Thin Air Baseball

Tag: Rockies

  • Mr. Monfort, Let’s Go a Different Direction

    SCOTTSDALE, AZ – MARCH 01: Colorado Rockies Dick Monfort watches batting practice during the teams workout on day 9 of spring training March 1, 2015 in Scottsdale. (Photo By John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    Opening Day is a special day that only happens once a year. New hopes and dreams for all 30 teams. For Rockies fans, we hope for improvement and competitive baseball to return to thin air. 2024 started no different, with a optimistic outlook for the impending season. We blinked…and three innings into the season, the Rockies were losing 16-1. After a miserable Opening Day and a terrible 4 game series against the D-Backs, Dick Monfort stated, “I want to win.” Simple, yet bold. Let’s discuss how actions haven’t spoken louder than words.

    Trade Blunders

    DENVER, COLORADO – JULY 12: Nolan Arenado #28 of the St. Louis Cardinals points to Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies during the 2021 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

    Two of the biggest stars the Rockies may ever see played on the same side of the infield together, Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story. While Nolan seems destined for the Hall of Fame, Trevor was a slick fielding, power hitting, 5-tool shortstop and those two seemed destined to lead this Rockies club for the foreseeable future. They even locked up Nolan to a sweet 8 year $260 million deal. Just a year into the 6 time platinum glovers’ deal, the Rockies traded Nolan to the Cardinals for a haul of Austin Gomber, Toney Locey, Jake Sommers, Elehuris Montero, and Mateo Gil. Gomber, is the only one left from this terrible deal which saw Dick Monfort pay $50 million to the Cardinals to steal Arenado from Denver.

    With the deal done, Rockies fans thought a fire sale would ensue with Trevor Story being the next on the chopping block. While his time with the Red Sox has been rocky so far, he was still an extremely productive player in 2021 for the Rockies having an .801 OPS. Monfort knew the Rockies couldn’t afford his value that he could get in the free agent market (reset the previous offseason by Corey Seager’s 10 year $325 million deal with Texas). With free agency impending for Story, we as fans expected to get another prospect haul for the All Star shortstop. Instead…nothing. Ownership decided a compensation pick was worth more than a prospect haul for a 4.2 WAR player. This led to the pick of Sterlin Thompson, currently the Rockies 31st ranked prospect according to prospects1500. Two star players, two fumbles for the man leading the Rockies.

    Show Me the Money

    Well, if Dick Monfort isn’t willing to trade anyone, let’s sign some free agents. This biggest issue with the Rockies currently is the bullpen. The Rockies had the last rated bullpen in the 2024 season and didn’t make a move to address the bullpen until a week into Spring Training this year until signing veteran reliever Scott Alexander. While Alexander seems to be a decent signing, the Rockies failed to make any other major moves to help the pen. The Rockies signed Thairo Estrada, who expects to fill the hole vacated by Brendan Rodgers and ultra utility man Kyle Farmer. Theses aren’t World Series winning moves by any means and don’t address the key issue of the bullpen. During the 2025 offseason, the Rockies have only spent $26 million (this includes arbitration and international signings). Only the Cardinals and Marlins have spent less on improving their rosters so far this offseason.

    Dick Monfort is worth around $700 million. The Reds, Diamondbacks, Marlins, and Brewers’ owners are either worth about the same or less. While the Marlins are a dumpster fire in their own right, the other three teams have spent a combined $410,700,000 million this offseason. To go even further the NL West rivals of the Dodgers, D-Backs, and Giants are all top 5 in offseason spending this off season. In order to compete in the NL West, (something Dick Monfort has never won) Mr. Monfort has to be Mr. Moneybags. Players are getting paid more in today’s game. In order to compete, two things need to happen. 1) Spend Money on talented Free Agents. 2) Address the bullpen. What did ownership do, barely anything.

    Sell the Team

    DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 05: Baseball fans arrive at the ballpark for the home opener between the Colorado Rockies and the Tampa Bay Rays at Coors Field on April 05, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

    The Rockies are coming off of back-to-back 100 loss seasons. They brought back Bud Black this year, expecting that the same old tricks are going to all of a sudden improve the Rockies. The Rockies haven’t seen the playoffs since 2018. They had success in 2007, but haven’t been able to replicate that success since. The Rockies fan base is one of the best in the league. Consistently, fans show up to watch a bad product at Coors Field. In the 100 loss seasons the Rockies fan base has been middle of the pack in attendance with 2.6 million fans in 2023 and 2.5 millions fans in 2024. In 2024, the Rockies had more fans watch a 100 loss team than the Tigers, Guardians, Royals, Mets and Orioles last year, who were all playoff teams last year.

    Stop toying with us Mr. Monfort. We are a die hard fan base who love the Colorado Rockies. In a baseball crazy town, with a consistent fan base and the most beautiful ballpark in the world, give us something to root for. Stop stating that you want to win and then do nothing about it. Give us a product and make moves that prove that winning is everything. If you don’t, just SELL THE TEAM to someone who will.

  • Is Kris Bryant Really Going to Bounce Back?

    DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 08: Kris Bryant #23 of the Colorado Rockies plays the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning at Coors Field on April 08, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

    March 18th, 2022 seemingly marked the start of something fresh with the Rockies after the surprising news broke that Kris Bryant had signed with the Colorado Rockies a 7 year deal worth $182,000,000. To boot, the contract was fully guaranteed. As a Rockies fan myself, I couldn’t help my excitement, but was also curious onto why the Rockies signed Bryant. This was certainly groundbreaking, but it was odd for the Rockies to sign Bryant, especially after trading Nolan Arenado the previous offseason. Hope eventually outweighed my curiosity and was excited we had a former MVP helping the team in thin air.

    Abysmal Rockies Tenure

    Yup, just that…the Kris Bryant signing three years in has been anything but special. Since his start in 2022 he has visited the injured list 7 times! He has missed time with foot, back, rib, finger, heel, and glute injuries causing him to miss 327 games. To put this in perspective he has been paid $52.4 million to not play for the Rockies. With 4 years and $104 million left on his deal heading into 2025, will things change for the former MVP and World Series Champion?

    Let’s Turn the Page

    We have to forgive Bryant, as being hurt is something outside of his control, but we can’t forget. Yes, the track record speaks for itself but he has taken some approaches to address this during the offseason. According to a recent MLB article Bryant has focused on stabilizing his core and taking a sound approach to his rehab routine. He still states some sessions are bad and some are good but the hope is that in doing so he can stay on the field for the Rockies this season. He is expected to DH at home and play a platoon outfield role on the road, and is looking to be a staple in the middle of the Rockies order.

    What has he done in Purple Pinstripes?

    Bryant has played a total of 159 games for the Rockies and has slashed .250/.332/.381 for an OPS of .713 and an OPS+ of 89. Both are a little below average but all things considered these aren’t terrible numbers. While the power numbers are down he has an above average OBP. Coors Field is one of, if not the hardest place to play in the Majors, constantly adjusting to sea level pitches and having to switch back, so on and so forth throughout the entire year. If Kris can stay healthy the entire year, and get footing with his adjustments he could perform better than expected.

    Possible Dark Horse

    Bryant’s expectations at this point are pretty low. So far this deal, hasn’t paid off for the Rockies. Bryant staying healthy is imperative this year for the Rockies and his legacy as a ball player. If he can stay healthy the entire year, and turn in an offensive performance that approaches his .265/.353/.481 slash line from his last healthy season, he could be a Dark Horse candidate for come back player of the year. While he has only played one spring training game so far, he is far from the only one looking for a productive year. All of us Rockies fans are in need for a productive year out of him as well. Let’s hope, as the 2025 fire gets burning hot, Bryant does as well.

  • 3 Takeaways from the First Weekend of Spring

    SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: The Colorado Rockies mascot performs before the MLB Spring Training baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies on February 22, 2025 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

    Mark it in the books now, the Rockies will be 2025 World Series Champions!

    Well…it’s too soon to tell but the start of Spring Training has been positive for the Rockies. Spring has officially sprung at Talking Stick and three days into the slate of exhibition games, the Rox are 3-1, good for fourth in Cactus League play. While this is certainly a thing we can hang our hats on, some much better things can be taken away from this weekend’s slate of games.

    Young Rockies Arms Look Sharp

    SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: Colorado Rockies pitcher Gabriel Hughes (79) pitches during the MLB Spring Training baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies on February 22, 2025 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

    The Rockies swept the D-Backs in a 2 game set to kick off Spring Training and sent Bradley Blalock to the mound in Game One Friday. He look dialed in as he struck out 2 hitters across 2 innings and only allowing 1 hit. This is a positive start to spring for a young Blalock who found himself with a 6.07 ERA after 29.2 innings after being called up at the end of last year. At the end of his appearance he broke down his focus of keeping the ball low in the zone, something he struggled with last year. It worked, inducing 3 ground ball outs, to go along with his 2 punchouts. Blalock is projected to be assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque to start the season but looks to continue to dial his pitch mix in, providing good rotational depth in the farm system.

    Gabriel Hughes took the ball in Game 2 Saturday. The first round pick from the 2022 draft recovered from Tommy John surgery in the offseason and looked good in his first action since the Arizona Fall League. He struggled this winter, pitching to a 8.31 ERA in just 17 innings, so its good to see him have a good start to camp for the Rockies. Drafted at 10th overall out of Gonzaga, the Rockies see him as a key rotational piece for the future and he showed out. He pitched 2 innings, and didn’t allow a hit and walked 1 batter. He, like Blalock expects to open up the season in the minors but is continuing to build on a strong start to camp.

    Young Bats Poppin’ (and Flippin’)

    SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 22: Colorado Rockies outfielder Zac Veen (13) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run during the MLB Spring Training baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies on February 22, 2025 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

    The bats were hot this weekend. Usually, pitchers are dialed in more than hitters due to early reporting but the Rockies’ lineup didn’t care. It started with Brenton Doyle’s grand slam in Game 1 to put the Rockies up 4-3 early in that contest. He is continuing to climb the offensive ladder with a big step forward in 2024 compared to his rookie year. Doyle’s defense will always be flashing gold but it’s great to see his offense isn’t far behind.

    Michael Toglia joined the party in Game 2, smacking a 3 run opposite field dinger. The no doubt home run was his first of Spring and put the Rockies ahead for good. He is expected to be the Rockies everyday first baseman this year and has a lot of high expectations surrounding him. His OPS took a step forward last year with a .767 and early numbers suggest he is going to continue his upward trend.

    Zac Veen smacked the absolute life out of a baseball this weekend depositing a Billy Corcoran pitch 430 feet into the right field seats. His homer was measured at 108 MPH off the bat, but that wasn’t what people paid attention to. The bat-flip post homer nearly went farther than the baseball itself. Even with the excitement (and subsequent apology) Rockies fans are just excited for Veen as he is for himself. He has been a highly rated prospect since the Rockies drafted him in the 2020 draft. If his hard hitting continues, don’t be surprised to see the kid crack the Opening Day Roster as a key outfield depth piece this year.

    https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1893413744169943385

    Sloppy Defense

    This is just nitpicking after a really strong weekend from the Thin Air crew, but during Game 2 a bases clearing sacrifice fly isn’t ideal. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Ketel Marte stepped to the plate and sent a deep fly ball to center fielder Sam Hilliard. With a 3-0 lead, the play should have ended with a 3-1 score but ended with a 3-3 score. Hilliard was late getting the ball in allowing Blaze Alexander to score form second base and with an uncharacteristically bad throw form Tovar, it allowed Barosa from first to score. The Rockies are in the top half of the league in fielding percentage and have Gold flashing from the Center Field and Shortstop positions most days. These moments though are still uneasy, because they seem to happen during key situations than on a rather routine basis. Just flash back to Nolan Jones booting the ball all over the field in left last year. Its good for these moments to happen at Talking Stick than Coors Field, but if the Rockies want to not blunder late in games, the defense needs to be leaned on, and that’s not how you execute.

    https://twitter.com/TalkinBaseball_/status/1893412788770316296

    Overall, a great start to Spring. As the weeks progress, excitement will build for an Opening Day matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays. Perhaps the most exciting debut of Spring happens tomorrow at 1pm MST with Chase Dollander, the Rockies #1 prospect making his camp debut against the San Francisco Giants. The Rockies look to keep it rollin’!

  • Which Rockie has the Best Chance at the Hall of Fame?

    DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 29: Stadium signage displays a thank you message to Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon (19) during a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 29, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

    With the Hall of Fame voting coming to a close in January (Congrats to Ichiro, CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner, Dick Allen and Dave Parker) it wasn’t a great year for Rockies fans. Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez have left many of us with happy memories and the former’s surprising NL Pennant win in 2007. Even though their individual accolades were amazing to us, it didn’t reflect on Hall of Fame ballots this year. Collectively they received 6 total votes. With less than 5% of the vote Tulo and CarGo will be dropped from future Hall of Fame ballots. This raises the question, if these guys can’t get in, who is next in line for the Hall from the Mile High City?

    The Obvious

    ATLANTA, GA – AUGUST 16: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies throws to first for an out during the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park on August 16, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

    Yes, the break up was hideous between the Rockies and Nolan and he seems destined for another ugly break up with the Cardinals, but the numbers don’t lie. Nolan is an absolute freak of nature at third base. He burst onto the scene as a 22 year old rookie in 2013 playing 133 games and winning his first Gold Glove. His career maintained the same defensive prowess where he won 10 straight National League Gold Gloves including 6 straight platinum gloves. Since his debut season he ranks 1st in defensive runs saved with 166. The next closest, Matt Chapman with 103. The 7 time All Star’s bat is also a driving factor behind his future Hall case. So far in his career he has hit 341 Home Runs with 1,132 RBIs and has a career OPS of .857. Some pundits would like to argue that the “Coors Effect” helped boost his numbers but in his first two seasons in St. Louis, he slashed .255/.312/.494 and .293/.358/.533 respectively, both lines being better than his last season at Coors Field. He is entering his age 34 season and even though his offensive numbers have taken a slight dip the last two seasons, he is the Rockies’ best chance to gain Hall of Fame consideration.

    Has Something Left to Prove

    ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Kris Bryant #23 of the Colorado Rockies waits for a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 30, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

    Kris Bryant is a former 4 time All-Star, National League MVP, World Series Champion and former Rookie of the Year in 2015. He hit 160 home runs with 465 RBIs with an OPS of .886. This earned him a WAR of 27.7. This of course was all with the Cubs and going into his contract year with them, he was traded at the deadline to the Giants in what was considered a Cubs “fire sale” that also saw Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo changing teams mid season. In Spring Training of 2022 he signed a 7 year deal with the Rockies worth $182,000,000 fully guaranteed. Unfortunately, he hasn’t played anywhere close to that number value in Thin Air, only appearing in 159 games out of a possible 486. His body of work with the Cubs is astounding, but has been anything since with the Rockies. Plagued by injuries Bryant isn’t getting any younger. Entering his age 33 season he needs to bounce back to his Cubs form in order to not disappear from ballots when he is eligible.

    SOUTHLAKE, TX – JANUARY 8: Trevor Story #10 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a portrait as he hosts a baseball camp for teammates at his newly-built baseball facility on January 8, 2025 in Southlake, Texas. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

    As many of us Rockies fans remember, Trevor Story came out HOT to start his career, hitting 7 home runs in his debut week. He ended his Rockies tenure with 158 homers, 450 RBIs an OPS of .863 and a WAR of 26.8. The Rockies did submit a qualifying offer to the two-time Silver Slugger when Story became a free agent but ultimately he signed a 6 year, $140,000,000 deal with the Boston Red Sox. Looking at their number side by side, Story isn’t much different than the previously mentioned Kris Bryant. He has been plagued with injuries with first three seasons with the Red Sox including an elbow and shoulder injury after a strong opening to his 2024 campaign. His future seems a little brighter as he is expected to be the cornerstone of a strong Red Sox middle infield with the recent signing of Alex Bregman. Just like Bryant, if he remains healthy, and finds his offensive prowess again, no doubt he will be considered for the Hall.

    Probably not…but we want it to Happen

    DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 27: Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates in the dugout after hitting a fourth inning three-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians at Coors Field on May 27, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

    Yes, Chuck Nazty needs to be in the Hall of Fame to cheer up all of us Rockies fans. His number definitely will never be worn again in the Purple Pinstripes but his Hall of Fame case is a little less promising than seeing his number hanging next to Todd’s, Larry’s and Jackie’s. He played 14 great seasons for the Rockies and never donned a different uniform. His best season came in 2017 where he slashed .331/.399/.601 with 37 homers and 104 RBIs. In his career he had a 6 for 6 day at the plate, hit for the cycle and even had a Home Run in the 2019 All Star Game. Unfortunately, his numbers in the box and on the field don’t match up to the likes of his Hall of Fame peers. His Hall of Fame standard rating is 25 according to Baseball Reference where the average of a Hall of Fame outfielder is double at 50. Let’s hold off hope for now, and root for his role in the front office and his eventual jersey retirement celebration.

    Don’t Forget this Guy

    We have to remember Matt Kemp was a Colorado Rockie to end his career. He appeared in 43 games during the shortened 2020 season for the Rockies and hit 6 homers with 21 RBIs. Kemp spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and has similar standard numbers to Charlie Blackmon. He is eligible for his first ballot in 2026 and it’ll be interesting to see if the short lived Rockie will be able to gain enough votes for eternal glory.

  • Former Closer Looking to Regain Proper Form

    ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 03: Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Justin Lawrence #61 delivers a pitch during the MLB game between the Colorado Rockies and the Atlanta Braves on September 03, 2024 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

    Justin Lawrence, for us Rockies fans provided hope in 2023 that the team had finally found their closer of the future. 2024 had high expectations for Lawrence. After all, he pitched to a 3.72 ERA in 69 games with 11 saves averaging just over a strikeout per inning. His sidewinding delivery and electric arm allowed us to dream going into the following season.

    Dreams Crushed

    2024 was not a year Justin wants to remember. He started out in the closer role but was quickly relegated due to the fact he couldn’t find his form. His ERA ballooned to 6.49 in 59 games and his strikeout rate was down nearly a third from the previous season. He spent some time injured last year missing some time with a bad shoulder. This isn’t the first time Justin has faced adversity in his career. Before the 2020 season Justin was suspended 80 games by the MLB for testing positive for a banned substance. He sat out the entire year and bounced back to crack the Rockies roster in 2021 appearing in 19 games. He was able to bounce back from a setback extremely early in his career, a moment that would derail most guys. After such a dominate 2023 and a hard crash in 2024, will Lawrence bounce back heading into 2025?

    What Gives?

    DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 12: Justin Lawrence #61 of the Colorado Rockies reacts after hitting a batter with a pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field on September 12, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

    The Rockies’ bullpen looks to reestablish themselves as a whole in 2025 after being dead last in most major statistical categories. They had the worst bullpen ERA and gave up the most runs. This is in part to Lawrence having a down year in 2024, as he was expected to be the cornerstone of a young bullpen. But 2025 provides a different outlook for former closer as he uses analytics to help him improve this new season. According to MLB’s Thomas Harding, Lawrence has learned that the baseball was flexing off his index finger instead of his middle finger. With this small minor detail it allowed Lawrence breaking run value to decrease from 97th percentile in 2023 to 57th percentile in 2024. His sinker also averaged nearly 1 mph less in 2024 as compared to his breakout 2023 season. When the adjustment was made, his movement was back according to coaches and staff.

    2025 Outlook

    Justin Lawrence is competing with the likes of Victor Vodnik and Tyler Kinley for the late inning high pressure situations out of the bullpen this year. With Lawrence’s adjustment and supposed improvement he could get back to 2023 form. His sinker was 97th percentile and if he can get back to this type of movement this favors extremely well at Coors Field. His sinker having 30.8 inches of break would be an asset in an extremely young bullpen still trying to find their way. He also looks at 2024 as being a “fluke” and is taking his lessons from the season and moving forward into 2025. The sky is the limit for Justin and as fans we hope he returns to 2023 form. Having a sub-4.00 ERA isn’t easy as a pitcher in thin air but he made it look easy. With the minor adjustment, and the forward thinking attitude look for him to bounce back. I believe he’ll be the everyday closer by season’s end.

  • Should This Shunned Pitcher Be Wearing Purple Pinstripes?

    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 12: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on after giving up a hit to Joey Gallo #13 of the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium on June 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

    News recently broke that Trevor Bauer is heading back to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of the Japanese Central League. This comes after dominating the Mexican Baseball League for the Diablos Rojos setting the record of most strikeouts in a game with 19 enroute to winning the Mexican League’s version of the Cy Young award. He led the league with 120 strikeouts in just 83 and a third innings, finishing with a 10-0 record and a 2.48 ERA in 14 starts. Oh, he also helped his team to a championship as well. Numbers and accolades like this should warrant some Major League looks, so why aren’t the Colorado Rockies biting?

    Dark Times for Both Sides

    Bauer was infamously accused of sexual assault in the middle of the 2021 Major League season. Although he was never found guilty of any wrongdoing after a lengthy investigation, Trevor was suspended by Commissioner Rob Manfred originally for 324 games. This number was later reduced and eventually Bauer was reinstated by an independent arbitrator during his appeal process. He was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers and has never appeared on a MLB mound since, signing with the aforementioned BayStars to begin his international career.

    In the meantime, the Rockies have been bad on the mound. They had the worst team ERA in 2024 with a 5.47. The bullpen also blew 28 saves last year, with no one to turn to in high pressure 9th innings. As we are on the horizon of the 2025 season the Rockies do get a couple pieces back. German Marquez has been quoted at Spring Training as being healthy, with Antonio Senzatela also returning late last season. Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber seem ready to go as well. All things point to Ryan Feltner as the last guy to round out the rotation. Even with a healthy rotation, Bauer would still be an asset in Denver.

    MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – MARCH 24: Trevor Bauer #96 of Diablos Rojos pitches during Spring Training Game One between Diablos Rojos and New York Yankees at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu on March 24, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)

    Bauer’s Benefits

    It’s no secret the Rockies have had back to back 100 loss seasons and doesn’t seem interested in spending money to acquire players to make a push in the National League West. They did sign Thairo Estrada and Kyle Farmer, while giving a minor league deal to former first rounder Keston Hiura but outside of these moves it has been a relatively quiet offseason. With a bottom third payroll in baseball, with all other NL West rivals being in the top half, the Rockies can spend the veteran’s minimum of $760,000 to get the former Cy young Winner pitching in thin air. Bauer has stated on social media that he is willing to play for $0 and has stated that would be a $50 million value for zero bucks.

    Trevor Bauer also has a massive social media following with nearly 600K followers on X and nearly 1 million followers on YouTube. He is undoubtedly the most popular non-major league player in the world right now and would bring a huge following to the Colorado Rockies, the perennial bottom feeders of the NL West. Merchandise sales and streaming numbers would increase which leads to more money in the Rockies pockets, especially on the veteran’s minimum Bauer is willing to play for. Before his suspension, Bauer was 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers and has proven he is still dominating elsewhere. Why not take a chance?

    This is why you don’t take a chance

    LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 27: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers was presented with the 2020 National League’s Cy Young award which he earned last year as a member of the Cincinnati Reds after leading all pitchers with a 1.73 ERA before the game at Dodger Stadium on April 27, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

    Even though Trevor Bauer was never found guilty for his 2021 incident, as a result he has been extremely outspoken against Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred. He has criticized the way Manfred runs MLB especially when it comes to losing interest amongst the younger generation by holding most media content instead of letting fans experience it. He also has expressed ending “Blackouts” and allowing in-market fans to watch their favorite team. These rants and opinions are plenty and for good reason. The sport only started gaining popularity after the plethora of rule changes we have seen the past two seasons and some fans being able to buy their team’s MLB.tv package last year, which ended blackouts for some teams. For example, Rockies.tv allowed us Rockies fans to watch games regardless of being in-market.

    Bauer’s opinions also has some negativity to them amongst a certain demographic of fans. Teams may be looking at Trevor Bauer as a liability with the media. He proved this fact when discussing umpire checks for foreign substances in 2021, demonstrating how sticky a baseball can get with just rosin and a little bit of sweat live on ESPN. Most teams aren’t willing to deal with this type of straightforward opinions, especially from a player with as much influence as Bauer.

    Just Take the Chance

    Regardless of the negative facts Bauer could potentially bring to the Rockies, it doesn’t outweigh the reward. Bauer is as disciplined as they come and it can be seen on his Bauer Outage YouTube channel. He also has a chip on his shoulder. He’s out to prove something that he can still dominate and he also wants to avenge the incident of 2021. He was accused, acquitted, but yet he still isn’t on a Major League diamond. He has been shunned by all 30 teams and for what reason, negative publicity? In the interest of winning ball games Trevor Bauer is a complete asset. With a team struggling for pitching and not making any moves to address it, signing Bauer is low risk, high reward. Once the initial wave of the negative social media storm hits, and he gets back into a grove of playing high caliber baseball, the Rockies will once again have some level of pitching depth. Trevor Bauer deserves to be in the MLB, and the Rockies should be the ones to bring him back.

  • Is there an Elephant in the Rockies Organization?

    SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 03: Bud Black #10 of the Colorado Rockies looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 03, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

    On October 8th, 2024, the Rockies announced that they had reached a deal for a year-long extension on longtime manager Bud Black. Most Rockies fans were surprised by this news but nevertheless, in 2025, Buddy will begin his 9th season on the top step of the Rockies dugout but many ask the question, should he still be here?

    Hot Start

    Bud Black came to the Rockies organization in 2017 after being released mid season from the San Diego Padres in 2015. Buddy was well respected in San Diego and long time major league pitcher James Shields was quoted to say, “The way Buddy ran the ship here was fine, we respect him as a player and as a man.” Even after a shaky exit from San Diego there was optimism after Walt Weiss stepped down as manager in 2016. Coming off 6 straight losing seasons the Rockies looked to Bud Black to right the ship. Behind the young talent of Kyle Freeland, German Marquez, and a blooming Nolan Arenado, and with veteran leadership from Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon the Rockies finished 87-75, good enough for 3rd in the NL West behind the Los Angles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. This finish was still enough to qualify for the postseason and resulted in a one game playoff against the aforementioned D-Backs. The game didn’t go the Rockies way and ended in a 11-8 loss.

    In 2018, the Rockies took an even bigger step forward under Black. He led the club to a 91-72 record, their second highest win total in franchise history. The regular season ended in Game 163 in a battle for the NL West title against the Dodgers by a score of 5-2. This sent them to Wrigley Field to take on the the North Siders in their second consecutive NL Wild Card game. This 13 inning affair resulted in a 2-1 Rockies win. The unforeseen fact of this amazing memory of all Rockies fans is that this win is still currently the last postseason win by the Colorado Rockies.

    CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 02: The Colorado Rockies celebrate defeating the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in thirteen innings to win the National League Wild Card Game at Wrigley Field on October 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

    Smacking Rock Bottom

    After getting swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2018 NLDS, the Colorado Rockies had optimism and were looking to build off their momentum from the previous two seasons. That February the Rockies started their continued positive outlook by signing star player Nolan Arenado to a 8 year, $260 million contract extension, cementing the platinum glove 3rd Baseman as the cornerstone of the franchise. That’s about the only positive the Rockies experienced that season…

    The Rockies struggles out of the gate ended the season in disappointment at a record of 71-91, 20 games under .500. Even with the terrible finish to 2019, their was still a buzz about the team and the young pieces gaining pivotal experience during the down season. Unfortunately a world wide pandemic changed the 2020 season and the Rockies ended up 26-34 in a 60 game shortened year. In 2021, nothing improved with a finish of 74-87. The 2022 season, even worse finishing 68-94. Now the Rockies are entering 2025 coming off back to back 100 loss seasons. Coming off such a tumultuous downfall, a fresh start seemed to be on the horizon, but October 8th changed that for Rockies fans.

    The Elephant in the Room

    As Colorado Rockies fans let’s be candid, we are tired of losing. As the other 4 division rivals spend money to build their roster, led mostly by the Dodgers, the Rockies remain stagnate. The Rockies in 2024 led the National League in strikeouts at the plate with 1,617. This was 111 more than the next worse team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. They were also 11th in the league in runs scored and 14th in walks drawn. Pitching was even more abysmal than years past. They were dead last in team ERA with 5.47 and the only team to give up more than 800 runs. Granted some of this is caused by the thin air that makes the Rockies unique but the most alarming stat is the Rockies only converted 37 out of a possible 65 save opportunities. As a team, they had the 5th most blown saves. Saving just barely half of your opportunities is not the way to have continued success. Pitching continues to be the Rockies struggle, especially the back half of the bullpen.

    The youth movement for the Rockies is here. Charlie Blackmon has retired and has given way to a new generation of Rockies. Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar are established big leaguers. Ryan McMahon and Kris Bryant (barring injuries) are veterans looking to lead this team in 2025. The rotation has had major injury after major injury but seems to be healthy with Spring Training right around the corner. The best thing for the Rockies to do, is to release Bud Black and get a fresh manager ready to the lead the Rockies.

    A League of His Own

    Bud Black hasn’t won anywhere he has been. He compiled a winning percentage of .477 in his 9 seasons with the San Diego Padres. He has an even worse winning percentage in Purple Pinstripes. His measly .450 winning percentage in 8 seasons is awful. He is the 4th longest tenured manager in the National League with the three managers ahead of him being Dave Roberts, Brian Snitker, and Torey Lovullo who was only hired two days before Bud Black was hired as the Rockies skipper. The difference between these three and Buddy is night and day. Roberts has won two World Series titles and 11 out of 12 NL West titles. Snitker has won multiple NL East titles and a World Series. Torey Lovullo won a National League Pennant in 2023 as a Wild Card, ultimately losing to the Texas Rangers in the World Series. In the same amount of time Bud Black has produced 1 playoff win and 6 straight losing seasons. It’s time for the Colorado Rockies to move on to a players’ manager that also knows how to win. Bud Black simply doesn’t know how to lead a clubhouse to victories anymore. 2025 will be a do or die year for the longtime Rockies Manager and if his losing tendencies continue, it’s time for a new leader in 2026.