Rockies fans are conditioned to think every move the Rockies make is bad. It should not be surprising they expressed their displeasure about what the Rockies received in return after trading Dexter Fowler to the Astros yesterday afternoon. While it’s foolish to react before guys receive a chance to show what they can do, it’s hard to blame them for reacting negatively in this case.
The Rockies received guys who are question marks at best in Jordan Lyles and Brandon Barnes. This is not going to get them to dig this move. The Rockies fans wanted couple of impact players who can help the Rockies to win games, and they expected that to happen after trading a good player in Fowler.
Lyles is a question mark after going 14-29 with a 5.35 ERA in three seasons, and he finished 7-9 with a 5.59 ERA and 1.51 WHIP last season. Considering he struggled pitching at Minute Maid Park, it’s hard to believe he can succeed pitching at Coors Field. Even he admitted he has doubts about pitching at Coors Field by mentioning he is not a sinkerball pitcher.
Barnes is nothing special. Not when the 27-year-old outfielder struck out 127 times and walked 21 times last season. Not when he has a .289 on-base percentage last season. Considering he is at an age where he is supposed to be at the prime of his career, it’s hard to find an upside to this player.
This trade reeks of a trade the Rockies hope to get warm bodies for Fowler. It’s not worthy of a good job and good effort. That’s not a way to operate a trade. That’s not a way to accept a return for a .270 career hitter with a .365 on-base percentage.
Fowler had injuries, and there are times one wonders about his baseball instincts in the outfield. With that said, this is not a scrub player. Not when he is good enough to have a .788 OPS in his six years as a Rockie.
Also, why would the Rockies get anyone from the Astros? First off, they were burned last offseason by trading Alex White for Wilton Lopez, who was ineffective as a Rockies reliever this past season. Second of all, it’s foolish to make a trade for players that were part of the losing culture in the Astros.
The Rockies could have been patient by waiting until the best deal came around this offseason, and they should have been.
The Rockies front office continues to show they can’t find an unheralded talent they could develop. Good general managers such as John Mozeliak, Billy Beane, Dan Duquette and Andrew Friedman find a way to get value that can help their teams win now in return.
The Rockies were better off not trading their leadoff hitter in theory, but they had to get rid of him after Dan O’Dowd questioned Fowler’s manhood and passion for the game to 850 KOA’s Dave Kreiger. It’s hard to keep a player after creating an awkward situation.
This is why it’s foolish to rip a player publicly, especially if the team is trading that player.
Plus, the Rockies traded Fowler as a way of creating salary room to sign Justin Morneau.
That’s earned them scorn since there is no salary cap in baseball. This trade creates a perception that it’s a salary dump move. They could have kept both Fowler and Morneau as ESPN 102.3’s Les Shapiro pointed out on Twitter.
The Rockies tried to soften the criticism by trumpeting the signing of Morneau, but the Denver media and the Rockies fans did not buy it.
The problem with Morneau is he hasn’t been the pre-2010 slugger he was since he suffered a concussion in 2010. He hit 4 home runs and had 30 RBIs in 2011, 19 home runs and 77 RBIs in 2012 and 17 home runs and 77 RBIs in 2013. Those are pedestrian numbers now, and that’s why he was overpaid after the Rockies gave him a two-year deal worth $13 million.
It’s no wonder why the Rockies fans are not digging the Morneau signing.
The Rockies front office triumvirate of Dick Monfort, Bill Geivett and O’Dowd should receive the benefit of doubt, but their poor track record in the last few years does not give them amnesty.
That’s what’s years of losing can do to a fanbase that has tolerated bad baseball year after year under this inept administration.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter
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Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
Very very good article.
Been wondering about the lies Monfort has been telling with his ‘rule of thumb’ of half the revenue going to players salaries. Seems to me that Helton retired last year and although there is surly dead salary left on that contract, there still should be a substantial amount of cash to spend..
Show me the money, Dick.