Fantasy managers may think the reason we hardly recommended Colorado Rockies RHP Daniel Bard as a coveted fantasy option for this season is because of the team for which he pitches. Well, playing at Denver's altitude-enhanced Coors Field roughly 50% of the time can definitely be a problem -- even for relief pitchers. Still, let's be clear. Relievers have overcome the ballpark in recent seasons.
Wade Davis saved 43 games for the 2018 Rockies, while Greg Holland saved 41 the year prior. Their numbers were fine. Scott Oberg posted a 2.35 ERA in his final two seasons with the Rockies, ending in 2019, over more than 114 innings. Carlos Estevez wasn't awful last year and Robert Stephenson actually pitched quite well. It can be done.
The reason Bard seemed like a poor investment for fantasy managers this season was really about the way he pitched last season and the likelihood that someone else would close. We take nothing away from Bard's remarkable comeback after not pitching in the majors from 2014-19. Kudos to him for making it back, and his 2020 season, when he was 36, was a strong one. His 2021 season was not and you should not blame Coors Field for that. Blame walks, mainly. Bard performed capably in home games last season, with a 3.48 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and a 27% strikeout rate, which under the circumstances is fine. His road ERA and WHIP were a shockingly bad 8.14 and 2.01!