The Colorado Rockies, their pitching philosophy, and how their recent additions fit

Pitch mix is a factor for Colorado Rockies pitchers

Pitch Mixing

I think we’re all familiar with the notion that curveballs are not very effective at Coors Field and that any pitch heavily relying on downward break will be nerfed by the mile-high air.

As a result, sliders and changeups tend to be the best secondary offerings for Rockies pitchers. We’ve seen limited splitter usage at Coors Field, though it’s fair to assume they would operate similarly to a changeup.

Using the same pitchers I just mentioned, none of them utilize a curveball within their top two offerings and they tend to feature a curveball more frequently on the road.

All in all, the Rockies’ ideal pitching mold is a pitcher with a fastball that does not create lots of spin-based movement in order to be effectively located lower in the zone. These pitchers will also come with a quality slider and, ideally, an average or better changeup.

How Do the New Guys Fit?

The Rockies signed two pitchers to MLB deals this offseason: Chad Kuhl and Alex Colomé. While neither is a flashy move, both are stopgaps for the team this year with their fair share of MLB experience. They also fit the Rockies’ pitching mold to some extent.