Colorado Rockies Looking to Add a Starter
By Aaron Somers
Colorado had the worst staff ERA in the National League last season. Jhoulys Chacin hopes to help lead a turnaround this season. (Image Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports)
Pitching in Coors Field is something the Colorado Rockies still haven’t been able to truly solve, leading the team to continue to experiment and tinker with their starting rotation makeup to find a solution that works. Offensively the team has built a strong lineup, but there simply isn’t enough pitching to help bring the team back into contention. In an effort to help fortify what was the National League’s worst pitching staff in 2012 – with a staff ERA of 5.49, more than a run worse than the next team on the list – it would appear, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, that the Rockies may pursue adding another starting option and they could look to use their depth in order to facilitate a deal.
Colorado heads into the 2013 season with a group of starting pitchers that includes Jhoulys Chacin, Jeff Francis, Jorge De La Rosa, Drew Pomeranz, and Juan Nicasio. They also have Tyler Chatwood, Christian Friedrich, and Rule 5 Draftee Daniel Rosenbaum as additional options.
Despite having what some would perceive as ample options, Rosenthal suggests that sources have told him the team is searching for someone capable of throwing 150-170 innings with an ERA between 4.50 and 4.75 – a Josh Fogg type.
Positional depth is certainly an area of strength for the Rockies right now. The team arguably has tradable assets at almost every position. Behind the plate there are certainly options when you look at the four catchers that the team has in camp. Wilin Rosario, Ramon Hernandez, and Jordan Pacheco are already on the 40-man roster. Yorvit Torrealba is a non-roster invitee. Hernandez and his $3.2 Million salary is likely the option that the team would most like to deal, but he likely wouldn’t be the first choice of any team that engages the Rockies in talks.
Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors speculated that the Los Angeles Dodgers could be a fit, given their abundance of pitching and the likely availability of Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano. The Dodgers will head into the season with A.J. Ellis and Tim Federowicz behind the plate and there might be a match if the teams were comfortable dealing within the division.