 |
|
|
| |
« Odds and Ends: Hawkins, Pettitte, Strasburg | Main | Pedro Alvarez Details »
Offseason Outlook: Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are next in our Offseason Outlook series. Here's a look at their 2009 commitments:
C - Chris Iannetta - $400K
C - Yorvit Torrealba - $3.5MM
1B - Todd Helton - $16.6MM
2B - Clint Barmes - $405K+
SS - Troy Tulowitzki - $750K
3B - Garrett Atkins - $4.3875MM+
IF - Jeff Baker - $403K
IF - Ian Stewart - $400K
LF - Matt Holliday - $13.5MM
CF - Willy Taveras - $1.975MM+
RF - Brad Hawpe - $5.5MM
OF - Ryan Spilborghs - $400K
OF - Seth Smith - $400K
SP - Aaron Cook - $8.75MM
SP - Jeff Francis - $3.75MM
SP - Jorge de la Rosa - $1.025MM+
SP - Ubaldo Jimenez - $400K
SP - Greg Reynolds - $400K
RP - Manny Corpas - $750K
RP - Taylor Buchholz - $400K
RP - Luis Vizcaino - $3.5MM
RP - Matt Herges - $2.5MM (club option; salary estimated)
RP - Jason Grilli - $420K+
RP - Ryan Speier - $400K
RP - Jason Hirsh - $400K
Non-tender candidates: Cory Sullivan - $1MM+, Willy Taveras - $1.975MM+
Other commitments: Mike Hampton - $6MM
That's $77.6MM committed, plus arbitration raises to Barmes, Atkins, Taveras, de la Rosa, Grilli, and Sullivan. Outfielders Taveras and Sullivan could be cut loose, but raises will still push payroll past $82MM. The Rockies began the season with a $68.6MM payroll.
This should be an interesting offseason for Dan O'Dowd and company. First there's the Helton issue. He's owed $56.9MM for the 2009-11 seasons, so he'd be very difficult to trade. Throw in the back problems and he's basically immovable.
Helton's injury status may make it harder to trade Atkins this winter. Could Baker and/or Joe Koshansky handle first base if Atkins is traded and Helton is injured? Perhaps. The Rockies would like to move Atkins and his probable $7MM salary for a frontline starting pitcher, but his performance away from Coors has been poor. If the offers are weak, Atkins may stay.
Holliday could be traded instead; his road performance is not problematic. However, the Rockies will probably only trade Holliday if they can do so without hurting the '09 team. A package similar to the one the Twins received for Johan Santana would be surprising; O'Dowd instead went after Carlos Beltran this summer.
The Rockies' offense could be solid in '09 with the current group. They could hope that Tulo and Atkins bounce back and give more playing time to Iannetta and Stewart.
For the rotation, the Rockies will probably add one veteran starter to their solid core of Cook, Francis, Jimenez, and de la Rosa. Derek Lowe would be a great signing if they are willing to raise payroll (or find a reasonable trade for Atkins). Losing Brian Fuentes will hurt the bullpen, but starting pitching is the more urgent need. Perhaps Atkins can be traded for a quality reliever like Huston Street (just an example - the A's may not be interested).
If the Rockies take payroll past $85MM, maybe they can lure a veteran like Lowe while retaining Holliday for an '09 run. That'd be my strategy.
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515b9a69e2010534c79ff4970c
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Offseason Outlook: Colorado Rockies:
Comments
Verify your Comment
Previewing your Comment
This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Top Stories
Search MLBTR
MLBTR Features
Recent Posts
Rumors By Team
Monthly Archives
Live Chats
Tuesdays at 2 p.m. CST
Signing Holliday should be a priority. A lineup with several years of Holliday, Stewart,Tulo and Hawpe even without atkins that's deadly. Holliday should get a Pujols like contract. Spilborghs will easily replace taveras and will put up hawpe like numbers. With those three you are looking at possibly the most productive outfield in the bigs. Helton won't go anywhere so maybe just picking up some insurance. Like Mientkiewicz or kevin millar. Baker and Barmes can battle it out for second. That seems pretty solid to me. My sugestions let taveras and Fuentes go. Trade Atkins for a starter. Sign a decent lefty reliever and sign Holliday long term. This divisio is week and this will be a quick turn around.
C Ianetta/Torrealba
1b Helton/Mientkiewicz
2b Barmes/Baker
ss tulowitski
3b Stewart
rf Hawpe
Cf Spillborghs
Lf Holliday
sp
Cook,Francis,Morales,Jimenez,Reynolds, de la Rosa,hirsh +pithcer in atkins trade
rp
Bucholz
Corpas
Speier
Vizcaino
Damaso Marte or dennys reyes or joe biemel
Grilli
Posted by: joemorgan=#1 | September 22, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Lowe is horrible when he plays in Colorado, so I don't see much of a match there.
Posted by: cheba63 | September 22, 2008 at 11:44 PM
That is true, Lowe probably hates it there and those eight starts have mostly not gone well. Didn't they purposely avoid having him go at Coors this year, too? Still, you have to love the 60% groundball rate. I guess the Rox would have to pay a premium to get him to play there. Might be the case with many pitchers. I feel like you might be able to better convince an older pitcher like Lowe, who isn't expecting to hit free agency again in his prime and thus might be less concerned about his stats than, say, Oliver Perez.
Posted by: Tim Dierkes | September 22, 2008 at 11:55 PM
What could Atkins pull in from the Twins? Slowey or Baker?
Posted by: start_wearing_purple | September 22, 2008 at 11:59 PM
I would be surprised to see the Twins give up either of those guys for Atkins. Blackburn or Perkins seems more likely to me, but I am just guessing. I have no idea where the Twins stand on it.
Posted by: Tim Dierkes | September 23, 2008 at 12:04 AM
No way the A's trade for Atkins. His home/road splits are terrible. There is no way that he would do well in a pitcher's park that is Oakland, not to mention the fact that he will cost too much money. The A's want to go good AND cheap. Atkins is neither.
Street would be a good starting point for Stewart though...
Posted by: green_and_gold | September 23, 2008 at 12:05 AM
I think Glenn Perkins is vastly underrated, but even so, I can't imagine Rockies fans happy to see a household name in Atkins traded for a guy like Perkins.
It seems that the knowledge of Atkin's splits are out so it may be difficult to get what the fans consider good value for him. They could try to target a pitcher who had a down year, but had shown signs of success in the past (i.e. Jered Weaver type)?
Posted by: The Juice | September 23, 2008 at 02:20 AM
"That is true, Lowe probably hates it there and those eight starts have mostly not gone well. Didn't they purposely avoid having him go at Coors this year, too?"
That they did, and it was a wise move. Even if they could persuade him to sign with them, I don't know why they'd want him. He just can't seem to get much movement out of his pitches in that thin air.
Posted by: cheba63 | September 23, 2008 at 02:43 AM
Crazy idea.....Matt Holliday for Cliff Lee.....
Posted by: Hermie13 | September 23, 2008 at 07:43 AM
Not sure on the contracts, but I just can't see Cleveland trading their ace now that CC is gone. They'd be left with a questionable Carmona to head up that rotation.
What about Colorado moving Torrealba? He's set to make over $3M more than Iannetta. I could see him being moved to clear up some payroll, although I can't imagine they'd get too much for him.
Posted by: Papelboner | September 23, 2008 at 08:03 AM
I think Tampa makes a whole lot of sense for Holliday. They certainly have the prospects and they would be pretty scary with him in the lineup.
What about Scott Kazmir for Holliday? A little crazy, sure, but the Rays have pitching. The Rays would have to change their OF a bit, but it could work.
Posted by: Papelboner | September 23, 2008 at 08:07 AM
Don't forget to factor in the 8MM buyout for Mike Hampton that the Rox are on the hook for. More money tied up.
green_and_gold- Either use Street as a starting point or structure the deal around one of Eveland/Smith/Braden. The fact that the three of them have pretty much the same upside makes one of them expendable.
Atkins to the A's makes little/no sense because of his home/road splits. Couple that in with the fact that the A's play in a major pitcher's park, and it'll get ugly.
Posted by: melonis rex | September 23, 2008 at 08:17 AM
Papelboner- Holliday to Tampa makes sense. Kazmir is worth a LOT more than Holliday though. Quality #1-2 starter, locked up cheaply vs. phenomenal 1 year rental power bat. Key words being one year rental. If Kazmir is traded, the Rays should be receiving cost controlled, young talent in return.
Posted by: melonis rex | September 23, 2008 at 08:19 AM
"Not sure on the contracts, but I just can't see Cleveland trading their ace now that CC is gone. They'd be left with a questionable Carmona to head up that rotation."
Lee has one more year at $5.75M then an option for 2010 at $8M (soon to be $9M after he wins the Cy Young). He's pitching his way out of Cleveland perhaps....so trading away a two years of him for a year of Holliday isn't that bad.
In the EXTREMELY unlikely case Lee is traded, the Tribe would be adding a starter back as well. I can see Duchscherer from Oakland or Harang possibly from Cincy as trade candidates. There's also free agency where the Tribe has money to spend....
Back to the Rockies though.....if moving Atkins is proving tough, why not trade a guy like Ian Stewart? Bet you could move him to Florida for Uggla or to Oakland for Street/Duke (as mentioned). Rockies have a nice 3B prospect at A-ball (won league MVP this year). They've got Atkins for at least 2 more years, and could probably get him for an extra by adding some money.
I know Stewart is a great young talent....but the NL West is ripe for the taking in the coming years....
Posted by: Hermie13 | September 23, 2008 at 08:47 AM
I think trading Stewart would be a mistake. The kid is just starting to show some amazing stuff. I think the Rockies would be better off trading Atkins for a lesser return or adding something else to the package. They do have three under performing young pitchers in Morales, Hirsh, and Reynolds that they could add with Atkins. I do believe that there will be considerable interest in Atkins during the off season. Most GM's will know that this years stats are way below his career stats and will be trying to buy low. The Rockies may not get a great deal, but they will be out there.
Also, I believe it is in their best interest to get Holliday signed long term during this off season.
I'm a little bit torn on Taveras. This year has been a major step back for him. But if he can re-gain his plate presense than he is worth every penny at the top of the lineup (If he had batted like he did last year, he would have 100 stolen bases this year). So, I think it might be a good idea to re-sign him and give him a chance. They have backup in Spilborghs, Smith, and Fowler if Taveras doesn't improve.
I'm not really sure if there is a free agent starter out there that is a god fit for the team. They probably need to use trades to fix that.
Posted by: mkorpal | September 23, 2008 at 09:06 AM
Lee isn't going anywhere until the close of the '09 season. In case you haven't noticed a healthy Tribe club is awfully damned competitive and will have play-off aspirations next season. And with the mergence of Shin Soo Choo, the production form the corner OF has become a lot more respectable. If anything, the Tribe could stand to add a #3 pitcher rather than trading away their #1. What they are looking for is a 3B (no, Atkins won't do) and a Closer. I don't see a deal here involving Holiday.
Posted by: MickS | September 23, 2008 at 09:28 AM
emergence, that is.
Posted by: MickS | September 23, 2008 at 09:35 AM
"That is true, Lowe probably hates it there and those eight starts have mostly not gone well. Didn't they purposely avoid having him go at Coors this year, too?"
They restructured the rotation twice to avoid Lowe pitching at Coors.
"Still, you have to love the 60% groundball rate."
Actually, that is the big reason Lowe has troubles at Coors. His sinker has really poor action at Coors and tends to stay up in the air there.
Posted by: AA | September 23, 2008 at 12:29 PM
"rp
Bucholz"
Ahh, you mean Taylor Buchholz--aka the "other" Buchholz. ;)
Time was when Taylor Buchholz was not a bad starting pitcher prospect when he was still in the Astros' organization.
So, could one possible move be to move Buchholz back into a starter's role and clear space in the bullpen for Casey Weathers, who has got to be close to ready?
(He is 23--24 next June, after all).
Posted by: StarryEyed | September 23, 2008 at 01:37 PM
i wouldn't have a problem trading Street and one of Eveland/Smith/Braden for Stewart/prospects. I would rather have it be Smith though.
If the Rockies want another lefty after losing Fuentes, the A's could pick up Embree's option and send him too. The A's don't need Embree, so using him as trade bait would be better.
Posted by: green_and_gold | September 23, 2008 at 01:50 PM
green_and_gold- Why would someone trade for Embree? A's should let Embree walk regardless and pick up the draft pick (I'm pretty sure Embree is Type B).
Posted by: melonis rex | September 23, 2008 at 08:30 PM
this is Spillys year. Rockies need to offer him a contract & more playing time. Everything they say they are looking for he has done except they don't give him the playing time he deserves. Hope his agent gets him the deal. Or go somewhere they appreciate his on field and off field contributions. I'll keep watching
Posted by: brianshead | September 24, 2008 at 10:13 AM