Colorado Rockies: Lack of moves in 2014 will hurt new GM Jeff Bridich

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Keeping Justin Morneau

Understand the caveat here: if Michael Cuddyer had stayed healthy while playing out the final year of his contract, he would have been the guy to trade. But because of Cuddy’s injuries, and because of Colorado’s apparent desire to bring the lovable veteran back this off-season in the right situation, it was a mistake to keep Morneau.

The Rockies had two valuable veteran players who play first base in Morneau and Cuddyer. When he doesn’t play first base, Cuddyer plugs up a spot in the outfield and blocks playing time for Corey Dickerson. The correct use of those resources would have been to keep one and trade the other. If the Rockies had traded Morneau this summer, it would have been the absolute definition of selling high.

Instead the Rockies did nothing, and now their choices are to let Cuddyer walk for nothing or to re-sign him even though there is no fit for him on the roster. Nobody will complain about having Morneau at first base next season, but the Rockies still mismanaged this situation. I’m sure Bridich will not enjoy sitting and watched as a proven right-handed bat walks out the door for nothing in return.

Possible solution: trade Morneau anyway and sign Cuddyer to be your full-time first baseman. There are two risks: that you get less for Morneau outside the heat of the sellers’ market that characterized this year’s deadline, and that Cuddyer ends up signing elsewhere. The Rockies could have avoided having to juggle these two moves at once this winter by addressing it mid-season. To not do so was a mistake.