The Colorado Rockies are a mess. From their handling of Nolan Arenado in the previous offseason, to their refusal to make any deals whatsoever at the trade deadline, and to their insistence of promoting from within, the Rockies have become a bit of a punchline.
Add in their place in the NL West and it is difficult to see the Rockies contending any time soon. Nonetheless, ownership refuses to acknowledge reality, insisting that they can contend with just a few minor moves. That is especially confusing considering that their best player, Trevor Story, is literally counting down the hours until free agency and he can leave the organization behind.
Three things the Colorado Rockies need to do this offseason
The Rockies have already been busy. Although the offseason has yet to begin, they have extended both C.J. Cron and Antonio Senzatela. At least they are making an attempt, even if that involves just keeping the same players they had.
The Colorado Rockies are in a difficult place this offseason. Let’s take a look at three things the organization should do.
Wake up and face reality
Ownership is going to regard the Colorado Rockies’ fourth place finish in 2021 as a disappointment. In reality, the Rockies were lucky to finish that high in the standings.
It is understandable that every owner wants to contend. No one enjoys losing, especially when that involves losing long enough to rebuild the franchise from the ground up. But that is exactly what the Rockies may need to do.
Not only is there a dearth of talent on the roster, but the Rockies also play in one of the more difficult divisions in the majors. The Giants won a major league best 107 games. The Dodgers were a game behind San Francisco, and have proven that they will spend anything they need to in order to compete. San Diego has attempted to emulate the Dodgers’ free spending ways, and with Bob Melvin on the bench, they may be able to finally return to the postseason.
Where does this leave the Rockies? In all likelihood, fighting for fourth in the division once more. But that will only happen if they catch a few breaks and the Diamondbacks implode again. The reality is that this is a flawed team in a tough division. The sooner that ownership figures that out, the sooner the Rockies can start to rebuild.