Colorado Rockies: Our Sunday sit down with Bryan Kilpatrick

Our Colorado Rockies Sunday sit down returns as we talk to an old friend, Bryan Kilpatrick.

It’s Saturday night, Denver is under curfew and Sandy, Utah is, well, Utah. Kilpatrick (who formerly oversaw Purple Row and has now created RockyMtnBaseball.com) and I discussed Colorado Rockies history. Our talk ranged from moves that should have been made in hindsight to how the media landscape has changed since his early days at Purple Row.

Rox Pile: DNVR has opened a bar, blogs are publications now, and every major team in Denver has multiple credentialed platforms outside of the traditional outlets. This kind of all started with you at Purple Row, so you’re the godfather of digital Denver sports media.

Kilpatrick: I think with the Rockies’ new media relations regime, it would have happened anyway.

Warren Miller, in particular, had a great working relationship with new media while he was in San Diego. But Jay Alves, who was the Rockies’ PR person when I first started covering the team in a credentialed manner in 2013, was different. He was from the old guard. You had to be a BBWAA member or work for a legitimate media outlet to have that kind of access to the team.

Honestly, it was my persistence combined with the quality of work Purple Row did, as well as the fact that new media was emerging as such a necessary voice, that led to me being the first “blogger” to be allowed through the gates. But it’s kind of funny in that bloggers aren’t really a thing any longer. The fan voice is just important as the “media” voice, and that took root with the Rockies in particular during the lean years when there was almost an apathetic treatment from the media, who always ran toward the Broncos anyway.

I give the Rockies a lot of credit for recognizing that and allowing different voices to have access to the team and seek out different and new types of coverage.

Penaflor: Revisionist history here. Go back in time and make or don’t make three moves that you think either get the Rockies a title or at least give them a big push towards one.

Kilpatrick: In 2010, they should have traded for Ted Lilly. And imagine if they could’ve swung a deal for Lance Berkman, who was traded to the Yankees.

Penaflor: They lost the last 13 of 14 and Jhoulys Chacin had a 3.28 ERA while going 9-11 (pitcher wins scoff). Outside of Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Hammel, no starter appeared in more than 23 games. What’s your second move?

Kilpatrick: Hiring a team president. having a buffer between Jeff Bridich and Dick Monfort would do wonders. That and hiring an analytical team.

Penaflor: I was hoping you’d say hire John Elway. What’s your last move?

Kilpatrick: They needed to do more in 2018 — possibly just by playing guys who were less bad than the ones that played — and also needed one more solid rotation guy in 2013.

Penaflor: (Translation) Ian Desmond should have had splinters on his back side from the pine. Also not bringing back Pat Neshek, which effectively gave Bryan Shaw more innings, wasn’t a wise decision.

So with no baseball being played this year becoming a real possibility, does this increase or decrease the chances that Nolan Arenado leaves?

Kilpatrick: Really, it was Nick Groke who brought this up on my podcast, but it totally makes sense to me that all of this lost time would make Arenado want to leave even more, because it’s going to further cement his desire to win while he still can. The Rockies have done nothing to show they can do so quickly, and perhaps losing a season adds even more to that urgency he’s feeling.

Penaflor: How about a little friendly bet? The Buffs beat the Utes in football this year, and you come write for Rox Pile.

Kilpatrick: Deal!

As a side note, not only did he take this bet, he turned down my initial bet that if the Denver Broncos make the playoffs, he’d join us. His response “I think they’ll be good!”