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Colorado Rockies: 3 rumors that need to be dismissed now

By Kevin Henry |
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 27: Starting pitcher Jon Gray #55 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on May 27, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 27: Starting pitcher Jon Gray #55 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on May 27, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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We are in that part of the offseason where there seem to be rumors and potential trade ideas popping up daily. With the Colorado Rockies finishing 71-91, there are some writers out there who believe that the Rockies should follow the old “let’s trade off all of our good players for prospects” line of thinking.

Here’s the problem with that line of thinking, however. The Colorado Rockies aren’t going to be doing that heading into the 2020 season. Does the team need some help? Absolutely. Is the team going to be trading off some of its top players to make it happen? Not a chance.

After being tagged in a tweet on Monday afternoon, it was one of those “enough is enough” moments. And with that moment of frustration, this article was born.

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Trust me, we at Rox Pile like to come up with trade ideas as well. We will be doing that plenty with the upcoming FanSided Faux Winter Meetings happening just before the Thanksgiving holiday. However, you can rest assured that we are not going to make trades that would shake the foundation of the team in the way that some of these recent articles have suggested the Rockies should do.

Yes, the Rockies need some help in the offseason. No, trading off these players wouldn’t provide that help.

Let’s dive in.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 11: Jon Gray #55 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the in the bottom of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on April 11, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 11: Jon Gray #55 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the in the bottom of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on April 11, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

The Rockies aren’t trading away Jon Gray. I don’t know how much more clearly that needs to be stated.

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With a Colorado rotation in desperate need of not only bodies but actual good pitchers, it would make little to no sense for the Rockies to trade off their former first-round pick who was arguably the most consistent starter for them last year.

The just-turned-28-year-old right-hander isn’t going to be a free agent until 2022. He’s coming off a season where he posted a 2.10 ERA in games he won (11 of them). It was also a campaign where he proved the hard work he put in during the offseason paid off in a big way.

Sure, last offseason we traded Gray away to the Tampa Bay Rays for C.J. Cron. But that was during a time when it seemed Gray might need a reboot with a change of scenery. Instead, he found it inside a gym and on the mound for the Rockies.

That was then. This is now … and the near-future Rockies absolutely need Jon Gray on the mound.

DENVER, COLORADO – JUNE 28: Pitcher Scott Oberg #45 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on June 28, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – JUNE 28: Pitcher Scott Oberg #45 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on June 28, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Sure, the Rockies are going to trade Scott Oberg, their most reliable reliever last season and likely closer for 2020, to the Houston Astros. If you believe that, you must have missed just how bad the Rockies bullpen was for stretches of last season.

Oberg will be 30 by the time next season starts and, after recovering from a blood clot in his right arm, every discussion about the back end of the bullpen in 2020 will start and end with him. Carlos Estevez and Jairo Diaz showed their worth last season, but they will very likely be setup men for Oberg.

Could the Rockies get by without Oberg? Sure, but losing a reliever of his caliber over the last two seasons (a combined 14-2 with an ERA of 2.35 in 114.2 innings pitched) makes zero sense. It’s like asking someone if they could get by without dessert in 2020. You could … but why would do that to yourself?

Colorado needs reliable arms in the bullpen, not possible arms for future seasons. It’s that simple.

DENVER, CO – AUGUST 17: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies follows the flight of a second inning two-run homer against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on August 17, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 17: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies follows the flight of a second inning two-run homer against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on August 17, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

This is the one that perhaps cracks me up the most. Follow the logic (or lack of it) here with me.

The Rockies don’t have a lot of money to spend this season

Trevor Story is likely getting a nice raise through arbitration in 2020.

He is also in line for a contract extension before he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2021 season.

Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies /

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies have no money so they’ll jettison Story before they have to pay him.

Wait, what? There’s some kind of jumping the shark logic working here. However, there has been that buzz.

After all, there are those who say now is the time for the Rockies to trade Story, coming off his second straight All-Star berth and Silver Slugger Award. They’ll never get more for him than they will now, right?

For the Rockies to trade off one of the top offensive AND defensive shortstops of the game makes zero sense. Let’s put this notion to bed. There is still plenty of room for Nolan Arenado and Story to grow together as we detailed here. Colorado has arguably the best left side of the infield in the game today. They’re not going to break that up any time soon.

Next. Picking the 10 greatest Rockies of the past decade. dark

Over these next few weeks, with rumors flying around, take a deep breath before you put too much faith into them, Rockies fans. That’s the best advice we can give you.

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