Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
Good day, Patrick. The second half of this season has been encouraging due to the development of the starting pitching staff and younger position players. If the Rockies add a reliable closer and add a power bat to the outfield, could they be in contention for a playoff berth? Who will replace C.J. Cron at first base and Trevor Story at shortstop? Thank you.
— Robert Emmerling, Limon
Robert, first of all, thanks for all of your questions this season, and for your interaction on Twitter. It is much appreciated.
Your query this week covers the Rockies’ situation in a nutshell. It’s certainly possible that the Rockies could be a wild-card team next season, though I don’t think are they a legitimate candidate to win the National League West. But to sniff the playoff, the Rockies need to beef up their bullpen and add punch to the offense. That’s no secret.
Finding a new closer — unless the Rockies believe Carlos Estevez is the answer — won’t be easy. I don’t see a ton of quality relievers coming on the market.
Right-hander Trevor Rosenthal was supposed to be Oakland’s closer but he underwent thoracic outlet surgery and then surgery to repair a torn hip and missed almost all of 2021. He might be available for a reasonable cost, but what does he have left to give?
The same question will be asked about Padres’ right-hander Marc Melancon. He’s been excellent for San Diego this year after bouncing around with a number of organizations. He got a one-year, $3 million deal with a mutual option for the 2022 season.
The four-time all-star (including this year) is 37 and he’s a different pitcher than he was in his prime, but he might be even more effective with his off-speed pitches and cut fastball. His 37 saves lead the National League and he has a 2.26 ERA. Would the product of Golden High School consider pitching for his hometown team? Perhaps.
As for Story, everything I’ve been told is that he’ll soon be gone and won’t be coming back. I wrote about the likely end of Story’s Rockies career in Sunday’s Denver Post. The Rockies have not reached out to Story’s agent to open the door about Story staying in Colorado. As it stands now, Brendan Rodgers is penciled in to replace Story at short. That move is not etched in stone.
I believe Cron will return on a two-year deal. He likes his teammates and likes Colorado. And as good as he’s been this year, he’s also been very streaky. After being named NL player of the month for August, Cron has slumped in September, slashing .196/.270/.357.
Plus, his home-road splits are extreme: .315/.409/.670 with 18 homers and a 1.080 OPS at Coors Field vs. .226/.327/.389 with nine homers and a .716 on the road.
Patrick, do you think either Colton Welker or Ryan Vilade will have a significant role with the team next year? I think if we’re going to have any chance at success, we have to give a youth movement a try. Charlie Blackmon isn’t getting any younger and if C.J. Cron gets a payday elsewhere, I can’t see him re-signing with us.
— Miles, Denver
Miles, I addressed C.J. Cron in the previous question, saying that I do think he’ll return.
As for your question regarding Welker and Vilade, so much depends on what moves the Rockies make in the offseason. I think they will attempt to sign a power bat for the outfield, allowing Blackmon to split time between designated hitter and right field. Also, the Rockies would love Sam Hilliard to be their starting center fielder, but the jury is still out on whether he can cut down on his strikeouts to be an everyday player.
I think Welker has a better chance to make the major-league club out of spring training next year than Vilade because I think he’s a more accomplished hitter than Vilade.
So, Patrick, who’s our closer next season? Daniel Bard is done and Estevez seems OK in the role. Do you see someone like Justin Lawrence, Lucas Gilbreath or Jordan Sheffield possibly taking over next year? I don’t see us catching fire and lucking out on another Greg Holland in free agency.
— Billy M., Fort Collins
Billy, I touched on the closer situation closer in a previous question. I do think it’s too early to give up on Estevez as the closer but it would behoove the Rockies to bring in a quality reliever to compete for the job and add depth to the ‘pen.
I disagree with you that “Bard is done.” His stuff is still excellent and he needs to work on harnessing the movement on his slider and fastball, but he still throws a 97-100 mph fastball. He reminds me a lot of Adam Ottavino — meaning he tends to run hot and cold.
I’ve been very impressed with Gilbreath and Sheffield of late, but neither of them profiles as a closer. Gilbreath could well be the left specialist the Rockies have needed for quite some time.
Love your work Patrick, how do you feel Rockies faithful will react when Dick Monfort stays in-house and hires Bill Schmidt as the permanent general manager?
— Mick, LoDo
Mick, as I’ve mentioned before, Major League Baseball will require the Rockies to conduct a search, but from everything I have been told by people in the organization, Schmidt will get the job.
I imagine that a lot of fans will be upset. Keeping the status quo in the front office is a Rockies’ trademark and fans are tired of it, even though GM Jeff Bridich and assistant GMs Zach Wilson and Jon Weil left this season.
I have nothing against Schmidt. He’s a good baseball man and many inside and outside of the organization like and respect him. But I hope the Rockies will be aggressive this offseason. They need to add position talent to take advantage of a solid starting rotation.
Schmidt might have a very ambitious plan in place, but he needs to get a green light and money from team president Greg Feasel and Monfort to make something happen. We’ll see. Color me skeptical. It promises to be a very interesting offseason.
Why is your Rockies Mailbag not sponsored by Subaru? All of the quotas they require during a game broadcast — super-mo and strike zone — has me thinking you could retire early.
— KB, Aurora
KB, that’s awesome. You made me laugh. I’ve got to admit that I feel for Jeff Huson and Ryan Spilborghs for having to jam all of those mini-ads into the replays. It is annoying, but it’s part of baseball’s “Moneyball.” In-game adds are nothing new, of course. They have been part of TV and radio broadcasts forever.
I’ll tell you what really bugs me: the non-stop advertisement for bets on baseball and the NFL. I cringe every time I hear the blonde woman shout, “And MAKE IT RAIN!”
I follow all the Rockies’ minor league teams online and have noted that their No. 1 draft pick has not appeared anywhere. Have they signed him, and if so, why hasn’t he got some experience?
— Jim, Denver
Jim, you’re talking about outfielder Benny Montgomery, whom the Rockies drafted with the eighth pick in July’s draft. Soon after the draft, he signed a $5 million bonus and was Scottsdale, Ariz. to play in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League.
“He’s the total package,” interim GM Bill Schmidt said. “The athleticism, with the size and strength and speed combination, those things are hard to find, to come together.”
ACL Rockies manager Jake Opitz, who previously helmed the Grand Junction Rockies before MiLB’s restructuring, was even more effusive with his praise.
“He’s got every tool you can imagine,” Opitz recently told my colleague, Kyle Newman. “He’s strong, he’s one of the fastest guys down here, he’s got one of the best arms I’ve seen. The toolset is the best I’ve seen on an 18-year-old in my time doing this, and what he’s coming in with is off-the-charts.”
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
