The moment has finally come, in our ongoing conversation about how to fix the Colorado Rockies, to talk about the play on the field… kinda. At the very least, it’s time to talk about the field.
You see, one of the few phenomenal things that we inherited when we bought the club was this absolute gem of a ballpark. Sure, the roster is in shambles but at least we have a solid, literal foundation to start from.
Despite what some cynics have tried to tell you, Coors Field is fantastic in all regards. No, it is not an excuse to keep losing just because it remains full when the team is bad. Don’t believe me? Ask the folks in Miami how much the empty stadium has fueled innovation, creativity, and a winning mindset.
It is a good thing, not something to perpetually complain about, that fans continue to fill up the park at 20th and Blake even when they are of the dreaded “transplant” variety. The only thing they are fueling is the local economy, including potential future payrolls.
When it comes to taking in a ballgame, there are very few places in the world as pleasant as Coors Field… except of course for the product on the field. Especially these days. And while the common complaints about it are indeed absurd, there is an element of their environment that is holding the team back.
It’s been an ongoing battle since their inception. After the glory days of the Blake Street Bombers, it became clear that there was simply too much chaos involved in the variety of baseball being played at the altitude of Denver, Colorado. In the early 2000’s they installed the humidor, effectively kicking off a new era.
Unfortunately, attempts to rebrand as a ballclub that could also pitch were monumentally derailed largely by the catastrophic contracts of Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle. The team, fans, and media, would continue to hyper-focus on the star-level position players that came to define the next few eras; Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and Charlie Blackmon.
Meanwhile, MLB was going through a revolution that was largely leaving the Colorado Rockies behind. The metrics revolution. Most people now recognize just how far behind the curve the Rockies are in this regard but few realize the uncomfortable truths that these numbers tell them.
In short, pitching has always been the key to winning. Yes, even in Colorado.
There is an overwhelming amount of data that shows that the Rockies cannot simply slug their way to victory, no matter how talented the offense. But when you rank Rox seasons by their best pitching performances, the top five account for all five postseasons. The problem is, of course, that they play in a ballpark that does everything it can to undercut quality pitching.
The altitude was the big story in the early days and while the ball still flies farther here, the humidor has at least made it so that Coors doesn’t comfortably lead the league in homers surrendered every single season. The introduction of higher walls in right-center and left, dubbed the “Bridich Barrier” was in direct response to recognizing this truth and contrary to popular belief the best thing former GM Jeff Bridich ever did for this club. Well, that and signing Gerardo Parra.
But the Bridich Barrier is a stopgap that turns homers into doubles. What kills Rockies pitchers the most are the cheap hits that fall in the massive outfield that is nearly impossible for defenders to cover. Some teams play deep because of how the ball flies, wanting to prevent those extra-base hits, risking a ton of cheapies falling in front of them. Others go the other way and risk the opposite. But it’s largely a guessing game that creates more chaos.
It’s time to change the dimensions. It’s actually well past time. And it isn’t going to be popular.
People will scream “What are you doing!?” if the fences are brought in or the plate moved forward to shrink the outfield. And yeah, it’s gonna mean more home runs unless they also consider installing a higher wall in left field which would be a dramatic construction project. Though, it may be worth it.
On his show, Spilly on the Rox, broadcaster and former Rockie Ryan Spilborghs argues that the most important element of this dynamic is the pitcher’s mindset. He argues that the Rockies should play shallow because pitchers are more likely to recognize that they messed up if a ball gets hit over the fielder’s head vs. the frustration of giving up a broken-bat double that just falls in.
This same logic would apply if we, the new owners of the club, shrank the infield. Pitchers might give up a few more longballs, but those will be hat-tip moments. In the meantime, we can dramatically reduce the number of cheap baserunners seen on a daily basis at Coors Field.
Anything that can be done to help the pitching should be done, and believe it or not, no matter how counterintuitive it may seem, making the outfield smaller would go a long way.
The Rockies need to create an environment where the cream of the pitching crop can rise to the top. And then maybe some of the best pitchers in baseball will actually want to play here.
