Colorado Rockies: A Closer Look at Jeff Bridich's Master Plan

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Nov 8, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich during the MLB general managers meeting at the Omni Scottsdale Resort. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Jeff Bridich has been around the game of baseball for a long time and has a degree from Harvard, but does he have a serious plan in place to turn the Colorado Rockies in to a contender? Let’s take a year-by-year look at his most notable moves as Rockies General Manager.

Notable 2015 Moves

In his first offseason as GM of the Rockies, Bridich made a couple early moves by signing veteran catcher Nick Hundley and pitcher Kyle Kendrick. Hundley had traveled around the league a bit, but was familiar with the NL West from his time in San Diego. Hundley was a productive player in his time in Colorado, and was a perfect first signing by Jeff Bridich.

Kyle Kendrick started the season as the “ace” of the Rockies’ pitching staff, but it soon became very clear he had no business atop any rotation. Strike one for Bridich.

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In one of the biggest moves in franchise history, Bridich traded perennial All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rockies received pitchers Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro, and Jesus Tinoco, as well as shortstop Jose Reyes. The trade has been scrutinized in recent weeks and reached a peak when the Rockies designated Castro for assignment. Fellow Rox Pile team member, JD Jensen, explains why the trade was a bust for the Rockies in this full story.

By the end of the 2015 season, the Rockies looked like a team poised to embrace a rebuild mindset and roll with some young talent in to the next season, but Bridich voiced his optimism about the team competing in 2016.

Notable 2016 Moves

The Rockies struggled to find consistency from the bullpen in Bridich’s first season as GM, so his first two major signings in 2016 addressed the need specifically. Veteran pitchers Jason Motte and Chad Qualls were signed to two-year deals and were expected to anchor an inexperienced and struggling bullpen.

Motte, a former closer, showed some promise early, but his performance never lived up to the expectations of the team. He was designated for assignment before the 2017 season, and the Rockies will pay the veteran $5 million to pitch somewhere else next season.

Qualls struggled a bit more in his first season with the club, and did nothing to change his image during Spring Training this year. He is currently on the Disabled List, but it is not likely he will return to pitch for the Rockies this season. Strike two for Bridich.

Bridich wasn’t done with big moves before the season. He signed journeyman outfielder Gerardo Parra to a lucrative three-year deal worth $27.5 million. Parra showed the ability to be a difference-maker in his time with the D-Backs and Orioles, but didn’t exactly stand out as the premier starting outfielder the Rockies needed.

Since joining the club, Parra had a terrible first season with the Rockies and was demoted to the bench as reserve outfielder in favor of David Dahl. He has shown improvement in a small sample size this season, but it will take a breakout year to make this signing make sense.

In the same offseason, Corey Dickerson was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for reliever Jake McGee and prospect German Marquez. Dickerson showed serious pop at the plate with the Rockies, but struggled as a fielder with a less than desirable arm in a big outfield.

McGee was a dominant late-inning reliever for the Rays and was set to challenge Adam Ottavino for the closer spot in Colorado. Since coming over in the trade, McGee has shown some bad and some good, but could make the trade a success simply by remaining on the team.

The wild card of the trade is Marquez, who blew up the minor leagues in his first year with the Rockies and earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Year in AA. If he becomes a solid fixture of the rotation in the future, Bridich may have pulled off an impressive trade.

Mar 11, 2017; Mesa, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond (20) singles in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

Notable 2017 Moves

In his third full season as GM, Jeff Bridich came out of the gates swinging. He signed veteran utility man Ian Desmond to a five-year, $70 million deal to become the team’s primary first baseman. Desmond was an infielder for years before switching to the outfield last season, but has never spent major time at first base. The move is somewhat puzzling and has been greatly criticized by fans and experts alike, but the move gives the team a range of options moving forward.

Desmond has yet to see time on the field for the Rockies in the regular season, but this move could decide Bridich’s fate as Rockies General Manager.

As a backup plan for Desmond, Bridich brought back Mark Reynolds on a minor league deal with an invite to major league camp. Reynolds proved to be much more patient at the plate and cut down on strikeouts last year for the Rockies, and he continued his impressive streak through Spring Training. He has been the everyday starter for the Rockies this season at first while Desmond recovers from an injury. Reynolds has been on fire at the plate and provides solid defense as well. The signing was wonderful as Reynold has exceeded expectations, but makes the Desmond signing even more puzzling.

Next: Our Staff's 2017 Season and Individual Predictions

In his second attempt to rebuild the bullpen, Bridich brought in another set of veterans in the offseason. Greg Holland and Mike Dunn were signed to bolster the still inexperienced bullpen, and Holland has taken over as the team’s primary closer this year.

Both signings have been impressive in their short time with the team, and Bridich may have done enough this season to prove his real ability to build a team. Bridich avoided strike three for the time being, but his track record is far from perfect.

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Colorado Rockies: A Closer Look at Jeff Bridich’s Master Plan

Jeff Bridich has been around the game of baseball for a long time and has a degree from Harvard, but does he have a serious plan in place to turn the Colorado Rockies in to a contender? Let’s take a year-by-year look at his most notable moves as Rockies General Manager.

Notable 2015 Moves

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Notable 2016 Moves

Notable 2017 Moves

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