Colorado Rockies Off Season Report

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Season Wrap Up

Like most of the NL West, the Rockies had a disappointing 2008 season going 74 and 88 after being in the World Series the previous October. On top of that, they lost second year SS Troy Tulowitzki to injury for a big part of the year, missing 61 games and 1B Todd Helton missed half the season. Unfortunately for Rox fans, 2009 doesn’t look much better after trading away All Star LF Matt Holliday to Oakland.

Holes to Fill

The bat of Holliday will need to be filled and it may not happen from any one player unless they sign Manny Ramirez and that hasn’t even been mentioned in the rumor mills as far as I can tell. They will also need to fill a hole in the OF after the signing of Taveras by the Reds. Both the infield and the bullpen look to be in better shape after the trade and a few new aquisitions.

Free Agents

The Rox have 8 players in free agency this off season. They are: RP Brian Fuentes (33, type A Free Agent) has just signed with the Los Angelas Angels of Anaheim for 2 years at $17,5K; RP Matt Herges (38); SP Livan Hernandez (33); 2B Jon Herrera (24); C Adam Melhuse (36); CF Scott Podsednik (32); RP Glendon Rusch (34); CF Willy Taveras (26) signed with Cincinnati for 2 years at $6,250K. Of those remaining unsigned, they should try to retain Herges, Melhuse and Podsednik. The rest they can afford to let go.

The Outlook

If healthy, they should have no problem improving upon their 74 wins last year, but they will probably fall short of the playoffs once again without the bat of a player like Holliday even with an improved bullpen from a year ago. The rotation could still use help, but it isn’t terrible either. I’m just not sure that it’s Coors field proof. It will probably take them 3/4 years before they recover from loosing Holliday and become a post-season threat once again.

Off Season Moves Made So Far
The Rox acquired RHP Huston Street, LHP Greg Smith and OF Carlos Gonzalez from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for OF Matt Holliday in November. Not enough if you ask me. Then in December, they signed LHP Alan Embree to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2010, re-signed INF Jonathan Herrera to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training after previously non-tendering him earlier in the month.