The Colorado Rockies added some hard-throwers to their relief corps to try to construct a power bullpen. But they did not acquire a veteran starting pitcher, a need that seemed paramount at the end of the 2015 season.
Instead, the Rockies, who have not had a winning season since 2010 and in the interim have averaged 93 losses a year, including 94 last year, are pinning their rotation hopes on two starters returning from injury and continued advancement by several promising young pitchers.
In addition, over the course of a relatively quiet winter, the Rockies altered their outfield mix, injected some needed speed into their lineup and added right-handed hitting slugger Mark Reynolds, although his power seems to be waning.
The Rockies acquired left-handed reliever Jake McGee from the Tampa Bay Rays in a deal that sent outfielder Corey Dickerson to the Rays and included an exchange of minor leaguers. McGee almost exclusively uses his fastball, throws it regularly at 94-95 mph and throws it for strikes. He will end up with save opportunities and could be the closer if manager Walt Weiss opts to designate one reliever for that role.
“There’s an intent here to continue to bombard this organization with impactful pitching,” general manager Jeff Bridich said hours after the Jan. 28 trade for McGee. “And this is just simply another example of that.”
McGee, who will make $4.8 million this year, can become a free agent after the 2017 season, so the Rockies have him under control for two seasons. Dickerson is under the team’s control for four seasons, causing skeptics to wonder why the Rockies, coming off a 68-win season and not expected to contend, would make that swap. But Dickerson, who has shown the ability to hit for power and average but is below average defensively and last year was slowed by foot and rib injuries, became expendable when the Rockies signed free-agent outfielder Gerardo Parra to a three-year, $27.5 million contract.
The Rockies also added free-agent right-hander Jason Motte for two years and $10 million, another hard thrower, and right-hander Chad Qualls for two years and $6 million. Both have been closers in the past. Like McGee, Motte almost exclusively relies on a mid-90s fastball. And like McGee, Motte should get save opportunities. McGee, Motte and Qualls will strengthen the back end of the Rockies bullpen, and the Rockies’ bullpen was a strength the three years they made the playoffs as a wild-card team in 1995, 2007 and 2009.
But for this bullpen to be locking down games for a contending team, the starting pitching must improve. Jorge De La Rosa is a veteran presence and workhorse. He wouldn’t be at the front of most clubs’ rotations but is with the Rockies. Chad Bettis was impressive when the Rockies brought him up from Triple-A Albuquerque in May. He should improve with experience and is now a fixture in the rotation.
The Rockies are banking on contributions from Tyler Chatwood, who is fully recovered from his second Tommy John surgery, and Jordan Lyles, back from a season-ending toe injury. They could contribute if healthy, and so could Jon Gray, if added experience helps him gain consistency.
“We didn’t make the big acquisition,” Weiss said, “but we’re going to have some guys be a part of it that weren’t a part of last year. Some things have to line up. Some things have to fall in place. But I think we’re going to have a very competitive rotation.”
In addition to the five projected starters, others will be competing for a spot in the rotation. Eddie Butler will try to get his major league footing. Tyler Matzek seemingly has overcome the performance anxiety that ruined his 2015 season. Chris Rusin, who is out of minor-league options, was impressive at times last season. He threw two complete games at Coors Field. Jeff Hoffman, acquired from Toronto in the Troy Tulowitzki trade last season, is close to being ready for the majors.
If De La Rosa remains dependable, if Lyles and Chatwood stay healthy and if a few of the young pitchers step forward, the Rockies might surprise. But they are more likely to endure a franchise-record-tying sixth straight losing season.
Tulowitzki’s departure took away the Rockies’ player with the best on-base percentage. Dickerson was good in this area when he was healthy in 2014. But for the most part, the Rockies lack players with high on-base percentages. This can make matters difficult on the road where the Rockies often play tight, low-scoring games. But it is at home where the Rockies need to improve.
While they historically struggle on the road, the Rockies went just 36-45 last year at Coors Field, barely better than their all-time worst home record of 35-46 in 2012. Vast improvement is needed for the Rockies to have any chance of playing meaningful games late in the season.
“We actually performed relatively well on the road last year, considering our overall record,” Weiss said, referring to the team’s overall record of 68-94 and 32-49 road record. “But for some reason, the domination at home got away from us last year. We need to get back to that. We need to win 50-plus games at home to be considered a threat in our division.”
QUOTES, NOTES
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH: SS Jose Reyes, the highest paid player on the team with a $22 million salary this season, is facing a domestic violence charge for an alleged incident last October while on vacation in Hawaii. Commissioner Rob Manfred will decide on the punishment for Reyes, who could receive a lengthy suspension. That might create an opportunity for prospect Trevor Story, who finished last season at Triple-A Albuquerque where he hit .271/.324/.504 with 10 homers and 40 RBIs in 61 games. Manager Walt Weiss said he didn’t think service-time considerations would affect Story’s chances to earn playing time at shortstop. Daniel Descalso and Cristhian Adames, both versatile infielders, could fill in at shortstop if Story is not deemed ready to start the season in the big leagues.
ROOKIE WATCH: RHP Jon Gray made his major-league debut Aug. 4 and made nine starts totaling 40 2/3 innings for the Rockies, giving him a combined 155 innings at Triple-A and the majors. That was his limit, since it represented an increase of about 20 percent from 2014, when he threw 124 1/3 innings in his first full professional season. The third overall pick in the 2013 draft, Gray, 24, went 0-2 with a 5.53 ERA in his nine starts for the Rockies, with an average of 8.9 walks and 3.1 walks per nine innings and dramatic home-road splits. He was 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA in four starts on the road and 0-1 with an 8.27 ERA in five starts at Coors Field, where the learning curve for young pitchers can be brutally steep. Gray averaged 94.4 miles per hour with his fastball but needs to command the pitch better on the corners of the strike zone. His slider is an elite pitch that can reach the upper 80s and has a tight downward bite to his glove side. Gray’s changeup is improving, and he has added a curveball to give him a breaking pitch to his arm side. Gray will have to earn a spot in the rotation in spring training or open the season at Triple-A Albuquerque. The 6-foot-4 Gray has enough stuff to be a No. 2 starter in the majors but won’t reach that ceiling without sharper fastball command.
COMEBACK TRAIL: LHP Tyler Matzek is hoping to rebound from a disastrous 2015 after undergoing therapy for performance anxiety. He came into spring training hoping to build on his final six starts in 2014 when he went 4-2 with a 1.55 ERA and 14 walks and 38 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings. Matzek was in the Rockies’ Opening Day rotation last year but was optioned to Triple-A after going 2-1 in five starts with a 4.09 ERA and 19 walks, three hit batters and 15 strikeouts in 22 innings. In his final start, Matzek threw just 20 of 58 pitches for strikes in two-plus innings and gave up four runs on three hits and six walks and threw two wild pitches. He then made a horrific start for Triple-A Albuquerque that included seven walks and one hit batter while yielding seven runs in one inning. He was removed from competition for about a month before returning to pitch at short-season Class A Boise. In his third relief appearance June 24, he gave up six runs and five walks in one-third of an inning. Matzek went home to California and didn’t pitch in a game for seven weeks before returning to Albuquerque where he finished the season by making nine relief appearances with some success — a 3.48 ERA, four hits allowed in 10 1/3 innings along with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts. The 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Matzek, 25, who has plenty of stuff, will compete in spring training for a spot in the Rockies’ rotation. But mostly he needs to show he can be a competitive pitcher again, show he can avoid the big innings that were mostly his own doing last year and, in short, show he is on the way to resurrecting his career.
If he opens the season at Albuquerque, Matzek needs to pitch well there, continue to show he has put the misery of last year behind him and wait for his opportunity with the Rockies.
PLAYER NOTES:
–C Tom Murphy received an unexpected promotion to the big leagues on Sept. 11 when veteran catcher Nick Hundley suffered a season-ending neck injury. In his first big league action, Murphy hit .257 (9-for-35) with three homers and eight RBIs in 11 games. Murphy is the Rockies’ catcher of the future, but they have to decide the best course for his development: Should he open the season backing up Hundley and play a couple times a week or begin the season at Triple-A Albuquerque and play there every day for a month or two and then come to the big leagues? If the Rockies decide Murphy would be better served developmentally by playing regularly, it would open a spot for Dustin Garneau or perhaps Jackson Williams to back up Hundley until Murphy is promoted.
–RHP Tyler Chatwood plans to get a feel for a cut fastball in spring training. He is coming back from his second Tommy John surgery on July 24, 2014 — the first was when he was 16 and in high school in California — and believes a cut fastball will put less strain on his elbow than a slider. Chatwood, 26, last pitched in a big league game on April 29, 2014. He went 8-5 with a 3.15 ERA in 20 starts for the Rockies in 2013 and allowed just five home runs in 111 1/3 innings. Chatwood pitched nine innings in four September starts in the minors and got up to about 40 innings with work in the Rockies instructional-league programs in Arizona and the Dominican Republic. He has improved his changeup, a pitch he said takes some strain off his elbow. Chatwood will enter spring training vying for a spot in the rotation. The Rockies will monitor him closely and give him additional rest if needed. And they will count on Chatwood, a fierce competitor, to be honest with them and rest if he needs to.
–3B Nolan Arenado became the face of the franchise following the July trade of SS Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto. Arenado turns 25 on April 16 and plans on becoming a more vocal clubhouse leader in the wake of Tulowitzki’s departure. “There are going to be times when I’m going to need to let guys know how I feel and what we need to do,” Arenado said. “I’m going to voice my opinion.” His will certainly be a credible voice. Arenado has won a Gold Glove for his defensive play in each of his first three seasons, the first NL third baseman in major league history to do so. Arenado also became just the fifth player to win a Gold Glove in each of his first three seasons in the majors. The others are Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench (1968-1977), catcher Charles Johnson (1995-1998), outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (2001-2010) and third baseman Frank Malzone (1957-1959) of the Boston Red Sox. In addition to his usual superb defense, Arenado last year blossomed as a slugger, tying for the NL lead with 42 home runs and leading the majors with 130 RBIs. He also hit .287 with an .898 OPS.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “There will be some open competition if Jose is not here. That’s a good thing, that’s always a good thing.” — Rockies manager Walt Weiss, on the shortstop position if Jose Reyes, who is facing a domestic violence charge, is suspended by Commissioner Rob Manfred.