Let's Grade The Rockies' 2022 Offseason (So Far)
In today's issue, we recap the moves that the Colorado Rockies have made since the 2022 season ended and look ahead at the roster holes they still need to fill.
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Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
. . . Aside from all of their player transactions thus far, the Rockies have been busy dealing with several pieces of animal-related news this offseason. On Dec. 12, they introduced us to some new furry friends that had infiltrated Coors Field, which were immediately dubbed “the Coors Field Foxes.”
. . . The Rockies’ graphics department soon got busy, creating some custom phone wallpapers for those who had already taken a liking to the new residents.
. . . No sooner had social media had a field day over the Coors Field Foxes than there was some sad news for Colorado’s Twitter team to report: Petey the Donkey, a “regular visitor at Coors Field,” had passed on. But sometimes, when one animal door closes, another one opens.
Leading Off
Grading The Colorado Rockies’ Offseason (So Far)
Are the Rockies improving in the offseason?
By Renee Dechert
Let me begin by ceding a few points:
The Colorado Rockies are the weirdest team in baseball (e.g., the Nolan Arenado trade, the Kris Bryant signing, and whatever is going on with playing baseball at elevation).
Questions surround owner Dick Monfort’s decision to promote scouting director Bill Schmidt to general manager after Jeff Bridich left the organization.
The Rockies have not been good since 2018.
These days, however, the Rockies’ fortunes are looking up a bit. Their farm system is now in the Baseball America and MLB Pipeline top ten lists, and Schmidt is beginning to show that his approach will be different from that of his predecessor.
In his final media availability of the 2022 season, he outlined the team’s biggest problems:
Substandard defense
Poor situational hitting
Injuries
It seems only fair, then, to consider the criteria Schmidt has set as a component of any evaluation of the Rockies’ offseason so far. He told reporters that the Rockies would be looking for
A leadoff hitter
A left-handed hitter
A center fielder (perhaps the same player)
More pitching
In addition, at the Winter Meetings, Schmidt made clear that the Rockies are looking forward to contributions from their younger players.
"We like some of the young kids coming," Schmidt said. "We are not looking to block our young guys."
With these criteria in mind, consider what the Rockies have done so far.
Played Well With Others
In 2022, the Rockies, a notoriously insular organization, finally made some trades. For a mid-market team playing at elevation, signing free agents, especially pitchers, can be a challenge, so making trades for controllable players is a cost-effective and realistic route for improvement. (Plus, the Rockies’ history with big free agent signings is dismal.)
This year, they traded Raimel Tapia to Toronto for Randal Grichuk, which has little bearing on this offseason but served as an early signal that they were ready to make some deals. This offseason, the Rockies have traded with the Athletics, Braves, Guardians, and Pirates — and they are probably not done.
Given the constraints under which the Rockies play, having a working relationship with other teams is a positive move.
Tightened Up The 26-Man Roster
In 2022, the Rockies had one of the worst offenses in baseball with an 86 wRC+, 26th in MLB. One clear offseason need to was move players who struggled in Colorado, and so far, the Rockies have done that.
Sam Hilliard was traded to Atlanta for right-hander Dylan Spain -- in fact, it was the first trade of the season, a reversal. Hilliard was never able to realize his potential with the Rockies (career OPS+ of 82). For a Rockies team desperate for power and pitching, this is a good move.
Garrett Hampson was non-tendered. The versatile utility player never found his offensive groove (career wRC+ of 64).
Connor Joe got off to a hot start (114 OPS+) in 2022 that faded after the All-Star break (35 OPS+). Last week, the Rockies traded this fan favorite to Pittsburgh for Minor League pitcher Nick Garcia.
Acquired More Pitching
The Rockies have been aggressive in trying to shore up their pitching. First, they re-signed José Ureña (one year for $3.5 million with a club option), who joined the Rockies during the 2022 season. The Rockies like his ability to generate ground balls at a career 47.8 percent rate, and he seems less bothered by the Coors Effect.
Second, after losing reliever Carlos Estévez to the Angels in free agency, the need to add to the bullpen became acute. So far, they have signed contracts with Tyler Kinley (three years for $6.25 million with a club option) and Dinelson Lamet (one year for $5 million).
In addition, the Rockies claimed Brent Suter off waivers from the Brewers and signed Colorado native Pierce Johnson. The Rockies also bolstered the weak pitching in their MiLB system by trading for Jeff Criswell (Athletics), Dylan Spain (Braves), and Nick Garcia (Pirates).
Add to that a number of MiLB contracts signed by pitchers with MLB experience, including Matt Koch, Phillips Valdez, TJ Zeuch, and Matt Carasiti, and they acquired two pitchers in the Rule 5 Draft.
Added New Personnel
They’ve brought on a new hitting coach, Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens (previously with the Yankees) and a new third base and infield coach, Warren Schaeffer. Moreover, they promoted Brian Jones to analytics director. (Schmidt said in September that the Rockies intended to add to their analytics department, but additional changes are unknown.)
Addressed Their Situational Hitting Issues
In these areas, the Rockies have been less effective. Although they were rumored to be interested in Cody Bellinger and Brandon Nimmo, both players signed elsewhere.
They have traded for Nolan Jones, a lefty third baseman/outfielder with the potential to provide some power to a lackluster Rockies offense. In other positive news, Randal Grichuk, who had the highest ground-ball percentage of his career in 2022, is working with a new hitting coach. However, the Rockies cannot stop there and simply hope for a healthy Bryant. They still need to address situational hitting issues.
Closing Thoughts
The Rockies are surely not done. They have two open spots on their 40-man roster and some history with signing players who appear to be at the end of their careers but have a couple of years left (e.g., Daniel Bard and C.J. Cron).
This has not been a sexy offseason for the Rockies. There will be no Bryant-like signing -- and that’s good. The moves they have made so far are consistent with “letting the kids play.”
Plus, the Rockies’ window is beginning to open, so the focus should be on taking inventory, getting finances in order, and planning 2024 moves.
Mid-offseason grade: B
Renee Dechert writes about baseball, mostly the Colorado Rockies, for Purple Row and Call to the Pen. Contact her at @ReneeDechert (Twitter) and@ReneeDechert@masto.ai (Mastodon).