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Initial Colorado Rockies’ On-Field Reactions To The Troy Tulowitzki Trade

By Bobby DeMuro

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Jul 24, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop T. Tulowitzki (2) fields the ball in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies just got immediately worse on-field after trading a superstar, but what do we really know about the trade, and what should we think about its potential?

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The Colorado Rockies made the trade of the year across all of Major League Baseball on Monday night, and it’ll matter for quite a while around the league. Most immediately, it’ll matter for the Toronto Blue Jays, who are trying to make the playoffs and possibly go all the way with an amazing offense — and yet, still very little pitching.

For the Colorado Rockies though, the trade matters for very different reasons. And while it’s not fair to judge a trade right now on its merits (baseball and, say, basketball are very different with the pace of trade evaluations, so we can’t be making ridiculous snap judgments immediately), it is still important to start to look at the pieces on the field, and how they impact the Rockies in the broadest sense.

I’ll have a lot more tomorrow about the prospects and minor leaguers specifically, but very broadly speaking, know this: both Miguel Castro and Jeff Hoffman throw very, very hard, and they are very highly ranked prospects for the Blue Jays specifically, and across Major League Baseball generally.

The fact that the Colorado Rockies sought out at least two big time power-arm pitching prospects should tell you one thing: they are looking for a very specific kind of pitcher to succeed at Coors Field. These two fit into roughly the same mold as current AAA starter and top prospect Jon Gray, and sort of with big leaguer Eddie Butler. (Sure, Butler is a sinker-ball pitcher, but when you throw that sinker 96 mph, you’re kind of in the power arm class, too.)

At shortstop, the Colorado Rockies lost the very best one in the game, and Troy Tulowitzki cannot be replaced and will no be replaced by anyone in, likely, the next decade or two. He’s a special player. Jose Reyes is not that player, and you should not expect him to be that player.

But Reyes is a very good player, with four All-Star Games, a Silver Slugger, and a batting title (2011 — more recent that the one Carlos Gonzalez won!) under his belt. He’s slashing .285/.322/.385 this season with 17 doubles and 16 stolen bases, he doesn’t strike out very much (38 in 311 plate appearances), and he switch hits. Not a bad deal. Again, no Tulo, but he’s a big-time Major League veteran with chops.

The Rockies could pair him in another trade this week (though I’ve argued against that), but whatever the case, he’s a more than capable starting shortstop in the big leagues. Plus — I know, I know, this isn’t “on the field” analysis — he’s going to save the Rockies at least $50 million on his contract versus Tulowitzki’s, and yes, that’s $50 million the Rockies could use to lock up Nolan Arenado.

Beyond Reyes, beyond even Hoffman and Castro, the biggest on-field takeaway from the trade is this: the Colorado Rockies are fundamentally re-starting under Jeff Bridich, and they are getting younger, quicker. They might pull a Houston Astros and lose 100 games for the next year or two. They might strike lightning in a bottle with a ton of prospects and be more competitive far faster than they anticipated.

But they’re finally playing for “win tomorrow” mode, and whether tomorrow is 2016, 2017, or 2018, they are finally putting the chips together to actually be able to legitimately contend one, two, and three years from now. And if things go the way they should, the 2017 Colorado Rockies may be contending for several more years after that.

It’s a nice thought, and results speak louder than hopes and dreams, but that’s the path. Jeff Bridich is starting to make this team his own. Now, it’s time to shed Carlos Gonzalez for more prospects and really go full-rebuild. If you’re going to suck, suck. Suck bad. Suck in 2015, suck in 2016, and be around in 2017 surprising people with great young talent. Tulo’s trade is a line in that direction, and the Colorado Rockies ought to keep walking the path.

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