Market size a mental block on the Rockies ability to assemble talent

If there’s a lesson to be taken — and there are many — from Jeff Bridich and Dick Monfort’s press conference Tuesday, it’s well past time to ditch the well-used crutch of being a mid-market club.

Amid the aftermath of the Nolan Arenado trade to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Colorado Rockies GM and owner made overtures to fans that they take winning seriously at 20th and Blake.

As Bridich put it, “Being World Series or high-level playoff competitive every single year, year-in and year-out, it is the goal of the organization.”

But it always seems to come with the caveat how the franchise is limited in its abilities due to the size of the market it resides.

“I do take great responsibility in trying to make sure we are as competitive as we can possibly be with the resources that we have,” Bridich said.

And if “with the resources that we have” wasn’t clear enough, Monfort flat out told reporters the Rockies are not in the market for the cream of the MLB crop.

“We know that we’re not going to ever get out there and go after Gerrit Cole or some of the really top-line free agents because we’re in a grouping, a mid-market team, where we just can’t take that risk, which means, at times, we have to sign sort of the next level down,” Monfort said.

But, as Bridich said in the very same press conference, “If you don’t take risk, I think you’re limiting your reward at the end.”

And the Rockies brass, by being risk adverse, have limited the club’s ability to truly ever compete in the Major Leagues.

Denver’s market size has more effect as a mental block on the Rockies organization than it does to the product on the field.

And you don’t have to look far to prove it.

Just take a look at Colorado’s trade partner, St. Louis, which consistently competes deep into the post season.

St. Louis ranks several spots lower than Denver in terms of market size, but the Cardinals just managed to land perhaps the third baseman in MLB history.

Not enough evidence? Take a look at the San Diego Padres, who rank even lower than Colorado by market size and still have managed to assemble one of the top young lineups in the game anchored by high-priced superstar Manny Machado.

Or how about perennial MVP candidate Christian Yelich out there in tiny Milwaukee? Joey Votto in Cincinnati.

Market size, no doubt, plays a factor in assembling a roster, but not to the extent that it stifles the ability to win.

If the Rockies truly want to win, if we can take them at their words, they need to take a deep look inside at what’s the true issue standing in the way of winning at 20th and Blake.

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