Colorado Rockies Pick Up 2015 Option For LaTroy Hawkins

LaTroy Hawkins will pitch for the Colorado Rockies once again for the 2015 season after the team picked up his option for the 2015 season on Friday night.

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It was the assumed move. Really, for all of the decisions that the Rockies face this off-season, this was the most obvious one. On Friday night, the Rockies picked up the $2.25 million option to bring back closer LaTroy Hawkins for the 2015 season.

According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com:

"The Rockies made the expected move Friday by exercising their $2.25 million option for 2015 for right-handed closer LaTroy Hawkins, who reached his 1,000th career appearance this past season and continued to pitch effectively."

Harding also notes that Hawkins, who passed 1,000 career appearances this past season, could continue to log some longevity records as he pitches in his age-42 season.

"If Hawkins’ 2014 work rate is similar next season, Hawkins has a shot to surpass Kent Tekulve, who is ninth with 1,050 games, and Mike Timlin, who’s eighth with 1,058."

All told, Hawkins was the steadiest pitcher out of the bullpen for the Rockies in 2014. The Rockies were able to limit his workload through the way they used him and by being bad at baseball (and therefore not having save opportunities). With the right approach in 2015, the Rockies can make this Hawkins’ contract look pretty darn clever.

If the Rockies were close to contention, Hawkins could be a useful reliever for them at a bargain price. Since the Rockies are not close to contention, however, they should look for every opportunity to sell high to move him to another team that can use him at a bargain price for the 2015 season.

That’s for later. For now, Hawkins is back and will be the closer for the Rockies to start the 2015 season. That is the right move.

Last season, Hawkins recorded 23 saves in 57 appearances with a 3.31 ERA.

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