State of the Position, 2026: Ownership — and more

It’s a long-standing feature of this article to point out previous iterations of this article. When I wrote my first one eight years ago (holy crap, I’m getting old), the Rockies were trending in the right direction, and the ownership got precious little credit for it. So I wrote a string of articles focused on countering the narrative that the Monforts (“Cheapfarts”) didn’t want to spend to win, preferring to turn Coors Field into the best bar in LoDo. I stand by those takes at the time. 

Since then, an altogether different narrative has emerged: The Monforts were the baseball equivalent of the golden retriever wearing a necktie sitting at a computer. Sure, they demonstrated a willingness to spend their money on the roster, but after a Super Bullpen, the Ian Desmond Experiment, and especially the Kris Bryant Experience, it cannot be said that they had any idea what they were doing. Had the failures only been with the top-level signings while everything further down the roster functioned, we might be able to find a way to extend ample credit. Unfortunately, the “draft and develop” identity of roster construction has consistently failed to identify and develop MLB-level talent. The Rockies were increasingly viewed as a team stuck in the past, unable or unwilling to change. This was not only a narrative I had evidence with which to counter, but I believe these previews played a part in reinforcing it. 

That was the main theme of last year’s article, even with looming labor unrest between players and owners after the expiration of the 2026 collective bargaining agreement. While I did and do support MLB making structural changes (I wrote an only half-joking article last October titled “Contract the Dodgers”), my point then was that those changes would have no bearing on the Rockies because the team’s struggles ran deeper. At their core, the Rockies were dinosaurs stuck in the La Brea Tar Pits, with (most of) the rest of the league having evolved with the changing conditions of the game. And the reason they were stuck in those pits was because of loyalty, inability, or a tragic mix of both. (Stop picturing Dinger in tar pits! He’s a national treasure, you monster!)

So what should it tell us when a team that could never change actually changes? Yes, they have made changes before, but this time seems different somehow. This time, something at the core seems to have changed. My colleagues will address the front office and coaching staffs in the coming days, and there is a lot of evidence of structural change in those areas beyond mere swapping of personnel. But the changes manifesting at those levels start at the top. After three 100+ loss seasons, including a puncher’s chance at the modern loss record, the Monforts seem to have finally understood that the thing to do when you hit rock bottom is stop digging—you’re more likely to find tar at the bottom of that pit than oil. 

Obviously it’s too soon to tell: the team could improve by 19 games and still lose 100 again. But for those of us still left who care about the Rockies (and if you’re reading this article after the last four seasons, that includes you—and I just have to ask, who hurt you?), we may need to consider the possibility of hope. Yes, I know: it’s the hope that kills you. But we’ve been as good as dead with regard to hope for a long time with this team. And the way this offseason played out indicates that there is certainly something different happening. It remains to be seen whether or not “different” translates into improvement, and even if it does it may be a long time before we actually see results. After all, in sports as in life, nothing is guaranteed; there are only ever a small number of things in your control.

We may as well allow ourselves a little glimmer that we could be looking at the beginning of something…not big maybe, but at least not terrible. We should allow ourselves to hope, not only for the sake of our interactions with a (previously?) moribund baseball franchise in a cow town at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, but for the sake of what it may signal about our own lives.

After all, if Rockies ownership can change, who’s to say you, me, we, or they can’t change, too?

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It’s another week of the Mountain West Recruiting Roundup.

To officially close the book on the 2026 recruiting class, our cover photo winner needs to be mentioned. For the 2026 cycle, Boise State and Hawaii share the title of having the most cover photo appearances. Congrats to the Broncos and Rainbow Warriors.

Now it’s full steam ahead to the 2027 class. Teams have been handing out 2027 offers for quite some time and continue to do so at a high rate, with San Jose State leading the way. No commits this week, but UNLV already has a decommit, bringing their class from two players to one.

This post does feature our first Mountain West team rankings release, or at least the four teams that have signed a player thus far.

And San Jose State will kick off the 2027 cover photo series after recording 25 offers this week.

Class of 2027 Cover Photo Total:

• San Jose State: 1

Recruiting Calendar:

Starting today and going through mid-April, we are in a quiet period. On-campus contact is permitted, while off-campus contact is limited to text, calls, and DMs.

Next College Student Athlete says:

The NCAA defines the quiet period as a time when “a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college campus and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high school.” To break it down, the NCAA Quiet Period is a time you can talk to college coaches in-person on their college campus. However, the coach is not allowed to watch athletes compete in-person, visit their school, talk to them at their home—or talk to them anywhere outside of the college campus. Coaches can still text, call, email or direct message coaches during this time.

Commitment Spotlight:

Visit Recap:

2027 Mountain West March Team Rankings:

For this initial month, we also include the names of the commits to illustrate what each team has done so far. Only four Mountain West teams have a verbal pledge at this point in the cycle.

1) UNLV

• OL Phoenix Pollard

2) New Mexico

• DB Tayven Collins

3) Wyoming

• WR Alijah Landrum-Hamilton

4) Nevada

• QB Blake Nadler

Recruiting Updates:

Offers:

• Air Force: 5
• Boise State: 7
• Colorado State: 9
• Fresno State:
• Hawaii: 5
• Nevada: 2
• New Mexico: 9
• NIU:
• North Dakota State:
• Oregon State: 2
• San Diego State: 7
• San Jose State: 25
• Texas State: 1
• UNLV: 2
• Utah State:
• UTEP:
• Washington State: 1
• Wyoming:

Visits

Commits:

Decommits

• DL Jaxon Wilson: UNLV

Follow @Mike_SBN on Twitter for all the latest recruiting news and updates.

The day has finally arrived – one that will decide Barcelona’s fate in the Copa del Reyif it has not already been decided.

Hansi Flick’s side faced hell at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano not too long ago, and the result on the night saw them eat four goals in a game that was marred by controversy.

Regardless of the refereeing situation and everything made of it in that game, the fact remains that Barcelona were outclassed and that the 4-0 loss was a kind result for them.

Tomorrow, they take to the field at the Spotify Camp Nou, striving to do the unthinkable – overturn that deficit. It will not be easy, nor is it widely considered possible. Making the impossible possible and the improbable probable, however, is what makes sport great.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid.

1% chance, 99% faith

At 4-0 down, not many will back Hansi Flick’s Barcelona to come back against Atletico Madrid, irrespective of the attacking firepower they have in their ranks, simply because it is a task too difficult to accomplish.

Heading into 90 minutes, four goals down and needing at least five to take a clean win is easier said than done, especially when the opposition knows that all they have to do is sit tight and defend deep.

Barcelona are no strangers to scoring four goals in a game, and their average number of goals per game last season was close to that number. However, doing so on demand is very different from pulling it off organically.

Despite knowing well how there is a very low chance of a comeback, however, the team have made it clear that they retain complete faith in their abilities. Remontada’s cannot be forced, but if any team can do it, it is Barcelona.

The clash against Atletico Madrid tomorrow is perhaps the single-most demanding game that Barcelona have played under Flick, and the team are capable of creating more than enough chances to win.

Everything that it will boil down to, however, is their efficiency in front of goal and their defensive solidity at the back. Improbable, but not impossible.

Need for a surprise element

Aiming to mastermind a historic comeback. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Having a clear-cut lead ahead of the second leg, it is likely that Atletico Madrid will not come to attack but to defend their advantage and get through the storm at the Spotify Camp Nou tomorrow.

Los Rojiblancos, thus, may well line up in a hyper-defensive setup to block Barcelona’s passing channels, crowd the area, and lower the chances of the Catalans getting shots away at goal.

Considering the situation, it is essential that Hansi Flick comes up with a novelty up his sleeve to force open channels in attack and catch the visitors off guard. After all, they will arrive having studied the team’s dynamics in recent games.

There are several variations Flick can opt for to catch Simeone by surprise, especially in attack, and how well that dynamic works out will account for the result massively.

Shifting Lamine Yamal to a central role and deploying Roony Bardgji for width on the right flank is one approach that could yield positive results. Raphinha and Ferran Torres will continue to start in attack alongside them in such an approach.

Another manoeuvre is starting Marcus Rashford on the left and shifting Raphinha to a central role – an idea that has worked on occasion this season but has also failed equally on other days.

A third interesting idea would be to start Dani Olmo as a false nine in place of Ferran Torres with Lamine and Raphinha flanking him. Fermin Lopez would start as the attacking midfielder in such a setup, with Pedri and Marc Bernal taking the reins in midfield.

No room for defensive lapses

As important as it is for Barcelona to score goals at the Spotify Camp Nou, keeping a clean sheet at the other end counts for as much. And while scoring four goals may not be impossible, not conceding seems to be a far bigger challenge.

If Barcelona are to complete the dreamy Remontada, the defence will have to play the game of their lives, and Flick will have to line up a setup that does not hand Atletico Madrid as much space as they did in the first leg.

The defence will have to play deeper, likely with an aerially dominating presence in Ronald Araujo. With Eric Garcia ruled out of the game through suspension, the captain has good chances of starting alongside Cubarsi and will be critical on the night.

Jules Kounde will have to replicate the good showing from the weekend and must be defensively solid down the right. 

Given how Atletico Madrid capitalised on the left flank in the first leg, it will be interesting to see if Flick opts for Joao Cancelo or Alejandro Balde at left-back.

Every goal that Diego Simeone’s side scores will demand an additional goal from the hosts, and chasing four goals already, there is no scope to be chasing any more. All eyes, needless to say, will be on Flick’s defensive plan.

We’re back today to get you caught up on the latest from Syracuse’s Olympic Sports as winter sports hit championship season.

Ice Hockey (14-16-4, 10-11-3):

Syracuse’s season came to an end with a 2-0 series loss to #3 Penn State. The Nittany Lions dominated game 1 with a 7-1 rout, but the Orange pushed them in game 2 before falling by a 2-1 score. Jackson Kinsler scored the lone Syracuse goal while Ava Drabyk made 28 saves in game 2- limiting the powerful Penn State offense to just two goals.

The Orange have a solid piece to build around in Drabyk, who had an outstanding first season. Can they find more scoring and improve the special teams? Syracuse averaged under 2 goals per game this season and their power play was 6th in the AHA while the penalty kill was last. Without a billionaire funding the program, the Orange need to find ways to win in the margins and improving the special teams will be key.

Softball (10-6):

Syracuse went 3-1 at the Terrapin Classic with wins over Fairfield, UMBC and Providence. This triple from Gabby Lantier helped the Orange close out the weekend on a winning note over the Friars.

The Orange head back to Maryland next weekend to compete in the UMBC Tournament in Baltimore.

Track and Field:

Jamir Brown’s 2nd place finish in the 60m hurdles in a time of 7.56 seconds was the top Syracuse performance at the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships. The other scorer for the men was Drew Zundell, who placed 8th in the mile in a time of 4:06.

For the Orange women, Talea Buxton (8.29) took 4th in the 60m hurdles while Tia Outlaw was 8th in a time of 8.50. Both teams finished in 16th place in the team competition, which were won by the Florida State men and Clemson women.

Tennis (5-5, 1-2):

Syracuse got their 1st ACC win with a 5-0 sweep over Boston College. Anastasia Sysoeva and Nelly Knezkova were able to secure the doubles point and then the Orange swept the singles matches.

The Orange will be back home next Sunday to take on SMU with an 11:00 am start at Drumlins

Check out The Feed for this week’s schedule of Syracuse games. We’ll have more updates next week.

Every week, we will update fantasy baseball managers with all the MLB news they may have missed as we make our way through spring training and get closer to Opening Day.

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

Andrew Painter has brief, quiet outing in 2026 spring training debut

It seems like forever that fantasy baseball managers have been waiting for Andrew Painter to make noise in the majors. After all, three years ago, the then-19-year-old made his spring training debut, only to find himself undergoing Tommy John surgery, ending any hopes of an expedited career in MLB.

But Painter, MLB’s 28th-ranked prospect and long considered one of the Phillies’ best prospects overall, is healthy now and ready to make his mark in Philadelphia’s rotation this season.

Painter made his 2026 spring training debut against the Yankees on March 1. He pitched two scoreless innings and collected one strikeout, to Jasson Domínguez (another former highly-touted prospect who’s already gotten a lot of MLB action).

Painter will likely be eased along, but it seems like a given that he’ll get a chance to stick in the Phillies’ rotation to start the season. He’s currently carrying a 205 ADP in Yahoo leagues; that won’t last.

Stanton makes startling injury claim

In what ended up being one of the more bizarre-sounding news stories of the past few days, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton claimed that the pain in his elbows is so bad that he “can’t open bottles, can’t open a bag of chips.”

As someone who has opened a lot of bags of chips in his day, that is a wild statement. Injuries, of course, are no strangers to Stanton — the last time he played more than 140 games was in 2018.