The Rockies Early Off-Season Report
January 19, 2003
To this point, outside of one trade that resulted in addition by subtraction, the Colorado Rockies’ early off-season moves have been rather disappointing.
This comes after a late-season “rally-‘round-the-flag” call by the front office that they will bring back the Blake Street Bombers of old and back off of the slap hitters and speedy players to take advantage of Coors Field once again.
Well, that’s looking to be a bunch of hooey.
Let’s start at the beginning.
First of all, the players from 2002 that are no longer with Colorado are 3B Todd Zeile, RHP Sean Lowe, 2B Jose Ortiz,, C Sandy Alomar Jr., C Gary Bennett, LHP Kent Mercker, RHP Pete Harnisch, 2B Terry Shumpert, RHP Scott Elarton, and RHP Mark Corey. Every player has resigned with other teams except Lowe, Ortiz, and Elarton.
The move that was the big talk of baseball early on was the Larry Walker-for-Matt Williams debacle. What were the Rockies thinking? Trading an aging, injured, five-tool stud for an even more aged, even more injured half-a-tool waste of space? Thank God Williams wanted to stay near home in Scottsdale more than taking the trade.
And I know you have to trade something to get something, but the Rockies keep dangling youngsters Aaron Cook and Jason Young and, inexplicably, the only Colorado closer ever worth his salt, Jose Jimenez, as bait. Crazy, if you ask me.
But the Rockies’ hands are tied, after they made the only trade they could – and it wasn’t a bad trade at all. The Rockies acquired outfielder Preston Wilson, catcher Charles Johnson, pitcher Vic Darensbourg and infielder Pablo Ozuna from the Florida Marlins for pitcher Mike Hampton and outfielder Juan Pierre.
Hampton and Denny Neagle’s massive contracts have killed many of the Rockies’ trading opportunities, so the dumping of Hampton’s salary was their most important move thus far. The trade of Pierre officially signaled the end of the speed theory of recent squads, as it was becoming more obvious that Pierre was having severe trouble hitting big-league pitching.
The interesting addition is Johnson, who is viewed as a advanced-aged, hitless wonder that’s always injured. It was apparent that playing for his home town team was a bad fit as just two years ago, in a season split between Baltimore and the Chicago White Sox, Johnson hit .304 with 31 HR and 91 RBI. He’s only 31, and if there anyplace to revive a career, it’s at Coors. Solid pick-up.
The jury’s still out on Wilson. Like Johnson, Wilson had a fantastic 2000, with a .264 BA, 36 SB, 35 2B, 31 HR and 121 RBI, but he did strike out 187 times. In 2001, he cut the strikeouts down to 107 and raised his average to .274, but only stole 20 bases, hit 30 2B, 23 HR and drove in 71. Last season, his power numbers continued to suffer, while his BA dropped to .243 and his Ks rose to 140.
It would be a tremendous shock if Wilson doesn’t improve his power numbers, especially with his speed, but will his strikeout total and BA continue to suffer? It’s quite possible.
To this point, the ONLY free agent signing Colorado has made is that of IF Chris Stynes. Expected to play mostly 3B, Stynes has never been given a job full time, and in his most active seasons, he has only played adequately. To top it off, the Rockies continue talks with free agent SS/3B Jose Hernandez and with the Red Sox about 3B Shea Hillenbrand. So, the Rockies are obviously not committed to Stynes.
NEXT TIME
In the next issue, this column will update any new moves, review the Rockies’ 40-man roster, the early projected line-up and the top prospects in the Rockies’ minor-league system.
