Jeremy Guthrie and Jonathan Sanchez belong in a Russian novel. Both pitchers were acquired, by the Rockies and Royals respectively, this past offseason in their final years of arbitration-eligibility before hitting free agency. And both were astonishingly, unfathomably bad.
Guthrie threw 90.2 innings in Colorado, and the Rockies painfully learned that a flyball pitcher and Coors Field don't mix. Guthrie allowed 21 home runs, leading to a 6.35 ERA. His WHIP: 1.68. His brief demotion to the bullpen was what led to the Rockies' weird four-man rotation thing. He's being paid $8.2 million. And what did the Rockies give up to acquire this gem? Only Jason Hammel, who emerged as a legitimate front-of-the-rotation starter for the Orioles this season.
Jonathan Sanchez accomplished the seemingly impossible task of being a worse pitcher than Jeremy Guthrie. His ERA for the Royals was at 7.76 before they recently designated him for assignment. He achieved the Holy Grail for bad pitchers--notching more walks (44) than strikeouts (36) in just 53.1 innings. He lasted more than five innings exactly once in 2012. Salary: $5.6 million. And what did the Royals give up to acquire this utterly lost, formerly-major-league pitcher? Only Melky Cabrera, the league-wide hits leader and All-Star Game MVP.
So, in the only logical course of action, the Rockies and Royals finally decided to throw up white flags. On Friday, the two teams swapped Jeremy Guthrie and Jonathan Sanchez, each hoping to dump their humiliating bust on the other in the most depressing transaction in recent memory.
The only relevant commentary is that this trade is akin to two sick men, lying in adjacent hospital beds, irrationally hoping for just a little relief to their pain by agreeing to trade diseases.
Showing posts with label Colorado Rockies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colorado Rockies. Show all posts
Friday, July 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Rockie Bottom
Here's a riddle: how can a team that scores the most runs per game in the National League also have the third-worst record in baseball?
Answer: the team is the Colorado Rockies.
The Rockies are 25-41 despite scoring roughly five runs per game. That impressive feat is made possible by their miserable pitching staff, which collectively owns a 5.35 ERA. Opponents are hitting .298/.367/.484 against Rockies pitching, which is basically Andre Ethier's triple-slash line. The culprit is the starting rotation, which possesses an ERA well north of 6.00.
Ten different pitchers have already made starts for Colorado. That includes Jamie Moyer, who was cut after ten starts and a 5.70 ERA. The Rockies traded away Jason Hammel, who has become Baltimore's ace, to acquire Jeremy Guthrie, who has an ERA of 7.02 and a WHIP of 1.82. Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, the 'polished' prospects extracted from Cleveland for Ubaldo Jimenez, have ERAs of 5.56 and 4.70 respectively. Josh Outman and Guillermo Moscoso, received from Oakland for Seth Smith, have been even worse, with ERAs over 7.00. Jhoulys Chacin was pitching awful enough (7.30 ERA) to warrant a demotion before he got hurt. Former first-round pick Christian Friedrich (5.60 ERA) has been just as disappointing. Jorge de la Rosa and his $10 million salary haven't left the DL yet this season. Things have gotten so desperate that Jeff Francis is back in town, and has allowed 12 runs in his first 8.2 innings. Feel-good story Juan Nicasio might be Colorado's best pitcher, and his ERA is 5.28.
With so few quality starts to help them out, the bullpen arms have worn down. So manager Jim Tracy has come up with a solution to ease the workload on his pen: Guthrie is being moved to the bullpen, and the Rockies will switch to a four-man rotation with each starter on a 75-pitch limit. The backwards decision has been universally panned, even mocked, because rational people fail to see how the bullpen will get more rest with each starter unlikely to last more than five innings every game. It's just the latest act in a comedy of errors for Rockies management.
As if things couldn't get any worse, a lot has gone wrong for the position players, too. Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is dealing with an unknown groin injury and there is no timetable for his return. The team unnecessarily spent over $30 million on Michael Cuddyer when there were obvious pitching holes to fill. Marco Scutaro has mostly been a disappointment while the left-hander they traded away for him, Franklin Morales, would've been awfully useful right about now. Todd Helton is hitting .239. There's a black hole at third base. This is the best an $80 million payroll could buy.
It might be time for serious changes in Denver. The Rockies have gotten terrible returns in trades, haven't spent their financial resources wisely, mostly lack impact talent in the minor leagues, and continue to fail at developing pitching. Despite playing in the worst division in baseball, they haven't made the playoffs since 2009 and are locked in a battle for last place with the woeful Padres in 2012. These results are unacceptable.
The Rockies have a solid offensive core in Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, emerging center fielder Dexter Fowler, the surprising Tyler Colvin, catcher Wilin Rosario, and superprospect Nolan Arenado. But with no pitching or playoff hopes to speak of this season, the Rockies should spend the summer aggressively selling every name not on that list. Unloading assets like Scutaro, Cuddyer, and some bullpen arms will save money and could bring back a valuable piece or two for the future (hopefully pitching). At this point, that's the best anyone can hope for. The 2012 Rockies were a poorly-constructed disaster, and the sooner the front office comes to term with that fact, the sooner they can go back to the drawing board for 2013.
Answer: the team is the Colorado Rockies.
The Rockies are 25-41 despite scoring roughly five runs per game. That impressive feat is made possible by their miserable pitching staff, which collectively owns a 5.35 ERA. Opponents are hitting .298/.367/.484 against Rockies pitching, which is basically Andre Ethier's triple-slash line. The culprit is the starting rotation, which possesses an ERA well north of 6.00.
Ten different pitchers have already made starts for Colorado. That includes Jamie Moyer, who was cut after ten starts and a 5.70 ERA. The Rockies traded away Jason Hammel, who has become Baltimore's ace, to acquire Jeremy Guthrie, who has an ERA of 7.02 and a WHIP of 1.82. Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, the 'polished' prospects extracted from Cleveland for Ubaldo Jimenez, have ERAs of 5.56 and 4.70 respectively. Josh Outman and Guillermo Moscoso, received from Oakland for Seth Smith, have been even worse, with ERAs over 7.00. Jhoulys Chacin was pitching awful enough (7.30 ERA) to warrant a demotion before he got hurt. Former first-round pick Christian Friedrich (5.60 ERA) has been just as disappointing. Jorge de la Rosa and his $10 million salary haven't left the DL yet this season. Things have gotten so desperate that Jeff Francis is back in town, and has allowed 12 runs in his first 8.2 innings. Feel-good story Juan Nicasio might be Colorado's best pitcher, and his ERA is 5.28.
With so few quality starts to help them out, the bullpen arms have worn down. So manager Jim Tracy has come up with a solution to ease the workload on his pen: Guthrie is being moved to the bullpen, and the Rockies will switch to a four-man rotation with each starter on a 75-pitch limit. The backwards decision has been universally panned, even mocked, because rational people fail to see how the bullpen will get more rest with each starter unlikely to last more than five innings every game. It's just the latest act in a comedy of errors for Rockies management.
As if things couldn't get any worse, a lot has gone wrong for the position players, too. Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is dealing with an unknown groin injury and there is no timetable for his return. The team unnecessarily spent over $30 million on Michael Cuddyer when there were obvious pitching holes to fill. Marco Scutaro has mostly been a disappointment while the left-hander they traded away for him, Franklin Morales, would've been awfully useful right about now. Todd Helton is hitting .239. There's a black hole at third base. This is the best an $80 million payroll could buy.
It might be time for serious changes in Denver. The Rockies have gotten terrible returns in trades, haven't spent their financial resources wisely, mostly lack impact talent in the minor leagues, and continue to fail at developing pitching. Despite playing in the worst division in baseball, they haven't made the playoffs since 2009 and are locked in a battle for last place with the woeful Padres in 2012. These results are unacceptable.
The Rockies have a solid offensive core in Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, emerging center fielder Dexter Fowler, the surprising Tyler Colvin, catcher Wilin Rosario, and superprospect Nolan Arenado. But with no pitching or playoff hopes to speak of this season, the Rockies should spend the summer aggressively selling every name not on that list. Unloading assets like Scutaro, Cuddyer, and some bullpen arms will save money and could bring back a valuable piece or two for the future (hopefully pitching). At this point, that's the best anyone can hope for. The 2012 Rockies were a poorly-constructed disaster, and the sooner the front office comes to term with that fact, the sooner they can go back to the drawing board for 2013.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
MLB Season Preview: Colorado Rockies
With some freakishly old veterans and freakishly talented youngsters, the Rockies figure to be an intriguing yet inconsistent team in 2012.
Offense: Two five-tool superstars in the prime of their careers anchor the lineup: Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. They both hit for power and average while playing excellent defense; health is the only thing keeping them from being perennial MVP candidates. They're surrounded by some solid veterans who can still hold their own with the bat, like Todd Helton, Marco Scutaro, Ramon Hernandez, and, yes, Jason Giambi. Free agent addition Michael Cuddyer is loving the sweet transition from Target Field to Coors. And some are expecting a breakout season from Dexter Fowler, the 26-year-old center-fielder and leadoff man. Third base is the black hole on this roster, and whoever fills that role on a nightly basis is just a placeholder for top prospect Nolan Arenado, currently tearing up the minor leagues.
Pitching: The Rockies have assembled a deep group of arms, yet none of them inspire great confidence. With Jorge de la Rosa sitting on the DL, the Opening Day starter was Jeremy Guthrie, a former Oriole (ew) who brings his flyball tendencies to the Coors launching pad (ewwww). Jamie Moyer is a nice feel-good story, but he's still a 49-year-old whose fastball wouldn't even be flagged for speeding on most interstates. The Rockies' fate will really be determined by a trio of unproven hurlers at the back of the rotation. Jhoulys Chacin has a world of potential that he hasn't been able to harness yet; Juan Nicasio has miraculously worked all the way back from last season's line drive to the head; and Drew Pomeranz is a former first-round pick acquired from Cleveland for Ubaldo Jimenez. The Rockies have a ton of other potential starting options, but none have much of a major league track record. Since there are no sure things in the rotation, the elite late-inning bullpen trio of Rafael Betancourt, Rex Brothers, and Matt Belisle will play a critical role.
Breakout Candidates: On offense, the only real candidate is Dexter Fowler, whose post-All-Star Break numbers last year were mouth-watering for a young center-fielder: a .286/.367/.415 line. He's playing every day and the Rockies need him to be a catalyzing force atop their lineup. On the mound, literally anyone not named Jamie Moyer (whose breakout was a good two decades ago) could either take a big step forward or crash and burn.
3 Key Questions: Can Tulowitzki and Gonzalez stay healthy for most of the season? Who sticks at third base? And what in the world will the Rockies get from their unpredictable rotation?
Best Case Scenario: Chacin, Nicasio, and Pomeranz pitch up to their potential, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez stay healthy and productive, Arenado is playing third by June, Cuddyer provides a third elite bat, and the Rockies steal a wild card spot.
Worst Case Scenario: The pitching gets pummeled, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez miss significant time, the veterans lose a step, and the Rockies finish below .500.
Predicted Finish: Pitching depth or no pitching depth, Colorado barely has one reliable starter. Combine this with the fact that their two superstar position players struggle to stay healthy, and fourth place in the NL West seems to be a likely destination.
| Troy Tulowitzki can hit, hit for power, field, throw, and cure certain liver diseases. |
| Remarkably, Jamie Moyer has pitched to 8.9% of all hitters who have ever played Major League Baseball. |
| Dexter's finally getting his big chance. |
3 Key Questions: Can Tulowitzki and Gonzalez stay healthy for most of the season? Who sticks at third base? And what in the world will the Rockies get from their unpredictable rotation?
Best Case Scenario: Chacin, Nicasio, and Pomeranz pitch up to their potential, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez stay healthy and productive, Arenado is playing third by June, Cuddyer provides a third elite bat, and the Rockies steal a wild card spot.
Worst Case Scenario: The pitching gets pummeled, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez miss significant time, the veterans lose a step, and the Rockies finish below .500.
Predicted Finish: Pitching depth or no pitching depth, Colorado barely has one reliable starter. Combine this with the fact that their two superstar position players struggle to stay healthy, and fourth place in the NL West seems to be a likely destination.
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