seven Silver Sluggers. Sandberg posted a lifetime .285/.344/.452 batting line in his 9282 plate appearances, hitting 282 homers and 403 doubles while stealing 344 bases. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame 2005 in his third year on the ballot. After a decade away from the game, Sandberg returned as a minor league manager in the Cubs system in 2007, moving up the ladder to Triple-A in 2009. After Cubs manager Mike Quade was fired, and Sandberg was passed over for the opening, he joined the Phillies organization in 2011. After three years in the Phillies organization, he became the interim manager in 2013, and was eventually hired full-time at the end of the season. Sandberg lasted just over two years in total as the Phillies manager, resigning after 74 games in 2015 as the losses piled up. He remained in the game as a goodwill ambassador for the Cubs before announcing that he had prostate cancer in 2024. Although his cancer had gone into remission, it returned in December, spreading to other organs before Sandberg ultimately lost his battle. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of Sandberg during this difficult time.

Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
NHL

Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal

The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.

Report: Bengals draw hard line in Trey Hendrickson contract talks
NFL

Report: Bengals draw hard line in Trey Hendrickson contract talks

Cincinnati Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson has been holding out from training camp as he seeks a new contract, and it does not sound like the two sides are all that close to a deal. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on "SportsCenter" Monday that there has been "some progress" in negotiations between the Bengals and Hendrickson's representatives over the past week or so. The real disagreement has to do with guaranteed money, and Cincinnati's brass is not budging. "Hendrickson wants a stronger guaranteed structure, particularly later in what should be a multiyear deal. In talking to people with the Bengals they feel like, 'Hey, we've probably relented as far as we can go.' So this is a classic stare-off right now, and it's time to buckle up," Fowler said, via Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report. Hendrickson is set to earn $16M in base salary in the final year of his contract this season. He recently said he has shown a willingness to take less than market value on a new deal, but the Bengals do not want to guarantee him money beyond the 2026 season. Based on what he has said, the 30-year-old Hendrickson is not seeking to become the highest-paid defensive player in football. In order to accomplish that, he would have to top the three-year, $123M extension T.J. Watt signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Hendrickson had 35 sacks over the past two seasons, which was the most in the NFL during that span. He had 17.5 sacks each season and finished second in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024. The Bengals took care of one major offseason issue on Sunday when they finally signed first-round pick Shemar Stewart to a rookie deal. All it will take is one side to budge in the team's ongoing stalemate with Hendrickson, but all parties seem to be dug in as training camp rolls on.

Top Islanders Star Tells Asst. GM, 'You Better Not Trade Me'
NHL

Top Islanders Star Tells Asst. GM, 'You Better Not Trade Me'

The New York Islanders are entering a new era under a revamped front office, and signs point to a potential retool—or even a rebuild. The most telling move came at the NHL Draft in June, when the team traded star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for two first-round picks. It’s a rare move in today’s NHL to deal your top blueliner, and it raised eyebrows across the league. Analysts and fans have wondered if more moves are coming. Since there are several teams looking for quality assets at a reasonable salary cap, it’s a logical question. Is Bo Horvat A Potential Trade Candidate? During an appearance on the Cam and Strick Podcast, newly appointed assistant to the general manager Matt Martin—an Islanders fan favorite and longtime forward—revealed a humorous but telling moment from inside the locker room. Martin, now working closely with the Isles’ new GM, said that Bo Horvat texted him immediately after the front office changes were announced. “You better not trade me,” Horvat reportedly wrote. The comments from Martin suggest that Horvat has no desire to leave the team, even if the Islanders aren’t set to be competitive this coming season. If the team is dumping some of their best talents, he does not want to be among those the organization chooses to sell. Horvat likely didn’t have to worry. He has a full no-trade clause as part of his contract, and even if management were open to asking him to waive it, he could have blocked any deal. It sounds like that would be his intention, so he was getting ahead of things by making sure they knew not to even ask.

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!