Monfort’s words might sound good, but don’t buy the Rockies big lie
Oct 12, 2022, 6:40 AM | Updated: 9:58 am
Rockies owner Dick Monfort recently sent a letter to season ticket holders. He certainly talked a good game. He admitted the 2022 season “did not meet expectations” and it has “now been four years since our last postseason appearance and this is not acceptable.”
But it didn’t end there. Monfort promised “we are committed to devoting all our efforts this offseason to improving this team for 2023.”
Encouraging. Optimistic. Bold talk. I don’t buy an ounce of it and neither should you.
I don’t believe for a second that this is owner, or organization, is championship driven. I believe that letter was nothing more than a sales pitch designed to get ticket holders to renew.
Why exactly should we show any faith in the folks who work at Stand Pat and Blake?
Over the last four years, the Rockies’ record is 239-306 (.438). Their free-agent spending record over the last four years is embarrassing. Other than splurging on Kris Bryant (how’d that work out?), the Rockies’ idea of “devoting all our efforts” in free agency has looked like this:
2021 = $0 spent on free agents
2020 = $500,000 spent on the immortal Jose Mujica
2019 = $24 million spent on Daniel Murphy
Until I see a legitimate effort to go out and spend on multiple players to improve this team, Monfort’s words will ring hollow.
Here’s what I expect will be “The Plan” moving forward: Here come the kids! Man, do teams love youth movements. Teams get to promote the promise of youth, while paying cheap salaries for a few years and still charging major league prices.
Monfort tipped his hand to the plan by mentioning a dozen rookies and minor leaguers in his letter. The message is clear. The pipeline is chock full of exciting young talent that you get to watch develop at a glacier pace (my words), while experiencing the wonder that is Coors Field.
This is “Todd and the Toddlers” all over. What would be a catchy marketing hook for this current group? Kris and the Kids? Bryant and the Bambinos? I’m not saying don’t play the kids that are deserving. However, it can’t be a season-long tryout and on-the-job training for young players who aren’t ready for the bigs.
There’s nothing wrong with a youth movement. Just don’t stop there. Be aggressive in free agency and the trade market. Do something! Prove to me and other skeptical Rockies’ fans and observers that the words in Monfort’s letter actually mean something.
Based on Monfort’s track record, I won’t be holding my breath.
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