MLB: Assessing the NL West GMs at the midway point
By Bill Felber
Colorado Rockies, Jeff Bridich and Bill Schmidt, -0.4
The Rockies made an unusual mid-course adjustment to their 2021 leadership team in April when Bridich was removed as GM, probably due to fallout from the winter’s trade of Nolan Arenado and all the unhappiness associated with that deal.
Schmidt, who was the team’s scouting director, was named to replace him – at least for this season – and will be the man pulling the trade deadline trigger on the future of shortstop Trevor Story, probably among others.
To this point of the MLB season, however, most of the front office impact on the team accrues to Bridich, the bulk of it through the Arenado trade. In St. Louis, Arenado (+1.5) has to date delivered 17 home runs and an .831 OPS.
The Rockies’ returns on that deal, principally pitcher Austin Gomber, measure out at +0.4, all of it accruing to Gomber’s 6-5 record and 3.68 ERA. So to this stage, the deal is a -1.1 short-term negative impact on Colorado.
The Rockies, obviously, are looking for better long-term returns down the road…but then that could be said of all of us.
Aside from solving the Arenado problem, Bridich’s big off-season focus was on solving Colorado’s perennial pitching problem, which he tried to do by re-signing veteran arms with a Colorado background. Chi Chi Rodriguez was released and then re-signed two days later, presumably at the bargain rate of $1.1 million.
Jhoulys Chacin, who got his start with Colorado, returned at age 33 for a second go. That reliance on veterans has not necessarily worked out. Between them, Chacin and Gonzalez are 3-5 with ERAs in the fives. Measured in WAA, their combined impact is -1.2 games.
Catcher Dom Nunez has been the big Rockies prospect to make a mark, basically splitting time behind the plate with veteran Elias Diaz. But the learning curve has been high to date. Nunez (-0.9) is batting just .174 with a .637 OPS.