Colorado Rockies: Was this the worst trade in franchise history?

If you’re reading this article on July 26, you’re reading it on a day that is the anniversary of an infamous day in Colorado Rockies franchise history.

According to an article on ESPN.com, on this day in 1993, the Colorado Rockies pulled off the worst trade deadline swap in franchise history. In the move, Colorado sent pitchers Andy Ashby and Doug Bochtler plus catcher Brad Ausmus to the San Diego Padres for pitchers Bruce Hurst and Greg Harris. As the article points out, the Rockies traded way players who combined for a future WAR of 42.3 while acquiring two players who would post a -2.5 WAR for the Rockies.

Hurst pitched in just three games for the Rockies while Harris went 1-8 in 13 starts and gave up 88 hits in just 73.1 innings while posting a 6.50 ERA. Meanwhile, Ashby won 70 games with the Padres and gathered two All-Star appearances while Ausmus eventually became an All-Star and won three Gold Gloves.

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That was bad, but so was the deal in 2001 that sent a minor league Chone Figgins to the Anaheim Angels in exchange for Kimera Bartee. Figgins would go on to a 12-year Major League career and finish 10th in American League MVP voting in 2009 during an All-Star season. As for Bartee, he would post a .000/.158/.000 slash line in 15 games with the Rockies in what would be his only Major League action. That’s an OPS+ of -57 by the way. Ouch.

Bartee was granted free agency after the 2001 season and signed with the Chicago Cubs the following year but never made it back to the big leagues.

Former Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd once said that, all of the trades he made, giving up on Figgins was his biggest regret. Think about that, especially in light of all of the deals that “Dealin’ Dan” made during his days in Denver.

So is one of these two trades the worst in franchise history or is there another one you would throw out for consideration? Let us know in the comments section below!