Walt Weiss on roster with six outfielders: ‘It’s a little unorthodox in design’

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

If the Colorado Rockies were only keeping six outfielders on their Major League roster to stall until they could make another move, say, trading Charlie Blackmon to the Detroit Tigers…they wouldn’t come out and say so, right?

As it stands now, yes, the Rockies will in fact keep six outfielders on their Opening Day roster: Blackmon, Corey Dickerson, Brandon Barnes, Drew Stubbs, and of course the duo of Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer.

While the rest of us wonder what they are possibly thinking, Walt Weiss insists the Rockies are serious about this plan. Well, he kind of insists (quotes from the Denver Post):

"We felt like all of those guys brought something that can help us win games…It’s a little unorthodox in design. I’m not sure how long we will be able to sustain it, but it gives us a lot weapons, particularly later in games.It’s up to me to keep them all involved…And these things have a way of working themselves out.”"

So the question is this: are the Rockies bluffing? Weiss even seems unsure in those comments, and he wrapped things up with a somewhat ominous “these things work themselves out.”

Some have suggested that this is simply stalling until relief pitcher Boone Logan comes off the disabled list next weekend, but that presumes that the team will already go to an eight-man bullpen within the first 10 games of the season. That seems unlikely. That would also still leave them with Charlie Culberson and Jordan Pacheco (kinda) as their only back-up infielders who can play spots other than first base. That does not seem to add up either.

Take it as you will, but for my part I don’t buy it. I think another move is coming, possibly in the short time before Opening Day, but the Rockies needed to stall as long as possible, particularly to save face in any possible trade discussions. My bet? Josh Rutledge is on this roster instead of Dickerson or Blackmon, whether because of a trade or a demotion to Triple-A, within the next week.

This Opening Day roster is a little unorthodox indeed, and I also think it is a bluff. The wonderful thing is, with Opening Day around the corner, we will all find out soon enough.