ESPN’s midseason grade for the Rockies is bad, but it could be worse
Jul 12, 2023, 2:47 PM
The Colorado Rockies’ performance this season isn’t a surprise, although falling to the bottom of the National League at the All-Star break is an extreme outcome. And there are reasons behind it: woeful hitting, a pitching staff shredded by injuries and organizational malaise.
But it could be worse.
ESPN gave the Rockies a D-minus for their first-half performance. Immediately, that calls to mind Bart Simpson exulting at such a mark, exclaiming, “I got a D-minus! I passed!”
But expectations matter. Of the five clubs who received grades lower than the Rockies — Fs all, obviously — three have better records than the 34-57 anvil that hangs around their collective necks: St. Louis, the New York Mets and the Chicago White Sox.
And the Rockies entered 2023 with minimal hope. By early March, they’d already lost reigning Gold Glove winner Brendan Rodgers to injury, with further infirmities already dicing up their pitching.
Also receiving Fs were the Oakland A’s and Kansas City Royals, duked in a duel to see who can avoid being MLB’s first 120-loss team in 61 years.
Of the Rockies, ESPN’s David Schoenfield wrote a question and answer.
And the conclusion might be worse than the D-minus itself.
Q: Is there anything to look forward to in the second half … or the next half decade?
Ouch, that’s cruel. There isn’t much to be excited about right now, that’s for sure. Ezequiel Tovar can pick it clean at shortstop and has some developing power at the plate. Ryan McMahon and Elias Diaz are nice complementary players, but there is zero star power in Colorado. Some analysts like the farm system, but recent first-round picks Zac Veen and Benny Montgomery have struggled, with young infielder Adael Amador now the top prospect and he’s probably a couple of years away from the majors. There doesn’t appear to be much pitching help on the immediate horizon — and even factoring in Coors Field, the rotation has been a mess.
McMahon isn’t going anyplace; he signed a $70 million extension last year and is under contract through 2027. Díaz could fetch a decent return at the trade deadline after his All-Star first half; he has a year left on his deal. But Veen is out for the season.
As for mound help, the Rockies emphasized college pitching in the recently completed MLB draft. Colorado picked Tennessee right-hander Chase Dollander at the No. 9 spot, then took eight more D-I college pitchers through the 12th round. Four of those pitchers — including Dollander — came from programs which advanced to the College World Series last month.
Thus, the ideal developmental timeline means the Rockies hope — and expect — some of those arms to be major-league-ready at some point in 2025.
Hope rests in this college-pitching-intensive draft class yielding quick fruit.
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