Three years ago, Ken Rosenthal and Nick Groke wrote in The Athletic how multiple issues had the Colorado Rockies racing towards the bottom.
Three years later, nothing has changed. The Rockies’ defining factor is letting its player development cycles fail or succeed while enjoying shockingly strong attendance. For some reason or another, the fans keep flocking back to Coors Field regardless of Colorado’s record or roster.
In which case, the 2023 season should have sounded the alarm. Colorado lost 103 games and finished 14th in average attendance, their lowest since 2015. Most teams would see this and make efforts to improve the following season.
Instead, the Rockies stayed on autopilot and look headed for yet another last-place finish in the NL West.
Greatest Addition: Cal Quantrill. Brace yourselves, folks. This was the big move the Rockies made to define their offseason: Trading minor league catcher Kody Huff to Cleveland for Cal Quantrill. The 29-year-old righty fought through shoulder trouble to post a 5.24 ERA in just 19 starts. However, he may have just been pitching injured as he managed a 3.38 mark in 2022 and a 2.89 in 2021.
Even so, it’s hard to imagine Cal Quantrill having that much of a bounceback season, especially with the Rockies. Coors Field has never been kind to pitchers, and he’s a sinker-dominant junkballer who relies on inducing grounders. He’s in for a long season with little to no support in the lineup.
Greatest Loss: Brent Suter. What do you take away from a 103-loss team that could hurt them any further? Try the one pitcher who looked like he knew what he was doing. Suter, the veteran lefty from Harvard, had a 3.38 ERA out of the Rockies’ bullpen last year. He induced plenty of soft contact and groundballs, all with average fastball velocity of just 87.1 mph.
Unfortunately for Colorado, Suter’s ERA was the best on the team. No, seriously. A random lefty reliever was more reliable than anyone in the rotation. Sure enough, Suter jumped chip and signed a one-year deal with the Reds.
Who’ll step up on the mound for the Rockies in 2024?
Greatest Strength: Coors Field. You have to give Rockies owner Dick Monfort credit where it’s due. He understands that having a nice ballpark matters. The Rockies always manage to finish in or around the Top 10 when it comes to attendance and it’s all thanks to Coors Field.
Granted, I’ve never been personally, but have only heard good things. In fact, in Rosenthal and Groke’s piece, the strong attendance is even mentioned as a possible detriment to the Rockies. Fans are still showing up and the stadium makes money, so why go the extra mile at all?
The sad reality is that oftentimes, two things can be true. The Rockies could have serious organizational problems and still know how to attract fans at the same time.
Greatest Weakness: Take a number! The best answer for the Colorado Rockies and their greatest weakness can be summed up in one word: Yes. This franchise is oh so best with oh so many problems that not even South Park can make fun of them. It’d just be punching down.
Jokes aside, the Rockies have one too many problems and no one individual fix will change tides. Team president Greg Feasel is a retired NFL offensive lineman whose only qualification seems to be being friends with Monfort. In turn, general manager Bill Schmidt is little more than a yes man.
And on the baseball side, manager Bud Black seems barely there. One almost forgets the former MLB lefty was once a great pitching coach and half-decent manager. Now, he captains a sinking ship whose owners got rid of the lifeboats to save money.
All of the Rockies’ best prospects are hitters, namely outfielder Jordan Beck. There is no pitching help coming up from the minors. Top pitching prospect Chase Dollander hasn’t even thrown an inning of professional ball yet!
Things may get a lot worse for the Colorado Rockies before they get better. Sadly, Monfort seems blind to it all.
Do the Colorado Rockies have anything to look forward to in 2024? Oddly, yes. Rookie outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez could prove to be a power-hitting machine in Coors Field, and Beck may be a late season call-up too. Adael Amador, the Rockies’ 20-year-old top prospect, could also debut in the infield at some point.
Other than that, without better play from everyone involved, the Rockies are in for another long, suffocating season under Denver’s high altitude.
