Colorado Rockies Poll: Was This The Right Way To Get Rid Of Drew Stubbs?

Apr 23, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies center fielder D. Stubbs (13) during the game against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies have designated the struggling outfielder for assignment… but is this the right move, at the right time, for the club to part ways with the expensive player?

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On Wednesday afternoon, the Colorado Rockies designated Drew Stubbs for assignment and called up Matt McBride from AAA Albuquerque, the club announced.

This is an interesting move for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is Stubbs’ expensive contract and the likelihood the Rockies are going to have to eat the rest of the season’s payments (though, by now, it’s only about seven weeks’ left worth of cash).

Stubbs had turned it around in the last 30 days, slashing .324/.378/.441 while primarily pinch-hitting, and slugging two doubles and a triple in 34 at-bats.

But, considering the money he was going to be making ($5.8 million this year), that’s a pretty expensive for a pinch-hitter who isn’t going to have an opportunity with the club next year; why not call up McBride instead, and try to figure out what you’ve got in the catcher-first baseman-outfielder?

That’s exactly what the Rockies are going to do with the Lehigh University product, acquired in the Ubaldo Jimenez deal. McBride had been hitting .328/.380/.549 in 78 minor league games this season, with 30 doubles, a triple, 12 home runs, and 23 walks in 308 at-bats.

I’m all for McBride getting a shot now, but Stubbs being DFA’d is a little bizarre considering the timing. Here’s a great piece written by this site’s former editor from 54 weeks ago — it’s incredible how well it holds up even today.

Anyways, in light of all this… did the Rockies do the right thing DFA’ing Stubbs now? Should they have just held on to him (sunk cost, and all), should they have traded him last year (hindsight is 20/20), or should they have tried to move him to a contender this year, even if they had gotten very little in return?

Vote here:

As always, you guys and gals can tweet me your responses and we can debate the end of the Drew Stubbs era in Denver: @RoxPileFS, or @BobbyDeMuro.

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