3 reasons the Colorado Rockies could be worse than people think in 2022

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Last month we discussed three reasons the Colorado Rockies could be better than people think in 2022.

Since the owners insist on extending the lockout after more than reasonable demands by their workforce to put an end to service time manipulation, here we are not talking about actual games.

Here’s to crossing our fingers and hoping not too many games are missed in April. In the meantime, let’s discuss how this season could be more difficult for the Rockies in 2022.

The MLB lockout slows development for the Colorado Rockies

Outside of Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story, the Colorado Rockies are made up of a young core that will need every bit of time to develop. That especially goes for the pitching staff. Austin Gomber started the season off rough but progressively got better as he adjusted to the team throughout the year until an injury ended his season.

Rehabbing from that, especially in spring training would do wonders for Gomber and without that, April and May could be a rough start. That does not just apply to one player.

Usually, the Rockies start seasons incredibly hot. It’s when June or July rolls around that reality starts to sink in. Even take the pandemic shortened 2020 season, for example, they started off as one of the best teams in the league that season and the playoffs seemed like a lock even if it was because the playoffs were expanded so widely.

Maybe the way they played in the latter half of that season was their true colors but the Rockies didn’t have much time to sort things out. Canceling spring training this year and missing games will have a similar effect.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 03: Kris Bryant #23 of the San Francisco Giants bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the bottom of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on September 03, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Colorado Rockies GM Bill Schmidt’s pockets dry up

The plan reportedly going into the offseason was that the Colorado Rockies now permanent GM Bill Schmidt was going to make some moves happen.

No fan was under the illusion that the front office was going to resemble the Dodgers or Yankees but Schmidt said that the club needed more pieces. Adding two former Cubs Kris Bryant and/or Kyle Schwarber have been swirling around what was once a hot stove.

If they were able to join the team, it wouldn’t solve everything but there would be some genuine and much-needed optimism that Rockies fans haven’t had since that hot start in 2020 that fizzled very quickly.

Related Story. How the Rox will use the lockout as an excuse to do nothing. light

Now the prospect of this club spending in what is likely to be another shortened season seems more and more doubtful. This is, in fact, the club that had members of their front office pull double duty doing working in the locker room.

After McGregor Square opened during a pandemic and less money to be made in this shortened season, Dick Monfort and, subsequently, Bill Schmidt may be far less inclined to spend the money for the help that this team undeniably needs to contend in the stacked NL West.

CHICAGO – AUGUST 10: Fans hold up signs in protest of the baseball strike during a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinios. The Giants won the game 5-2.(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Colorado Rockies fans don’t show up

This never happens and seems like a ridiculous prospect for the Colorado Rockies. No matter how the team plays on the field, Coors Field is always packed.

Going to a game is easily one of the best things to do in Denver in the summer. That, of course, has been part of the problem since 1993 with this team is that there is not much incentive to spend and get better if ticket sales are through the roof. With the lockout now, the owners have signaled that they do not care about the fans (let alone the players) and growing this sport to the next generation.

The league has already struggled to compete for eyeballs and this only makes a fanbase more cynical. Just ask everybody who experienced the 1994 lockout that canceled the World Series.

Baseball is still recovering. With a tight economy as we are still in a pandemic two years later, fans may not be clamoring back the way they were in 2021. Homefield advantage at Coors is real.

We can talk about batting and pitching splits and how that affects their record in another article. But the Rox were 48-33 at home last season. That doesn’t happen if the Rockies faithful doesn’t show up in droves. Hopefully, we’re talking about games here very shortly.

Bonus: DH in the NL

Of course, the prospect of a DH at Coors Field gets the mind churning. The offense could be more dynamic after struggling for the past couple of years. There would be more spots in the lineup for potential free agents like Bryant and Schwarber that would have deterred some options in the past.

Next. How the Colorado Rockies outfield will look after free agency. dark

It could give Charlie Blackmon time to rest in the outfield even though he is very adamant about playing his position full time. But then you remember that this staff has to pitch to a DH as well. The universal DH can very quickly turn Coors into a pinball machine.

Home / Colorado Rockies News

The MLB lockout slows development for the Colorado Rockies

Colorado Rockies GM Bill Schmidt’s pockets dry up

Colorado Rockies fans don’t show up

Bonus: DH in the NL

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