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Rockies Notes: Rotation, Senzatela, Rolison

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The Rockies were dealt a hit to their rotation this week. Germán Márquez left Monday’s start with a forearm strain that necessitated a 15-day injured list placement. While he and the club have downplayed their concern based on an MRI that didn’t reveal any significant structural issues, they’ll have to plug a short-term vacancy in the starting five.

Manager Bud Black addressed the situation with reporters this afternoon (relayed by Patrick Lyons of DNVR). Black pointed to righties Noah Davis, Peter Lambert and Karl Kauffmann as candidates to assume the vacant spot. All three are currently in Triple-A Albuquerque. Lambert and Davis were optioned there to start the season, while Kauffmann was assigned there as a player who is not currently on the 40-man roster.

Davis made his MLB debut last season with one relief outing. He spent the bulk of the year starting for Double-A Hartford, where he put up a 5.54 ERA over 26 starts. The 25-year-old struggled with walks and home runs but punched out more than a quarter of opponents at the level. He’s walked seven and struck out six over three starts in Albuquerque.

Lambert, also 25, logged 95 big league innings between 2019-21. The former second round pick was once a reasonably promising prospect. He struggled to a 7.48 ERA in his first 21 MLB starts, though, and injuries have robbed him of most of the last three seasons. Lambert has allowed three runs with three strikeouts and walks apiece in 4 1/3 Triple-A innings this year.

Kauffmann has yet to make his big league debut. He split last year between Hartford and Albuquerque, pitching to a solid 4.06 ERA over 15 starts at the former stop. He allowed more than six earned runs per nine innings over 13 outings upon being bumped up to the top minor league level. The 25-year-old has allowed eight runs in nine frames there this year.

Rotation depth has been a concern for the Rockies since the season opened. Beyond Márquez, only Kyle Freeland was an established member of the season-opening starting five. José Ureña and Austin Gomber posted middling numbers last year, while the Rockies turned to Ryan Feltner in the fifth spot. That’s in part because Antonio Senzatela is still rehabbing from the ACL tear he suffered last summer, though he’ll take a notable step forward this week.

Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette tweets that Senzatela will make his first rehab start on Friday. He’s scheduled to toss two innings in a complex league game. The Rockies have maintained they expect Senzatela back on the Coors Field mound sometime in May and it seems he’s still on track for that target.

Meanwhile, left-hander Ryan Rolison threw a side session yesterday without issue, as reflected on the MLB.com injury tracker. He’s progressing towards game action. Colorado’s first round draftee in 2018, the southpaw is on the 40-man roster but hasn’t yet reached the majors. Rolison underwent shoulder surgery last June. He could be in line for his MLB debut at some point this season after starting ten games in Triple-A last year.

Rockies Place German Marquez On Injured List

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The Rockies are placing righty German Marquez on the 15-day injured list, Marquez himself told reporters prior to today’s game (Twitter link via Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette). Marquez, who exited yesterday’s game due to forearm discomfort, has avoided any structural damage it seems. An MRI revealed only inflammation in his ailing forearm, but he’ll still be shelved for a bit to allow for some rest. A more precise timetable for his recovery has not yet been provided by the team. Corner infielder/outfielder Nolan Jones has been recalled from Triple-A to take Marquez’s spot on the active roster for now.

Marquez and lefty Kyle Freeland have been the Rockies’ only two effective starters thus far in the season, and an absence for him will place even further strain on a starting staff that has combined for a 5.07 ERA in its first 60 1/3 frames. Lefty Austin Gomber and righties Ryan Feltner and Jose Urena have combined to allow 24 runs in 25 1/3 innings over their collective six starts so far in 2023.

The Rockies’ options beyond Marquez are relatively thin. Antonio Senzatela is already on the injured list while rehabbing from last year’s ACL tear, and southpaw Ryan Rolison is rehabbing from last summer’s shoulder surgery. Relievers Ty Blach and Connor Seabold are both stretched out for multiple innings already and both have experience as starters. Triple-A righties Peter Lambert and Noah Davis are on the 40-man roster. Lambert has missed significant time due to injury in recent years and hasn’t had much success at the big league level. Davis has just one Major League frame under his belt.

Marquez has been the team’s most consistent starter since 2017, pitching to a cumulative 4.38 ERA in 991 1/3 frames over 169 starts during that time. He’s been one of the game’s most durable starters in that stretch, ranking fourth among all MLB pitchers in terms of games started.

Marquez is playing out the final guaranteed season of a five-year, $43MM contract extension he agreed to back in April of 2019. He’s earning a $15MM salary this season, and the Rox hold a $16MM club option over him with a $2.5MM buyout. So long as he’s healthy, that option seems like a fairly straightforward decision to exercise.

German Marquez Diagnosed With Forearm Strain, No Significant Structural Damage

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10:47pm: Márquez expects to be placed on the 15-day injured list, he said after tonight’s loss to the Cardinals (relayed by Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post).

9:24pm: Rockies starter Germán Márquez was sent for an MRI after leaving yesterday’s start with tightness in his forearm. Imaging revealed a muscle strain but no significant structural damage, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

It’s a relief there are apparently no structural issues that would raise the specter of surgery. Nevertheless, it’s hard to envision Márquez avoiding the injured list after the revelation of a forearm injury. The Rockies haven’t yet made a roster move or provided any kind of timetable for his recovery.

Márquez is the top pitcher on the Rockies’ staff. He’s allowed eight runs in 16 1/3 innings this season but struck out 13 while issuing only two walks. The Venezuelan-born hurler had a down 2022 season, allowing nearly five earned runs per nine over 31 starts. Between 2017-21, he worked to a 4.25 ERA with an above-average 24% strikeout rate.

Rotation depth is a major concern for Colorado. Antonio Senzatela is still recovering from last summer’s torn ACL. Beyond Márquez and Kyle Freeland, the Rox currently have José Ureña, Ryan Feltner and Austin Gomber rounding out the starting five. Ureña and Feltner, in particular, have been hit hard in their first two starts. Long reliever Connor Seabold and Peter Lambert appear to be the top options to step into the rotation should Márquez miss any time.

It’s a crucial season for Márquez, who’s in the final guaranteed year of his contract. The Rockies aren’t expected to compete for a playoff spot and could listen to offers on players closer to the trade deadline. A healthy Márquez would be a target for a number of clubs, though Colorado has steadfastly refused interest in previous summers. They could well do so again, as the Rox hold a $16MM option on his services that comes with a $2.5MM buyout for next season. The net $13.5MM call is strong value if the right-hander is healthy. That calculus could change if he’s forced to miss a notable chunk of this season with a forearm issue but the timeline remains to be determined.

German Marquez Leaves Start With Forearm Tightness

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Rockies hurler Germán Márquez left tonight’s win over the Cardinals after just five innings and 62 pitches. He’d come out to warm up in the sixth but called out the trainer and gestured toward the outside of his forearm. Postgame, manager Bud Black called the issue forearm tightness (link via Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post).

It’s far too early for the Rox to have a definitive diagnosis. Black expressed hope the issue isn’t serious and didn’t rule out the possibility of Márquez making his next start. Thomas Harding of MLB.com tweets that Márquez also downplayed his concern, though he noted he’s also experienced some forearm tightness between his starts. Whether he’ll be able to avoid the injured list will be clearer after he undergoes further evaluation tomorrow.

Forearm tightness is an ominous diagnosis for any pitcher. It can be a precursor to ligament or muscular damage in the forearm/elbow area. That doesn’t inherently mean Márquez’s issue is serious, of course, but it’ll be cause for concern for Colorado until there’s more clarity on what’s causing the discomfort.

Márquez is the top pitcher on the Rockies’ staff. He’s allowed eight runs in 16 1/3 innings this season but struck out 13 while issuing only two walks. The Venezuelan-born hurler had a down 2022 season, allowing nearly five earned runs per nine over 31 starts. Between 2017-21, he worked to a 4.25 ERA with an above-average 24% strikeout rate.

Rotation depth is a major concern for Colorado. Antonio Senzatela is still recovering from last summer’s torn ACL. Beyond Márquez and Kyle Freeland, the Rox currently have José Ureña, Ryan Feltner and Austin Gomber rounding out the starting five. Ureña and Feltner, in particular, have been hit hard in their first two starts. Long reliever Connor Seabold and Peter Lambert appear to be the top options to step into the rotation should Márquez miss any time.

This Date In Transaction History: German Marquez Extension

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The most notable early April transactions tend to be extensions. Those talks often commence during Spring Training and can sometimes linger into the early portion of the regular season. One notable example occurred on this date four years ago, when the Rockies officially announced an extension with staff ace Germán Márquez.

That contract guaranteed the Venezuelan-born righty $43MM over five seasons. Márquez had between two and three years of service at the time. The deal bought out all four seasons of arbitration eligibility — he’d qualified for early arbitration as a Super Two player — and at least one free agent year. It also contained a club option for a sixth season, potentially pushing Colorado’s window of control out by two years.

It remains the second-largest extension for an arbitration-eligible pitcher within that service window, trailing only the $50MM deal Blake Snell had signed with Tampa Bay the month prior. Márquez was coming off the best season of his career, throwing 196 innings of 3.77 ERA ball with a 28.2% strikeout rate to help the Rox to a playoff berth.

The results over the past few seasons have been mixed. Márquez’s ERA backed up to 4.76 in 2019. His peripherals remained solid, although his strikeout rate dropped by almost four percentage points. Márquez rebounded with a 3.75 ERA over 13 starts during the shortened season, a strong mark for a pitcher who spends half his time at Coors Field. He earned his first All-Star nod in 2021, as he carried an excellent 3.36 ERA through that year’s first half. Opposing hitters teed off towards the end of that season, though, tagging him for more than six earned runs per nine innings after the All-Star Break.

Those struggles lingered into the following season. Márquez’s 2022 campaign was arguably the worst of his career. While he stayed healthy and soaked up 181 2/3 frames in 31 outings, his 4.95 ERA was his highest mark (excluding a six-outing debut in 2016). His 20% strikeout percentage was a hair below the league average. Márquez hasn’t missed bats as frequently as he did back in 2018 even though his average fastball velocity has held steady in the 95-96 MPH range. His slider and curveball speeds have gone up a couple ticks over the years but have lost some depth, contributing to the dip in whiffs.

Including his first two starts this year, Márquez owns a cumulative 4.58 ERA in 106 starts since the beginning of the 2019 season. He’s been durable and easily leads the team in innings, soaking up 628 2/3 frames over that stretch. Márquez has punched out 22% of opponents, kept his walks to a 7.1% rate and induced grounders at a 49.5% clip. That’s slightly above-average production after accounting for his home park, with a 4.08 SIERA painting him as a capable #3 type starter. Yet while he flashed top-of-the-rotation numbers at times, his past year and a half have been below his early-career standards.

The Rockies have gotten solid value out the Márquez extension and it’s a deal they’d likely sign again in hindsight. The organization has signed a few other arbitration-eligible players to extensions with mixed results. Ryan McMahon is signed through 2027, while the club locked up Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela through 2026. The McMahon deal ($70MM over six years) looks like solid value. The club didn’t get much from Senzatela or Freeland last year, the first seasons of their respective contracts. A three-year, $14.5MM deal for backstop Elias Díaz didn’t go well in year one.

Colorado hasn’t found any team success over the past four seasons. They’ve finished either fourth or fifth in the NL West every year, and they’re generally expected to do the same in 2023. They’re potentially facing an inflection point with Márquez, as this is the final guaranteed season of his deal. The Rox hold the aforementioned club option next year, which is valued at $16MM and comes with a $2.5MM buyout. That still looks like decent value considering his career body of work. Jameson Taillon and Taijuan Walker, for instance, each secured $17-18MM annually over four years as free agents last offseason. If Márquez repeats his 2022 numbers, however, it could be a more borderline call for the Colorado front office.

The Rox might also have to again grapple with trade questions this summer. Colorado has made clear they wouldn’t listen on Márquez near the deadline in recent seasons. That could well again be the case considering the organization’s longstanding opposition to a retool or complete teardown. As the extension gets closer to its conclusion, that decision could become tougher for general manager Bill Schmidt and his front office.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Rockies Notes: Profar, Bard, Hollowell

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Jurickson Profar made his Rockies debut in today’s 3-1 loss to the Padres, and as fate would have it, Profar’s first game with his new team happened to be against his former team.  Playing with the Padres “was everything to me,” Profar told Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, and seemed to express some regret over opting out of his $7.5MM player option to stay with the Padres in 2023.  “If I was a normal free agent, not opting out, it’s different.  Opting out and free agency taking that long, I always wanted to stay….I didn’t want to (opt out), but I did,” Profar said.

The entry into free agency took a long time to resolve, as Profar didn’t reach an agreement with Colorado until March 19 on a one-year, $7.75MM deal.  Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens was a key recruiter in the process, as Meulens has been a longtime mentor to Profar dating back to the earliest days of his baseball career in Curacao, and Meulens managed Profar as part of the Netherlands’ team in the World Baseball Classic.  Profar is looking forward to now joining Meulens in the majors, and getting off a fresh start with his new organization.

More from the Mile High City, as the Rockies are 2-2 following their split of the season-opening series with the Padres…

  • Manager Bud Black told media (including MLB.com) that Daniel Bard threw a bullpen on Saturday, and hit 96mph during the session.  It’s a positive sign for the veteran reliever, who began the 2023 campaign on the 15-day injured list due to a return of the anxiety issues that put Bard’s career on hold for several seasons.  There isn’t yet any timetable for Bard’s return, as naturally the Rockies will give him all the time he needs.
  • The Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes placed Gavin Hollowell on the 10-day minor league IL today, and Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette (Twitter link) reports that the right-hander is dealing with forearm tightness.  While the severity of the injury isn’t yet known, any sort of forearm issue is naturally troubling for a pitcher, and it adds to a tough week of news for Hollowell — Allentuck notes that he just missed out on a spot in Colorado’s Opening Day bullpen.  A sixth-round pick for the Rockies in the 2019 draft, Hollowell made his MLB debut last season, posting a 7.71 ERA in seven innings over six appearances.  MLB Pipeline ranks Hollowell as the 24th-best prospect in the Rockies’ farm system, and feels the 6’7″ reliever’s strikeout potential gives him promise, though his control is a work in progress.

Daniel Bard To Begin Season On Injured List

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Rockies right-hander Daniel Bard is going to begin the season on the injured list due to anxiety, reports Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette (Twitter links). Righty Jake Bird has been recalled to take Bard’s place on the active roster. Allentuck adds that outfielder Jurickson Profar is not yet with the team in San Diego, though he can’t be replaced on the active roster.

“It’s a hard thing to admit,” Bard tells Allentuck. “But I’ve been through this before. I have enough going on outside the game to realize what’s important … I’m extremely grateful to be in an organization that understands these things and is accepting.”

Bard, 38 in June, pitched for the Red Sox from 2009 to 2013 but a case of “the yips” caused him to struggle in the latter parts of that span. His walk rate shot up to 15.5% in 2012 and then was even worse the year after. He only made a couple of appearances at the big league level in 2013 before getting sent to the minors, eventually walking a third of opponents down on the farm the rest of the way.

He didn’t pitch in the majors for many years but resurfaced with the Rockies in 2020. He posted a 3.65 ERA in 23 appearances that season, striking out 25.5% of batters faced, walking 9.4% of them and getting grounders at a 48.5% clip. He took a bit of a step back in 2021, with his walk rate jumping to 11.8% and his ERA spiking to 5.21%. But he got back on track tremendously in 2022, with a 1.79 ERA and 10.2% walk rate. He also struck out 28.2% of batters faced, got grounders on 51.7% of balls in play and racked up 34 saves on the year. His name popped up in some trade rumors as he was set to his free agency after last year, but he and the Rockies agreed to a two-year, $19MM extension.

Though the Rockies surely don’t want to be without their closer, Bard’s comments indicate that they’re prioritizing his health now that his anxiety has reoccured. Thomas Harding of MLB.com relays that Bard is still with the team and doing his normal throwing. That means it’s possible he’ll return whenever he feels he has his anxiety managed. MLBTR wishes him the best in that process.

Quickly turning to Profar, he didn’t have much of a spring because he was playing with Team Netherlands during the World Baseball Classic while still unsigned. He eventually signed with the Rockies but was delayed in joining the club in camp due to visa issues. He eventually did report to the team’s facilities in Arizona and is apparently still there, per Harding, continuing to get at-bats in minor league games. Harding adds that the decision on when Profar joins will be done “by feel.” It seems the club will play with a shortened three-man bench until then.

Offseason In Review: Colorado Rockies

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The Rockies entered the winter with payroll already at franchise-record heights. That portended a quiet offseason, which ultimately proved to be the case. Colorado made a couple low-cost veteran free agent pickups to round out the roster in Spring Training.

Major League Signings

2023 spending: $17.25MM
Total spending: $18.25MM

Option Decisions

Trades and Claims

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

  • Signed RHP Tyler Kinley to three-year extension worth $6.25MM (deal also includes 2026 club option and potentially buys out two free agent years)

Notable Losses

The Rockies missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, falling to last place in the NL West for the first time since 2015. It’s not a good position for an organization that also entered the offseason with a player payroll projected at franchise-record heights. That was the case even before Nolan Arenado declined his opt-out chance with the Cardinals, which kicked in another $5MM annually in payments from Colorado to St. Louis over the next three seasons (on top of the reported $16MM the Rox were paying this year regardless of whether Arenado opted out).

It pointed to a relatively quiet offseason and that proved the case for much of the winter. Colorado made a couple early moves on the pitching front. José Ureña returned on a $3.5MM deal to serve a back-of-the-rotation role. The right-hander had started 17 games last season, allowing more than five earned runs per nine but generating a fair number of grounders. Colorado had to address the starting staff in some capacity with Ureña and Chad Kuhl both hitting the open market and Antonio Senzatela still recovering from last summer’s ACL tear.

They didn’t wind up doing much else on that front, perhaps in part thanks to the rising cost of mid-tier free agent starters. Colorado swung a small trade for depth starter Connor Seabold from Boston but will otherwise rely on internal rotation arms. Germán Márquez and Kyle Freeland will be counted on to bounce back from disappointing 2022 seasons, as will Senzatela once healthy. Ureña grabs a back-end spot with Austin Gomber, while Ryan Feltner and Seabold could vie for depth appearances.

Colorado was a little more aggressive in addressing the bullpen. Carlos Estévez and Alex Colomé walked in free agency, leaving a couple holes in an already underwhelming relief corps. The Rockies targeted hard-throwing righty (and Denver native) Pierce Johnson in free agency, signing him to a $5MM deal. It was a bit of a surprising sum for a pitcher who was limited to 15 appearances last year by injury but he’s just a season removed from striking out nearly 32% of opponents with a 3.22 ERA over 58 2/3 innings. He’ll pick up some high-leverage work as a bridge to closer Daniel Bard.

Tyler Kinley could eventually return to setup work but he’ll miss a good chunk of this season rehabbing from last year’s elbow surgery. Colorado placed a show of faith in him this offseason, guaranteeing him $6.25MM to cover his final two seasons of arbitration and potentially buy out a pair of free agent years.

If Johnson’s an upside play at the back end, the Rox also brought in a couple more stable relief arms. Control specialist Brent Suter was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee. The Brewers had evidently determined not to tender the southpaw an arbitration contract in the $3MM range but the Rox stepped in to claim his final season of team control. He adds a multi-inning relief option for skipper Bud Black. That’s also true of left-hander Ty Blach, who returned on a non-roster deal over the winter and will break camp with the club.

Perhaps the highest-leverage southpaw will be three-time All-Star Brad Hand. The Rockies signed Hand late in the offseason to a $2MM deal (with another $1MM just for cracking the active roster) shortly after losing Lucas Gilbreath to Tommy John surgery. Hand has continued to keep runs off the board into his mid-30s but has seen his swing-and-miss numbers decline. He’s not the same pitcher he was a couple seasons back but for $3MM, just capable middle innings work would be a fine return on investment.

The buy-low approach to free agency also extended to the position player side of things. The Rockies were loosely linked to some bigger-ticket upgrades, primarily in the outfield. A left-handed hitter (preferably one who could play some center field) seemed to be on the target list. Yet players like Cody Bellinger, Michael Conforto and particularly Brandon Nimmo all priced themselves well beyond the Rockies’ spending range.

Colorado didn’t sign a single position player to a major league free agent deal until the offseason was all but over. The Rockies waited out the market but eventually added an outfielder who could hit from the left side. Switch-hitting Jurickson Profar was the last unsigned player from MLBTR’s top 50 free agents. His market never materialized as he’d envisioned upon opting out of his deal with the Padres. He settles for a $7.75MM pillow deal in Colorado on the heels of a decent .243/.331/.391 showing with 15 homers. Profar brings a high-contact bat and solid offensive approach to Coors Field. He’s not a star, but the Rockies have to be pleased with the value they’re getting on a player whom most expected to land a higher annual salary over at least two or three years.

Profar’s signing pushes Kris Bryant from left to right field. Colorado will hope for better health from last winter’s $182MM signee. Randal Grichuk will start the season on the injured list, leaving Yonathan Daza as the frontrunner for center field work. Franchise stalwart Charlie Blackmon is back after making the obvious decision to exercise a $15MM player option; he could see some corner outfield reps but will spend most of his time at designated hitter.

Arguably the most significant acquisition of the Colorado offseason could factor into the corner outfield rotation at some point. As teams were reshuffling their rosters in advance of the Rule 5 draft in November, the Rockies lined up with the Guardians on a rare prospect for prospect swap. Power-hitting corner bat Nolan Jones landed in Colorado, while the Rockies sent Low-A middle infielder Juan Brito to Cleveland. It wasn’t about roster machinations — both Jones and Brito occupied spots on the 40-man — but was a rare case of two clubs valuing the other’s unproven player more than their own.

Jones won’t start the year in the majors, as he’s been optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on the heels of a tough spring. He’s certain to get an MLB look at some point in the next few months. The Rockies are hopeful his blend of power and patience can offset big strikeout totals and some defensive questions to allow him to develop into a middle-of-the-order force. The 24-year-old is a .252/.361/.443 hitter in 655 Triple-A plate appearances and can be controlled through at least the 2028 season.

Colorado entered Spring Training without much question about their infield. C.J. Cron is back at first base. Brendan Rodgers and Ryan McMahon are above-average second and third basemen, respectively. Rodgers was loosely floated in trade rumors, specifically regarding young Marlins righty Edward Cabrera. No deal came together and the Fish instead flipped Pablo López to Minnesota for Luis Arraez. The Rox made no effort to retain last year’s shortstop José Iglesias, with top prospect Ezequiel Tovar ticketed for regular work there. Colorado brought in bat-first utility player Harold Castro on a minor league deal, and he eventually cracked the MLB roster in a utility capacity.

That seemed like enough infield depth, particularly with Jones and Elehuris Montero also in the mix for third base playing time. Unfortunately, Rodgers dislocated his shoulder during a spring game. He underwent surgery and might miss the entire season. That pushed McMahon over to second base and led Colorado to look outside the organization. They rolled the dice on a bounceback from three-time All-Star Mike Moustakas, signing him to a minor league deal shortly after Rodgers’ injury.

Colorado has already informed Moustakas he’s breaking camp. He hasn’t performed well over the past two seasons, missing a good chunk of that time as he battled foot issues. At 34, it’s possible he’s just not an everyday player anymore. The acquisition cost was minimal, as the Reds will pay all but the league minimum of the $22MM still remaining on the contract he signed with Cincinnati three offseasons back. Moustakas offers a left-handed complement to the righty-swinging Montero and Cron in the infield corners.

Catching was a disaster for the Rockies last season. They made no effort to address it over the winter, instead relying on Elias Díaz and Brian Serven for another year. Signing Díaz to a three-year, $14.5MM extension two offseasons ago was an odd move at the time, one that looks a particularly poor decision after he hit only .228/.281/.368 during the first season of that deal. The Rockies are clearly of the opinion he can bounce back, but Díaz has been a below-average hitter and gotten dreadful defensive grades from public metrics throughout his career.

Continuity has been a theme for the Rockies in recent years. Even as the losses have mounted, ownership and the front office have broadcast confidence in the group. Colorado has refused to entertain the possibility of rebuilding. They’ve committed to so many players on contract extensions (plus the Bryant megadeal) they probably couldn’t pivot to a teardown even if they wanted to at this point. That continued this winter, both in the form of an extension for skipper Bud Black to run through 2024 and comments from owner Dick Monfort about the state of the roster.

Monfort has previously caught flak for optimistic projections of playoff competitiveness that haven’t borne out. He wasn’t quite so bullish this offseason but again found himself in headlines in January, when he suggested the team could be around .500. That’s not the loftiest goal but again seems unlikely. The Rockies have one of the game’s thinnest starting rotations and a lineup that was middle-of-the-road in on-base percentage and slugging last year despite playing half its games at Coors Field.

The Rockies swapped out Dave Magadan for Hensley Meulens as hitting coach, hopeful a new voice can generate some more offense. Aside from Profar, they didn’t add anyone from outside the organization who’s likely to provide above-average hitting. Even if Bryant stays healthy and Tovar hits the ground running, Colorado is facing an uphill battle.

In Monfort’s defense, his proclamation of .500 ball came before Colorado lost one of its best players (Rodgers) to injury. Still, even another strong season from the Gold Glove second baseman would have been very unlikely to make this an average roster. FanGraphs’ projections peg the Rockies and Nationals as the two worst teams in the majors; Baseball Prospectus has Colorado 26th in MLB. Preseason projections will have misses, of course, but the Rox would have to win 15-20 more games than those outlets anticipate to get to .500.

In all likelihood, Colorado is headed for another losing season. There’s some room for optimism in the farm system. Tovar is already in the majors. The likes of Zac Veen, Drew Romo and Warming Bernabel are climbing the minor league ranks and have a chance to be important core position players in the not too distant future. The major league team continues to more or less spin its wheels, awaiting the arrival of a bulk of young talent from within the system while the MLB roster falls short of organizational expectations.

That was never going to be resolved in one offseason, and Colorado’s transactions this winter are all justifiable. It remains hard to discern the long-term plan, though, particularly as they again run up against one of the sport’s toughest division competitors.

MLBTR is conducting team-specific chats in conjunction with the Offseason In Review series. Anthony Franco held a Rockies-centric chat on March 30. Click here to view the transcript.

How would you grade the Rockies’ offseason? (poll link for app users)

 

Rockies Sign Grayson Greiner To Minor League Deal

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The Rockies have informed reporters, including Thomas Harding of MLB.com, that they have signed catcher Grayson Greiner to a minor league deal. He had been in camp with the Twins on a minor league deal but was recently released. Harding adds that Rockies’ minor league catcher Willie MacIver will be out for the next six to eight weeks due to a shoulder issue.

Greiner, 30, has appeared in each of the past five MLB seasons as a backup/depth catcher, getting into 139 total games in those five campaigns with the Tigers and Diamondbacks. He’s drawn walks at a decent 9.1% clip but struck out in 32.2% of his trips to the plate. His .201/.275/.307 batting line amounts to a 58 wRC+. He has -8 Defensive Runs Saved in his career with a negative grade from FanGraphs’ framing metric.

The Rockies have just a pair of backstops on their roster at the moment in Elias Díaz and Brian Serven. MacIver was set to be the club’s regular catcher in Triple-A but it looks like he’ll now miss the next couple of months with that shoulder issue. Greiner will presumably take over that responsibility and could be first in line for a call-up to the majors should another injury arise. One of the club’s top prospects, Drew Romo, is a catcher, though he just reached Class-A Advanced last year and will likely head to Double-A to start this season.

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