Wilin Rosario: The Rockies are bluffing, probably

Wilin Rosario is the main person of interest for the Colorado Rockies this off-season when it comes the rumors and speculation. Is the team serious about keeping him, or are they bluffing?

At the Winter Meetings, the main subject for the Rockies was their efforts to try and find a trade for slugging catcher Wilin Rosario. Those efforts fell short.

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In the weeks since, there have increasingly been grumblings that the Rockies are serious about keeping Rosario. In order to do so, the team would have to carry three catchers and likely take a look at using Rosario at first base from time to time.

There are plenty of reasons to talk yourself into the idea that the Rockies should keep Rosario to start 2015…if that is something they are serious about doing. Ask Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, however, and he’s not buying it.

From Saunders’s column this weekend:

"The Rockies were involved in significant trade talks with the Texas Rangers regarding catcher Wilin Rosario. A trade didn’t materialize, and now Bridich is talking about keeping three catchers — Rosario, Hundley and Michael McKenry.Bridich said using Rosario more at first base is a real possibility. Sorry, I’m not buying that……Can you imagine Troy Tulowitzki and Nolan Arenado chancing off-balance throws with Rosario manning first base? Me neither.I think the Rockies will keep hunting for an AL trade partner for Rosario."

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If the Rockies are serious about trading Rosario, they are wise to pretend they want to keep him. If they are feeling a sense of urgency to get rid of the 25-year-old catcher because he does not fit on their roster, they wouldn’t want other teams to sense that desperation.

One could hope that the Rockies want to trade Rosario but understand the importance of maintaining his value in the public eye by saying that they plan to keep him. The importance of rumors and speculation in the media might be overstated, but given the thirst for scoops and rumors these days, Jeff Bridich and the Colorado front office still need to know how to play the game.

It would certainly be refreshing to learn that the Rockies understand the importance of saying one thing and meaning another in terms of their leverage in a trade for Wilin Rosario.

The lesson here, of course, is to never believe what you hear from Major League Baseball executives. Either that, or never play poker with Patrick Saunders.

Next: Rockies in on James Shields?