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Trade Candidate: Bullpen Righties

By BobDeMuro |

Aug 24, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins (32) prepares to throw in the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field. The Rockies defeated the Marlins 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

As the season begins, we are profiling some potential trade candidates the Rockies may be able to move this summer. Today’s focus: the bullpen righties, namely, John Axford, Rafael Betancourt and LaTroy Hawkins.

The Rockies bullpen has rarely been a strength of the team in years where they haven’t made the playoffs, and yet this year, while the assorted arms may not be anything impressive relative to the rest of the league, the club does have depth in the pen.

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John Axford, Rafael Betancourt, and LaTroy Hawkins would theoretically be the leaders of the bullpen.

Adam Ottavino is an important set-up man (who absolutely should not be traded), and Brooks Brown, Tommy Kahnle, and Jairo Diaz are other bullpen righties who could make an impact this season.

Let’s take a look at those first three – Axford, Betancourt, and Hawkins – as we think about the trade market for a late innings reliever this summer.

The contracts.

Hawkins has already announced this will be his final year in professional baseball. He just turned 42 years old, and has exactly 1,000 career big league appearances to his name. He’s making $2.25 million this season, and will be a free agent after the year (though, likely won’t be playing in 2016).

Betancourt signed a one-year minimum deal with the Rockies after being injured all of last season when most believed he wouldn’t return, and will turn 40 during the year. Unlike Hawkins, he hasn’t said how much longer he might play, but his age and return from injury are noteworthy.

Axford’s contract was purchased by the Rockies from the minor leagues at the very start of Spring Training, and he will be a free agent at the end of the year. He just turned 32 on the 1st, and has six years of big league experience.

May 7, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Rafael Betancourt (63) greets catcher Yorvit Torrealba (8) after the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Coors Field. The Rockies won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The histories.

Hawkins has played forever, but interestingly, he’s only been traded once. On May 28, 2005, the Cubs traded him to the Giants for David Aardsma and Jerome Williams.

Hawkins came to the Rockies first in 2007 for the World Series run, and then returned last year on a two-year deal.

Betancourt debuted with the Cleveland Indians in 2003 and has always functioned as a quality set up man until the Rockies finally made him their closer full-time in 2012. He has 635 big league appearances to his name, and a measly 1.091 career WHIP and 2.1 career BB/9.

He was also part of a trade deadline deal on July 23, 2009, when the Indians shipped him to Colorado for a minor leaguer.

Axford has earned and lost closer’s roles in Milwaukee and Cleveland, and has been traded before. The Brewers traded him in late August, 2013, to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Indians placed him on waivers in August, 2014, where he was claimed by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The tenure.

Hawkins was a set up man for the Rockies in 2007 and had a decent season across 62 games that year, but only struck out 29 in 55.1 innings pitched. Then, last season, he became the closer and saved 23 games while going 4-3 with a 3.31 ERA (3.39 FIP) and just a 1.196 WHIP.

Betancourt has flourished since joining the Rockies in 2009 and had become a dominant and consistent closer until getting injured in 2013. He was missed greatly last season, but should be back to help the Rockies with late innings in 2015.

Axford is new to the Rockies this season, but he does own 116 career saves across 6 seasons. Unfortunately, his career WHIP is 1.346 and he walks 4.4 batters per nine innings across his career, but he also has struck out 10.7 hitters per nine innings, so he can miss bats.

Jul 29, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians relief pitcher John Axford (44) delivers in the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The angle.

Hawkins has said he will retire after the season is over, so obviously nobody expects too much long-term from him. And he may not want to be traded, desiring instead to play out his final season in Denver with the club regardless of how well the team does this year.

But, relievers make great rent-a-players for a playoff push, and perhaps Hawkins will get the desire to pitch in the postseason.

Hawkins has thrown in the postseason in 2002, 2007 and 2011, his only World Series appearance coming with the Rockies during their magical run.

Betancourt’s angle is similar to Hawkins; a veteran reliever who can help a team with a playoff push. He’ll throw lots of strikes and be dependable and consistent in the bullpen and would be attractive to quite a few clubs.

Axford, on a one-year deal and younger than the other two, may be the most valuable trade piece in July, depending on how he throws the ball the next few months.

The Rockies are his fifth different organization since August 2013, so obviously, teams aren’t averse to moving him around.

The replacement.

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Well obviously, the Rockies would only trade one of these guys, and not all three, of course.

All three have experience at the big league level closing games, so you’d assume one could step into the role to maintain consistency in another’s place.

In addition to that, Brooks Brown, Tommy Kahnle, and Jairo Diaz are all hard-throwing right-handers waiting in the wings who won’t open the season with the club, so they should be able to fill in depth slots in the bullpen admirably (well, Brown and Kahnle, at least; Diaz is less experienced and more of a project).

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