Rockies pitching getting Rocked early on in 2024 season

Save for a few good starts by Feltner and Dakota Hudson, the Rockies pitching has been atrocious.  The bullpen leaks like an old garden hose and the starting pitchers haven’t been much better.  The Rockies can’t seem to score first and even when they have the lead it inevitably goes south, and the other team comes back to win it.  Right now, the entire team’s ERA is a tick above eight, including a twenty-seven ERA from the teams supposed best pitcher, Kyle Freeland, who started Opening Day.

I understand that Senzatela and Marquez are out right now, and their return will be much anticipated, but the Rockies are in trouble when it comes down to their hurlers. I’m very disappointed in the lack of pitching right now as well as the Rockies inability to draft and develop pitching. Their farm system can produce marvelous infielders and outfielders but when it comes to pitching, that system just can’t seem to produce. That’s where the Rockies need to get creative, start trading some of these prospects for established pitching. 

Or, and I know this might sound crazy, shell out some dollars on pitchers and see if you can bring in some outside talent that might be able to throw the ball. I understand that Denny Nagel and Mike Hampton were busts, and yes, that mega bullpen masterminded by Harvard grad, Jeff Bridich, didn’t work out, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t ever work out. The Rockies need to look to free agency and trades when it comes to pitching; draft and develop all the hitters, infielders, and outfielders you can and use them to trade for pitching. Instead of paying Kris Bryant boatloads of money to strikeout in clutch situations, maybe use that cash to pick up some pitching because the Rockies are not going to find it anywhere else.

How many pitchers could have been signed by the Rox for the money they paid Bryant. Now I understand that the Rockies are going to have to pay much more than any other team in baseball to lure any decent pitching here. Unfortunately, it's like the NFL, where bad teams must pay more to lure good players onto their team. Hopefully, with good analytics and scouting, you can find pitchers that look like a good fit to play half their games at 5280’. If the Rockies continue down this trail of draft and develop pitching, while paying massive contracts to position players that can't pull their weight, the only place in the NL West Colorado will find itself is at "Rock bottom".  

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