Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort, in a letter to season ticket holders, alluded to an increase in payroll as the team possibly approaches legitimate contender status in 2017 and beyond.

"You have invested in us and we will continue to invest in you," Monfort wrote, "both in terms of growing our player payroll and provided the best service and ballpark experience in sports."

The latter part of that sentence is nothing new; Coors Field remains a crown jewel among major league parks thanks to Monfort's insistence on making constant improvements to the facility. But an potential increase in payroll is news, given the team's situation heading into next year.

Assuming Monfort is right about the payroll increase, it won't come as a result of a huge, widespread hike in ticket prices.

"Going into 2017, we will keep our average season ticket price among the lowest of all 30 major league clubs, but we will make moderate increases in a few seating areas," Monfort added. Season ticket holders will continue to save at least 40 percent over the price of individual game tickets.

Monfort mentioned the struggles of the bullpen and the season-ending injury to Trevor Story as reasons why the club ultimately fell short of where it wants to be, even with "huge strides" taken by the rotation.

In the same letter, general manager Jeff Bridich wrote about shoring up the bullpen within a list the club's offseason priorities that also includes capitalizing on a talented core and continuing to develop young pitchers -- in addition to, of course, the top priority of "selecting the manager to lead this club."