As a Reminder, the 2022 Rockies Were Very Bad
As a Reminder, the 2022 Rockies Were Very Bad
It creates a challenge for a young team.
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I hate to restate the obvious, but the 2022 Colorado Rockies weren’t very good.
If their 68-94 record and last-place finish in the NL West weren’t enough, there’s compelling data that also illustrates the point.
When ranked by fWAR, the Rockies were the 26th best team in MLB, tied with the Oakland A’s, a team trading their best players in an effort to slash payroll and alienate both their fans and home city in a strategy that will get them relocated. [Coughs: Las Vegas.] This is not company the Rockies, who love their home city, wish to be in.
For some context, Aaron Judge (who, granted, had an historic year) was worth 11.4 fWAR by himself. He alone was worth almost twice the entire Rockies team.
That’s how bad the 2022 Rockies were.
It can’t be blamed on a Kris Bryant injury (though that surely didn’t help) or a down year for Germán Márquez (which also happened). This was just a poorly constructed team — and it’s been poorly constructed for several years.
I’m thinking about this subject because I’m working on a project that involves ranking the best players in baseball by categories, and it’s impossible to make a case for most of the Colorado Rockies earning a place on any of those lists. As a fan, that’s discouraging.
And it’s not really about defense because the Rockies’ defense (though not as good as it was) is fine. It’s about an struggling offense and players who cannot hit — in the most offense-friendly park in baseball. In 2022, the Rockies’ team wRC+ was 86, also 26th in baseball. (The average is 100.)
I realize the concerns are mostly about pitching, but until this team shows it can hit for power, none of this matters. A team may have a brilliant pitching staff, but if they can’t be backed up with offense, it really does not matter. [Coughs: Jacob deGrom.]
On the flip side, looking at what other teams have done [Coughs: Padres, Mets, and Rangers], shows how little the Rockies have accomplished in preparation for 2023. (Clearly, Dick Monfort is getting a bit defensive about this, but that’s a topic for another day.)
I’m okay with the Rockies having a quiet offseason because, as I’ve said, in 2023 the they should be focused on getting their money in order and letting the kids play and get experience. I stand by that.
But the extent to which the Rockies have failed to improve and mishandled their personnel [Coughs: Nolan Arenado, 11.4 fWAR in 2022] since their last playoff appearance in 2018 is remarkable (and more than a little depressing).
If the Rockies are going to be successful, the kids are going to need to dig the organization out of a hole built by an inept front office.
Let’s hope they can and that the organization gives them the resources to do it.
Down on the Farm
This week saw more farm and prospect rankings.
Here’s Keith Law’s “Top 100 Prospects” list. (Spoiler: Veen is 54th; Tovar is 69th; Montgomery is 79th; Bernabel is 90th; and Amador is 98th. Not bad.)
And catcher Drew Romo made Law’s “just missed” list.
Baseball America also released its top prospects list.
Read Purple Row’s PuRPs rankings here.
Old Friends
After 14 seasons, Dexter Fowler retired earlier this week.
Reader, Dexter was fun.
What I’m Reading
Joelle Milholm’s “The Beauty of a Coors Field Tour in Midwinter” (Purple Row) — I really enjoyed this mediation from Milholm. (And now I’m wondered if I need to get to Denver before the snow melts.)
Weekend Walk-off
You know, I’m getting pretty excited about seeing Pierce Johnson in purple.
Soon, we’ll having pitchers and catchers reporting. Things are looking up.
Thanks for reading —
Renee
@ReneeDechert (Twitter) ★ @ReneeDechert (Mastodon) ★ @Renee.Dechert (Instagram) ★ @ReneeDechert (Post)