Call to the pen
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Colorado Rockies Offseason To-Do List

By Jason Burke

Aug 17, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray (55) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray (55) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 22, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Tony Cingrani throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. The Reds won 6-2. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 22, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Tony Cingrani throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. The Reds won 6-2. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /

The Bullpen

Let’s face it. The Colorado Rockies bullpen was not terribly good, finishing the season with a 5.13 ERA which was the worst in baseball. By any metric you use, the Rox had a bullpen that finished in the bottom third of baseball.

This winter there will be plenty of bullpen upgrades on the market, but seeing one of the top arms come to Colorado is a bit farfetched. While Aroldis Chapman‘s fastball velocity fits in with Jeff Bridich’s strategy of adding relievers that rely on the heater, Chapman is likely to be the most coveted free agent on the market this winter.

Instead, Boone Logan could be looking at a return to the Rockies after a productive season, but that wouldn’t necessarily constitute an upgrade in the ‘pen.

Other relievers that rely on their fastball are coveted pieces of contending team’s bullpens, or look to be big pieces of rebuilding team’s futures. Finding someone with these parameters certainly won’t be easy for Bridich and company.

Liam Hendriks of the Oakland A’s is one option that could be considered, and he wouldn’t be a free agent until after the 2019 season. Hendriks threw his mid-90s heater 75.8 percent of the time in 2016, and finished the year with a 2.85 FIP. He wouldn’t be a sexy option, but the cost of acquisition wouldn’t be terribly high either.

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Left-hander Tony Cingrani of the Reds has had back-to-back down years, posting ERAs of 5.67 and 4.14, largely due to his lack of control the past few seasons. His walk rate hasn’t been lower than 4.97 over the last three seasons, but that is something that a change of scenery and a new coach talking to you can theoretically change. It could also be that the Reds have been rebuilding for a number of years (like the Rockies), and Cingrani has at times become the focal point of the bullpen, collecting 17 saves in 2016. In Colorado he wouldn’t be that guy, and that could make a big difference. Cingrani’s average fastball hits 94.2 miles per hour and he throws it 87.3 percent of the time. Whether or not the Reds are looking to move him with another three seasons of control would be the big question here.

Daniel Hudson is set to become a free agent this winter, and while he doesn’t rely on his fastball, throwing it just 62.8 percent of the time, his velocity ranked 23rd among relievers last season. His 5.22 ERA doesn’t look good, but his 3.81 FIP in a hitter’s park like Chase Field is admirable, and his 0.6 fWAR is a solid turnout for a reliever. One concern is that his velocity was down a touch from 2015, and Hudson has had two Tommy John surgeries in the past.

The list isn’t filled with impressive names necessarily, but the big question is whether or not they can get the job done. In the next slide, we’ll take a look at another way the Rockies can help their bullpen from within.

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