While most of the National League West has spent the first half of the offseason making splashy trades and big free-agent signings for top-of-the rotation starting pitching, the Colorado Rockies have been mostly quiet. Meanwhile, they’ve stockpiled outfield talent, and are reportedly seeking more in the form of free agent Gerardo Parra. The Rockies appear to be gearing up for a trade, leveraging their talent-rich outfield to bolster one of the shakiest rotations in baseball. But in so doing, the Rockies risk overplaying their hand.
The NL West garnered the bulk of the early Hot Stove season buzz as the Diamondbacks signed Zack Greinke in free agency and secured Shelby Miller in a trade with Atlanta, the Giants signed free agents Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto. Just this week, the Dodgers signed Scott Kazmir.
Colorado, meanwhile, let last year’s top addition, Kyle Kendrick, walk after a disappointing (7-13, 6.32) season. They reached an arbitration deal with Jordan Lyles (career 23-38, 5.10), who was put on season-ending IR in May 2015 with a toe injury. And they signed Yohan Flande (career 3-9, 4.95) to a minor league deal.
For a team that finished fifth in MLB in runs scored, but last in runs allowed, the moves to bolster the rotation have been so-far uninspiring. But other roster moves show that the Rockies are gearing up for a major offseason trade.
Even with the ongoing injury problems of Corey Dickerson, Colorado as a plethora of talent in the outfield, both at the Major League level and in their farm system. The centerpiece, clearly, is right fielder Carlos Gonzalez who returned to his All-Star caliber form (though he didn’t earn a Midsummer Classic nomination in 2015), slugging his way to 40 home runs, 97 RBIs and .864 OPS in 2015. Centerfielder Charlie Blackmon compiled another solid season with a .287 average, 93 runs scored and 43 stolen bases, mostly out of the leadoff spot. Dickerson hit .304, though his plate appearances (234) were limited because of an ongoing plantar fascia injury. Colorado has Gonzalez under contract until 2017, with $37 million still on the books. Blackmon and Dickerson are still under club control on arbitration contracts.
Behind those starters sit Brandon Barnes, who had another decent year in 2015 in extended time with Dickerson on the DL. They have more good talent behind him with Kyle Parker, who saw time with the big club late in 2015, and more lurking not far behind with Raimel Tapia and David Dahl. Tapia and Dahl are still a few years out from being Major League ready, but Colorado is continuing to stockpile their outfield and are reportedly seeking more.
In December the Rockies signed Alex Castellanos, a career minor leaguer who spent limited time with the Dodgers in 2012 and 2013. Castellanos is a player in the mold of Brandon Barnes, but has been unable to find traction with a big league club. He spent parts of 2015 with Las Vegas of the PCL and with the Yomiuri (Japan) Giants.
Just before the calendar turned to January, CBSSports.com reported that Colorado was one of several teams aggressively pursuing free agent outfielder Gerardo Parra, a career .277 hitter with Gold Glove awards in 2011 and 2013. Parra has played all three outfield positions and could certainly cover the expansive Coors Field grass, but he could also back the Rockies into a corner.
Reports that Colorado is willing to move any one of their three starting outfielders have been widespread. General manager Jeff Bridich has been in conversations with Washington, Baltimore, St. Louis and the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, for Gonzalez. Tampa Bay, according to Harding, would be interested in Dickerson or Blackmon, and the Cubs eyed Blackmon for a time. Colorado is asking for a front-of-the-rotation starter plus a proven bullpen arm for Gonzalez, or an established starter for Dickerson or Blackmon.
It’s not a surprise that none of these deals have materialized. Colorado’s need for starting pitching is no secret. The Rockies were fifth in runs scored in Major League Baseball last year, but last in runs allowed. Their rotation is in shambles, with only Jorge De La Rosa a proven commodity. Chad Bettis showed flashes in 2015, as did Chris Rusin, but those three plus some combination of Lyles, David Hale, Eddie Butler, Tyler Matzek and Jon Gray would almost certainly put Colorado in no better a place than they were in 2015.
Colorado may have good upcoming talent in their farm system with Kyle Freeland, Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco, but each of those players is still several years removed from being Major League ready.
Bridich may be content to wait until 2017 or even later to try and field a truly competitive team, but Rockies fans are already growing impatient with last-place finishes. Colorado’s attendance dipped again in 2015, hitting its lowest number in almost a decade.
A best-case scenario would see the Rockies move Gonzalez (or in a less ideal situation, Blackmon or Dickerson) before signing Parra. The outfielder reportedly wants to see other deals come down at his position before he inks a deal, so the Rockies have time. Colorado can make a convincing pitch that Parra’s offensive numbers would skyrocket at Coors Field as part of a deep Rockies lineup.
Colorado needs to add a No. 1 or 2 starter (not in the Kyle Kendrick mold) ASAP if they want to avoid another run at 100 losses, let alone be halfway competitive in the pitching-dominated NL West. Because free agent pitchers do not want to come to Colorado (see Kendrick’s 2015, among others), Colorado will have to add those arms via trade. As a result, other clubs know they already have leverage on the Rockies – even without Parra in the mix. Adding the veteran outfielder first would only exacerbate that leverage.