The Rockies are casting a wide net in their search for a first baseman, as GM Jeff Bridich said the team is considering a large array of options, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding writes. The list includes such expensive free agents as Edwin Encarnacion and Mark Trumbo to more affordable open-market names like Chris Carter or Mitch Moreland.
Intriguingly, Harding also reports that the Rockies have been in contact with the White Sox about a possible trade for Jose Abreu. Talks haven’t advanced beyond the preliminary stage, and sources tell Harding that the Sox want multiple prospects from Colorado in exchange for the Cuban slugger.
This is the first concrete link between Encarnacion and Colorado this winter, though since the longtime Blue Jays slugger had been reportedly been contacted by at least a couple of NL teams interested in him as a full-time first baseman, the Rockies were a logical candidate since they’re one of the few National League teams with a first base vacancy. Colorado’s interest in Trumbo was initially reported over the weekend.
Signing Encarnacion or Trumbo would be an expensive endeavor for the Rockies, and either would cost the club the 11th overall pick in the 2017 draft, as both Encarnacion and Trumbo rejected qualifying offers. Carter and Moreland would cost much less, likely just one-year contracts. While neither of that duo carries Encarnacion or even Trumbo’s track record, it could be argued that Carter or Moreland could at least come close to replicating what the two higher-tier free agents could produce in Coors Field but at a fraction of the price and without any cost of a draft pick.
As Harding notes, the Rockies have shown past interest in both Trumbo and Abreu. Dealing for the latter would be an interesting middle ground between the free agent choices, though it would come at a cost to the Rockies in both minor league talent and money. Abreu recently opted into arbitration eligibility, so while Colorado would have him under control for three more years, the first baseman would come with a significant price tag.
Abreu has delivered very good numbers in his first three MLB seasons, delivering a .299/.360/.515 slash line and 91 homers over 1985 big league plate appearances. His last two years weren’t as impressive as his breakout Rookie Of The Year campaign in 2014, however, and Abreu has experienced declines in his home run and hard-hit ball rates.
The Rockies are also known to still be considering a reunion with Mark Reynolds. Since the team is being so comprehensive in its search, Harding figures that names like Mike Napoli, Adam Lind, Logan Morrison and perhaps any available first basemen are also under consideration.
Would love to see Abreu mash in Colorado. He had an absolutely brutal first 2 months last year with an OPS under .700, but after that, he turned it on and OPS’ed nearly .900 for the rest of the year.
Sorry to point this out, but it’s Carter, not Cooper (paragraph 4).
who is cooper?
+1. Think he is talking about Carter.
Jason Hayward is the D.B. Cooper of baseball.
You mention “Cooper” twice. Who is Cooper? Do you mean Carter?
Cecil Cooper or Gary Cooper?
It’s Cooper don’t you know.
Betting Carter (Cooper) goes to Colorado… 4.5m/1 year.. Blasts 50+ bombs. This guy can absolutely crush em. (When he makes contact)
casting a wide net lol
Rockies need a mashing 1B and bullpen help, ChiSox don’t want to tear it down but if they sell Sale, then maybe a rebuild around a Eaton/Anderson core. I would suggest a Raimel Tapia, Ryan McMahon, Kyle Freeland, Forrest Wall, Jack Wynkoop, Harrison Musgrave package for Abreu and Robertson
Gotta figure it will take one of Tapia/Dahl and one of Hoffman/Pint plus a couple lower level fliers to get Abreu but if I’m Colorado and you have Arrenado in his prime with the other young talented pieces they have, they need to go for it now. Why not?
They don’t get Tapia plus Hoffman for 3 expensivish years of a 29yo 1B coming off of a 126OPS+ year. I love Abreu but the gap between him and other Options arent’t worth two top 50 Prospects(BP)
Eh. The gap between him and the other options is pretty significant depending on what you’re looking for…
In my opinion, Moreland doesn’t even belong in the same conversation with the other guys. He’s not an absolute masher, and he doesn’t get on base anywhere near enough to offset that. His career slash line is .254/.315/.438.
Carter and Trumbo can both mash, but they are both one dimensional and strike out a lot (Carter more-so). Trumbo’s career slash is .251/.303/.473 (.256/.316/.533 last year). Carter’s career slash is .218/.314/.463 (.222/.321/.499 last year).
If all you want is someone that’ll mash 40+ home runs, then you’re right, the difference between these guys isn’t a ton. Heck, Carter and Trumbo would actually be better options than Abreu. But if you want an actual hitter who can do more than just swing for the fences, the difference is pretty substantial. Abreu’s career slash is .299/.360/.515, and his down year last year was still .293/.353/.468 after a brutal first 2 months where he OPS’ed under .690. After those first 2 months, he finished off the season slashing .319/.376/.511.
If you want to bring defense into play, I guess Moreland would be the best? I wouldn’t consider any of them “good” though.
I love the guy, the Rockies finished second in the bidding for him when the Sox got him. I just don’t think you get two top 50 Prospects for those three years, I could be wrong.
McMahon played his entire season on the road in AA, he had a rough go at the start had a 135wRC+ over the second half. A McMahon/Tapia/Freeland package gives the Sox three guys who should be up by the end of 2017 the rest of my package proposed is 4-5 starters and a 2B who had a down year in a place a lot of hitters do(Trevor Story had his worst stop there) but has a potential impact bat
I’d say he and Encarnacion are similar valuewise
I can honestly admit that I don’t know enough about the Rockies system to make a judgment on the proposed deals at this point, so I can’t confidently comment on that. I’ll have to do some research first. I was just pointing out that the difference between the listed players is pretty significant depending on what you’re looking for. Need an all-or-nothing masher? Sign Trumbo or Carter. Need an actual hitter? Abreu is by far the way to go.
EE is by far the best comparison to Abreu out of the group. If Colorado is willing to pay what it’ll take to get him, he definitely makes the most sense.
Ok, I just took a quick look (mainly at position prospects). Obviously the top 3 prospects intrigue me – Rodgers, Hoffman, Pint – but outside of that, I kind of like some of the lower ranked guys better…
– Tapia is intriguing for sure, but if his listed size is accurate (6’2 160lbs), that kind of worries me.
– Not a fan of McMahon’s high strikeout totals = big red flag for me.
– Reading up quickly on Wall, I found this comment on MLB.com – “The Rockies are confident that Wall’s arm will be playable and that he can become an average defender at second base.” I don’t think he’ll have enough bat to be just an “average defender at second base.”
As for position players that I’m more interested in:
– Tom Murphy. If he can be solid behind the plate like his ratings suggest (55 arm, 50 field), then I’d love to bring him on board with that power potential. You can never have enough catchers in your system.
– Jordan Patterson. He’s a pretty big dude that looks like he can be solid at just about everything. Nothing really stands out as a plus-plus tool, but everything looks respectable.
= Brian Mundell. He seems like he could be a very solid DH down the line. He’s a big guy and has pretty good plate discipline for a young player with an 83/56 K/BB last year in 136 games to go along with a little pop.
Like I said, it was just a quick glance at position players, but those guys popped out to me.
The Rockies need to first decide if they are going for it this year, if so try to sign EE ,if not, don’t lose the #11 pick on any bat that has a draft pick tied to them.
If I were them I would go for it, cargo isn’t getting younger. They have an explosive offense. Sign EE, trade for a middle of rotation starter who has a high ground ball rate with out having to give up a significant prospect, just get the rotation to where they have 3 maybe 4 solid starters, they don’t have to be great but good enough to let the offense win games. And if they want to go really big see if the O’s are really considering move Britton or wade davis of the royals
With their offense and a solid rotation, I think the dodger and giants have some real competition
Problem is that if you pull Murphy out of next years starting lineup you create a hole in the lineup by plugging another, given that the Sox aren’t needing to compete in 2017, I might replace Wall with Dom Nunez who is just entering AA.
McMahon’s 30% K% rate scares me. He has some pop, but his hit tool is very questionable for me. A guy strikeout out at that rate in AA will get eaten alive by MLB pitching.
Tapia I like as he has hit at every minor league level he has been at.. He could be a solid left or right fielder and is close to being mlb ready..
Freeland is a decent back of the rotation option, although his lack of strikeouts will limit his upside. He has good control which might make him being a #4 or #5 starter pretty reachable
A McMahon/Tapia/Freeland package would be worth considering. I would see what other clubs would offer though
Mark Trumbo Coors Field = Whoa
Seriously, Colorado has such a great opportunity to do something special. They have first base open with this market for position players
No national league team in their right mind would sign Trumbo. Watching him in the field is painful. I can’t imagine what two more years has done to him. He is a DH only and should only have a glove on to play catch with little league kids. He should also pay Edgar a bonus from the next contract he signs he even admitted he fixed us swing while he was in Seattle. Now the voters need to get smart and vote Edgar into the HOF.
encarnacion too pricey for rox. and not necessarily $$$ wise, draft pick wise.
I’d like to see the Sox pry Murphy into this deal. I think he could be a steal behind the plate.
I would love to see Carter hit some dingers in Colorado.
If the rumored Chris Sale trade with the Nationals gets finalized and the speculation here about Jose Abreu being traded for a package of prospects materializes then the White Sox are in full rebuild mode which scares me with their poor track record of developing young players in their minor league system. I was hoping for a limited rebuild or retool that would have returned more good MLB ready talent for those two veteran assets who are each in their prime years and playing for below market salaries.
I know looking back it feels like they couldn’t develop players, but I think it was more that they just drafted poorly. The emphasis on toolsy high upside players didn’t work out. And it’s not like their prospects went on to other teams and did well either.
All I see when I read this headline is DINGERS
I wanted Abreu on the Rockies ever since he became a free agent a few years ago, but for the right price. Im not sure what the Sox biggest needs are, but I feel like a Tapia/McMahon, Forrest Wall, Jordan Patterson or possibly Kyle feeland package could get the job done. I’ve seen Tom Murphy mentioned a lot, but I don’t see him being moved since from what I hear, the Rockies plan to use him, Tony Wolters and Dustin Garneau as there catchers with murphy as the likely starter. I want something big to happen for the Rockies to prove to us fans that the front office actually does want to make this team a legitimate contender.
Saying Moreland or Carter could nearly replicate Encarnacion’s numbers at Coors Field is a bit of a cop-out no? Obviously Encarnacion in Coors Field would still mangle whatever they would likely put up.
Carter is the best option and the cheapest simple as that.
41 homers last year put him in coots it turns to 55
How about Chris Collabello for the Rox? He has some pop in his bat