Rockies Roster Shaping Up
As spring approaches, Colorado leans on who they know.
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
The typical view of a Rockies fan (or the average baseball fan, in general) is that a successful off-season is made up of big free-agent moves (see Cubs, Chicago, every year), or otherwise reworking their roster to put that team into contention. We all start 0-0, right?
Well, baseball more than any sport is a rich get richer sport, and when you have a team that works and isn’t prohibitively expensive, and is in a medium-sized market, you keep that team together. To me, the definition of a successful Rockies off-season is simply one that retains the pieces that work (most of them), and jettisons the pieces that are too expensive or under-performing.
So far, the Rockies have gone to great lengths to keep the core together, even signing the ancillary pieces like Giambi, while losing a minimal amount. Last year, the Holliday trade was fresh in our minds, hanging over our heads like a Monfort-shaped rain cloud. The season really hinged on that trade – now this year, would Colorado retain those pieces and add, or engage in another spring of salary dumping and money saving?
Clearly, the answer is the former. A quick look at who was lost speaks volume:
Lost Players
Garret Atkins (3B/1B) signed with the Orioles. We all knew this was coming. It’s tough anytime a key member of the magical 2007 squad leaves, but with Helton and all his parts intact, and Stewart penciled in to start, there’s just no way they spend that kind of money on a bench man.
Jason Marquis (SP) Not sad to see him go. I like the guy – I do. But as all the Cubs fans told me going into last year, you’re going to fall in love with him and he’s going to peter out in September. For once, the Cubs fans were right. Great first half arm, can’t endure the dog days.
Yorvit Torrealba (C) This one stings a bit. Couldn’t come to an agreement on terms – the money oddly enough wasn’t an issue, just how it was paid out. More about this when we get to the Olivo deal later.
Others to go – Jose Contreras, Joel Peralta, Matt Herges, Ryan Speier, Edwin Bellorin, Mike McCoy, Matt Murton – Nothing of note here, some unrealized potential guys, some older guys, some guys that just don’t fit. Odd note, Murton wasn’t just let go he was sold to a Japanese club. Weird.
Other free agents, haven’t signed anywhere yet – Joe Beimel, Josh Fogg, Alan Embree – Technically, Embree is gone (I like him because of his Vancouver Washington roots – go Vancouver USA!) because his club option was declined. Beimel and Fogg, while solid relievers, are hardly unreplaceable. Fogg brings up similar feelings as Atkins – his 2007 work makes me want to keep him based on warm fuzzies, but my brain tells me not to fret so much.
Gained Players
Miguel Olivo (C) – Olivo is the new Torrealba. Now as a Mariners fan, I watched Olivo play there (where, coincidentally, he took over after the team got rid of Yorvit Torrealba), and at the time I wasn’t impressed. Word is he has improved in his time in KC. The idea here has a couple angles. First, Iannetta needs to live up to his rich new deal and take the reigns of this team as the permanent catcher. None of this streaky up and down crap – I think he has to prove himself now. Second, Torrealba is a streaky (albeit clutch) hitter, with a below average arm, who happens to be a great game caller and field general. He’ll be a manager someday, you can see it. Olivo brings a stronger arm to actually catch a runner at second every now and then, and comes with more consistent power than Yorvit. It remains to be seen if he can handle the staff with Yorvit’s level of skill. Third, Olivo is younger and his name is easier to say and spell. I find it sad that Yorvit has to go. I get the feeling he’s just a good guy with a good clubhouse influence. Purely by the numbers though, we’ll probably see a minor upgrade at the position.
Other Players To Watch
Most of these guys were signed to minor-league deals, with the hopes they’ll make the big show. None of them are extremely noteworthy, it’s a mix of guys that we’ve seen before and new faces – mostly pitchers, where the most turnover is taking place.
Paul Phillips, Paul LoDuca, Omar Quintanilla, Tim Redding, Juan Rincon, Justin Speier, Jimmy Gobble
Current Depth Chart
The Rockies depth chart right now looks remarkable similar to the 2009 roster. It will be interesting to see how Tracy uses the Fowler/Gonzales/EYJr/Smith/Spillborghs group. The only other huge question mark to me is whether Francis can bring enough control to what has to be a noodle-arm, and become a Maddux-style control pitcher.
PROJECTED 25-MAN ROSTER
Starting Lineup
1 LF Carlos Gonzalez
2 CF Dexter Fowler
3 1B Todd Helton
4 SS Troy Tulowitzki
5 RF Brad Hawpe
6 3B Ian Stewart
7 C Chris Iannetta
8 2B Clint Barmes
Bench
C Miguel Olivo
1B Jason Giambi (this signing was huge, in my opinion. Don’t make Hawpe think about 1B, let Todd know he can rest, and let this guy keep teaching the kids how to be a big-league hitter)
IF/OF Eric Young Jr.
OF Seth Smith (Seth could start on many big league teams, we might be at the end of the road with him as he’ll find greener pastures elsewhere before too long)
OF Ryan Spilborghs (another big signing – wheels, solid outfielder, power hitter… great bench player)
Starting Rotation
1 RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
2 RHP Aaron Cook
3 LHP Jorge De La Rosa
4 RHP Jason Hammel
5 LHP Jeff Francis
Bullpen
CL RHP Huston Street
SU LHP Franklin Morales
SU RHP Matt Daley
MID RHP Rafael Betancourt
MID RHP Manny Corpas
MID LHP Randy Flores
LR RHP Matt Belisle
25 Man Roster Analysis
The Rockies management went after the guys they like… that’s a loyalty thing that these dudes appreciate. Spillborghs, Betancourt, De la Rosa, Giambi, Street… they all got deals. Retaining Gonzo and Street from the Holliday trade is excellent, as is giving Betancourt and De la Rosa a bit of security. Like I said above, Spilly and Giambi were must-haves for this team to progress. The group listed above has a ton of potential options. Gonzo/Fowler/Hawpe looks to be the outfield, but any one of them slips and you have EYJ, Spilly, and Smith waiting to step in. Finally, word today from the DP is that the Rockies are in hot pursuit of Orlando Cabrera. I don’t see Cabrera as a season maker, but he’ll put the pressure on Barmes to hit the ball consistently. He brings solid defense and some wheels… Barmie is going to have to produce, which didn’t happen offensively last year. A better offensive infielder with a minimal drop-off on defense = great bench player for the Rockies.
All in all, it comes out the same as many years past – defensively, the team is solid. It comes down to hitting consistency and pitching consistency. Can Tulo, Hawpe, et al. stay out of the dramatic slumps that have plagued the last 2 years? You can expect some peaks and valleys, but not the dramatic ups and downs. Can Francis hit the zone and work the off-speed enough to keep hitters off balance? Can Ubaldo finally become the ace we all know he can be? Was De la Rosa’s success a fluke?
Either way, I can smell spring in the air. My Helton jersey that I just bought on eBay is on it’s way and I’m ready.
The Torrealba exit stinks. I know Olivo is capable, and either one was going to be riding pine most of the season anyway, but I have been to exactly two MLB playoff games and Yorvit was huge in both of them. (Rain Game vs Diamondbacks in ’07… that line-drive homer. I was in club level and it sailed right across my vision. A thing of beauty, says I.)
Aside from that, I would have preferred to see Embree hang around. Unless that injury from last season is still an issue, he’s a far sight better than Randy “Control Issues” Flores any day. All in all, a solid off-season with core remaining intact. In fact, I’m so excited about the ’10 season that I’m thinking about driving down to AZ this spring…
I agree about Yorvit. They’re crazy if they think he won’t be missed.
Embree was nice, but one of these yo-yos the signed to a minor league deal should be able to step in and fill those shoes. I’m guessing the injury was bad enough to warrant the departure.
I’d love to go to AZ, but my family will insist on going – great that I have a family that loves baseball, but that makes it an expensive family trip, so I’ll save it until we can all make the journey. Hopefully next year, it will be me, my wife, and my kids cheering on the Rockies at their new spring facility in Glendale.