Three things Colorado Rockies fans should wish for this Christmas

The Rockies get MLB or MLB-ready talent in return for Arenado and Story or they don’t trade them.

As much as Rockies fans like to criticize Rockies owner Dick Monfort and general manager Jeff Bridich (and, often, for good reason), they have spent a lot of money on the team in recent years. However, the free-agent signings haven’t panned out and the Rockies decided to make the poor decision to put an opt-out in Nolan Arenado’s contract. With the current financial situation in baseball, Arenado is unlikely to opt-out next offseason, even if just for the probable fact that he won’t get more on the free-agent market than his current contract.

While that could be good for the Rockies, it’s also bad in a way. Why? It likely means that they can’t afford to keep Trevor Story long-term.

Whether the Rockies decide to trade one or both of them, they will be looking for MLB or MLB-ready talent in return. Considering how the Rockies are not fans of huge rebuilds, they aren’t going to be looking for low-ranked prospects that played in Rookie-ball because they won’t help the team for five years or more, if ever. The Rockies want to elongate their window for playoff contention, not slam it shut. The vast majority of fans think it is already shut but the Rockies, themselves, do not think that so that points to wanting MLB or MLB-ready talent in return.

In other words, if the return for Arenado and/or Story doesn’t help them build their depth at the MLB and Triple-A level, they shouldn’t trade them. If the Rockies are out of contention at the trade deadline in 2021, the Rockies can re-examine trading one or both of them then when playoff contenders will be more desperate.