Strike 2: Who among the Colorado Rockies players is tradeable at this point in the season?

The MLB trade deadline is next week, and if the Rockies reconstruction project is going to continue to move forward, making a move at the break in an attempt to acquire more young pitching is a must.

It’s no secret that former All-Star Game MVP Elias Diaz is the most tradeable commodity wearing purple pinstripes these days. For the first time maybe ever in their history, Colorado has catching prospects in Drew Romo and Willie MacIver nearly ready in Triple-A. They also have young slugger Hunter Goodman already on the roster behind the plate. Jacob Stallings is a perfect mentor/spot starter as well. Only question is, can trading Diaz to a team in contention bring them back a young arm?

They could also try to get pitching for second baseman Brendan Rodgers after failing to do so two offseasons ago when they had a couple nice deals on the table. With youngsters Adael Amador and Aaron Schunk ready and waiting, Rodgers too, is expendable.

And believe it or not, in their efforts to bring in more young pitchers, the Rockies may have to part with veteran pitchers like Cal Quantrill, Austin Gomber and reliever Jalen Beeks. With German Marquez making his return, Kyle Freeland healthy and productive, it could be time to give the rest of the starting rotation a bit of a new, younger look?

Finally, another more intriguing idea is to trade franchise stalwart Charlie Blackmon. Would the Rockies – and Charlie since he’d have to approve it – ever consider the idea? There is a case study to fall back on.

Many area fans look back fondly at the year and a half Colorado Avalanche tenure of Ray Bourque, the longtime Boston Bruins veteran superstar who in his quest to finally have his name etched on Lord Stanley’s Cup agreed to be traded to the cup contending Avs in early March of 2000. Bourque was even more synonymous with Boston than Blackmon is with the Rockies. The defenseman played 21 seasons with the Bruins before being traded to a contender, and in 2001 he was finally rewarded with his first and only Stanley Cup championship after playing in more than 1,600 NHL games.

Does this story sound a little similar to Charlie’s?

The Bruins also got a nice return in the form of three young talented players and a first-round draft pick back from Colorado.

Maybe Blackmon could follow that path – get traded to a contender, get the chance to taste the postseason again while also bringing the Rockies some nice prospects in return?

Whatever course they decide to take, the Rockies have to do something. They spent their first-round draft pick on yet another corner outfield/first baseman type player, while getting another hard throwing right-hander with a supplemental pick. All their young pitchers have either gotten hurt or aren’t close to big league ready just yet. If they could add a couple quality Triple-A arms for instance, this reconstruction project could get a major boost.

Maybe, like Bourque once did, Charlie could win a World Series title and then come back to Denver with a trophy to celebrate?