Rockies Agree To 2-Year Deal With Jhoulys Chacin

This feels like a transition from tough love to showing trust in a guy. Obviously the whole tough love thing did not work out, so maybe this sign of faith will yield better results.

The Colorado Rockies agreed to a 2-year contract with starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin, good for $6.5 million (pending a physical, of course, and I suppose given the recent past in MLB, that is no mere formality).

Chacin is signed for the next two years. Image: Kyle Terada-USA Today Sports

If you look at this from Chacin’s perspective, it could go a couple different directions. On the way hand, you appreciate the gesture that the organization appreciates your hard work and dedication to get back on the field before the conclusion of the 2012 season. On the other hand, you might think about it this way: the Rockies have arguably the worst starting pitching in all of baseball. Besides the fact that they need to add better arms, they need to lock down any good pitching they have. But being the best pitcher on the Rockies, the one worthy of an extension, isn’t much of a compliment, is it? Is that like being the best defender on the Los Angeles Lakers? Is that like being the most experienced player on the Houston Astros? Is that like being the MVP of the Pro Bowl? The bar is pretty low, right?

The Rockies will depend on Chacin and their hopes that he will improve his mindset going into 2013. We can go on and on about how it isn’t fair to expect Chacin or Jorge De La Rosa to return from injury and “save” this abysmal rotation, but we can also recognize the fact that somebody needs to step up. Somebody needs to shoulder a bigger load and be a leader for the rest of the unpredictable starting rotation.

Hopefully Chacin takes this contract and uses it as a springboard into that role.