Colorado Rockies trade proposal: German Marquez to Houston?

After having a trade hypothetical yesterday that many Rockies fans were not happy with on Twitter, MLB Network analyst Mark DeRosa had another trade proposal today that will also not have Rockies fans happy.

You thought that you didn’t like this trade proposal that would send Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon and relief pitcher Scott Oberg to Atlanta for outfielder Ender Inciarte and two top prospects?

Well, try this one on for size.

Mark DeRosa had a new trade proposal involving the Rockies today and this is what it looks like:

This deal makes sense for the Astros. Currently, their 4th and 5th starters are a bit in flux as they have had an ERA north of 5.50 from starters in those spots. But in their top 3, their number two and number three starters (Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley) are free agents at the end of the season. Marquez would provide them with a long-term option as a starter as he is not a free agent until 2024.

The prospects the Rockies would get are very good, though. Forrest Whitley, 21, is MLB.com’s 17th best prospect but he has struggled this season (9.49 ERA in 12 games, nine starts). He also has been on the MiLB injured list since late May due to shoulder issues. He has also only topped 90 innings in a season once in professional baseball (92 1/3 innings in 2017).

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Here’s the scouting scale (20-80) on the 6’7, 190 pound righty per MLB.com.

Whitley scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 65 | Control: 50 | Overall: 60

Other than Seth Beer fitting with the Rockies because his last name, he is MLB.com’s 100th best prospect. He is currently at Double-A Corpus Christi and between there and Single-A Fayetteville this season, he is hitting .309/.410/.564 with 25 home runs and 86 RBI.

On a scouting scale, these are his rankings according to MLB.com.

Seth Beer Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 20 | Arm: 45 | Field: 40 | Overall: 55

The main problem with this trade hypothetical is that with trading Marquez, the Rockies would, essentially, be waving the white flag on next season and perhaps 2021 as well.

What kind of message does that send to you, the fan? What kind of message does that send to Nolan Arenado, who signed an extension to be with a perennial contender? Mind you, he has an opt-out in his contract in after the 2021.

That would be the slippery slope with this trade hypothetical.

Also, to throw a further wrench into things, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman was on the segment and he said that Whitley and Beer are “too much” for Marquez, because it’s “hard to judge a guy in Colorado…” If anything, it should be hard to judge Marquez because he has been spotty this season, not just him playing in Colorado.

You can watch the segment on MLB Network here.

Let us know what you think of the trade on social media and/or in the comment section. There is about 4 1/2 hours until the trade deadline so stay tuned to our site and our social media accounts as Kevin Henry is at Coors Field for our coverage of today’s rubber match against the Dodgers and if any trades come about from Coors.