Jeff Bridich: Trade Deadline Thoughts and Postseason Talk

1 of 2

Aug 2, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez (5) celebrates with first baseman Mark Reynolds (12) and third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) following the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

With the Major League Baseball trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, Colorado Rockies senior vice president and general manager Jeff Bridich sat down with the media to talk about how the Rockies approached the deadline.

During the gathering, Bridich talked not only about some of his thoughts regarding Colorado’s decision to stay put at the deadline, but also about the season-ending injury to Trevor Story, the promotion of David Dahl, and what he thinks about his team’s chances at the postseason.

With the Rockies in the chase for a Wild Card spot, Bridich was asked if he thought his team could make it to postseason play. His response? “Why not?”

Check out these thoughts from Jeff Bridich…

On how this team has responded after the All-Star break…

I said prior to the break, I believed this team was better than our record at that time. I think we were eight or nine games under. It felt like this team hadn’t really played its best baseball together as a group. I felt like on paper and with the talent that we had, and we still have, we should have a better record. We should be competing and winning more games.

More from Rox Pile

And they’ve went out and done that. (At the break) We rested well and we came out ready to play. We could have swept very easily in Baltimore and New York (Mets).

Our starting pitching that we’ve had has been some of the best in the recent history of this organization. What are we, second in scoring in the entire league now? It’s really about putting all of that stuff together with a solid defense. It’s a credit to the group to come out and do that and not to just say we want to do it.

How important was it for the front office to send the message of not being a seller at the deadline?

You’d have to ask the players if it sent any message or not. We set out to do our jobs as a front office like we did last year … to understand the trade market. Last year was a little bit different. This year, there was more attention paid to the buyer’s side of the market than there was last year. We try to do that every year because you really want to know where a deal is going to come up or a concept or idea that you think that might help the club in the near future or down the road.

So it’s our job to understand what’s going on. If there was a message sent, great. I think it’s consistent in the fact that we believe in this group. I think it’s consistent in the fact that, whatever the situation we have at the trade deadline, part of the job is effectively understanding the organization. Not just everybody else’s organization and their hopes and desires but effectively understanding what we already have here. That was part of the process in terms of David Dahl coming up and doing what he’s done. Providing some spark. (Gerardo) Parra with what he has done with his recovery and getting back to form. Some of the veterans we have in (Chad) Qualls (Jason) Motte, (Justin) Miller on the DL will be getting healthy at some point.

And then understanding our own players in our system who fortunately for us are a strong group and understanding what they can do to eventually versus what someone else that you may or may not acquire from another team can do.

Next: Bridich Talks Decision to Keep the Team Intact

Jul 31, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman Daniel Descalso (3) hits an RBI single to right during the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. New York Mets won 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

With Story’s injury at shortstop, do the Rockies have enough talent or will they be looking at the waiver wire?

I echo Walt’s sentiment. It’s nice when you have versatility which is definitely a part of what we are trying to improve on in the last couple of years. Positional versatility. We have a veteran in Daniel Descalso who’s played a lot of games and who’s played World Series games. He brings some presence and some veteran experience into this situation.

He’s just solid all the way around … baseball player and human being. Cristhian Adames, same way. He’s more untested and unproven in terms of the later stages of a major league season when you are pushing towards the playoffs. He’s an extremely versatile switch hitter. Rafael Ynoa, same thing. Out in the outfield, switch hitting, and playing the infield too.

So I think there are pieces there. Do they perfectly add up to what Story has done? I don’t know but like Walt said there are a lot of different ways to win games. I do believe the guys here can and will step up.

Maybe it’s not just one guy, maybe it’s the lot. They step up together and contribute and help us continue to win.

Are Dahl and Adam Ottavino sort of your trade deadline acquisitions in that they joined the team midseason?

Yeah, you can throw Parra in there. That’s a veteran, a legitimate veteran bat that’s coming off the DL. Yeah, that definitely entered the equation.

Can this team make the playoffs?

I don’t see why not. We’re four and a half out (as of Monday afternoon). As long as we maintain our health, and that’s funny to say that with Story going down, and we continue clicking and playing team baseball like we have, why not?

We play the Dodgers three times (this week), the Cardinals in September, and the Marlins are coming in at the end of the week. So they are not that far ahead of us. It’s not like we’re trying to make up eight, 10, or 12 games. It’s in our grasp, it’s in our control, so why not?

One of the things that is important to remember is that every time you make a move, that means someone else is leaving. And so that concept or that idea plays an important part making decisions on the timing of things. This is a very talented team. There are a lot of ways to look at this team and go, ‘Hey, we have a lot of talent here.’ Knowing that we would have to remove people from that equation, I think it’s important to remember that when making other decisions. It plays a part in not rushing people into roles.

With the Major League Baseball trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, Colorado Rockies senior vice president and general manager Jeff Bridich sat down with the media to talk about how the Rockies approached the deadline.

More from Rox Pile

Schedule