Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
To steal a phrase from our good friend, George Castanza, “The fans were angry that day, my friends — like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.”
Many Rockies fans are mighty ticked off by a team that entered Tuesday’s play with a 3-13 record and a minus-46 run differential, both the worst in the majors. The Rockies just went 32 consecutive innings without scoring a run, setting a franchise record for futility. All of that after back-to-back 100-loss seasons.
Little wonder that we have several questions/rants about manager Bud Black, general manager Bill Schmidt and owner Dick Monfort. Now, on with the show …
Patrick, after the horrible weekend where the Rockies scored zero runs and only had nine hits, they are once again sitting in the basement of the National League West. How does the organization continue to operate without urgency or desire to win? Every year, the owner, general manager and manager lead the fans on and say things to make it seem positive for the future. The reality is that there is an organizational failure that has gone on for years — with no accountability. Does MLB truly like the product that the Rockies put out every year? It feels like this is beyond an embarrassment at this point. Can the MLB force a change in any manner?
— Nick Pilotis, Englewood
Nick, of course, the Rockies’ powers that be say positive things about the club — at least publicly. What else are they going to do? But believe me, Bud Black and Bill Schmidt know they don’t have enough talent right now to field a winning club. But they won’t throw any of their players under the bus. That won’t do anybody any good.
There is a desire to win at 20th and Blake, at least in the clubhouse and the manager’s office. However, winning is clearly not a priority for owner Dick Monfort, whose team is headed toward its seventh consecutive losing season and mired in the worst stretch of baseball in franchise history.
You’re right about the lack of urgency. If winning was a top priority, the team would have built upon its winning foundation in 2018 instead of letting it all fall apart.
Major League Baseball doesn’t care if the Rockies lose 100 games for a third season. However, MLB does care that the Rockies are the only team in the Mountain time zone and is content as long as the club continues drawing 32,000 fans per game to Coors Field.
I get Dick Monfort is loyal to a fault. However, do you see a point where he would fire Bud Black before the end of the season?
— Nick Burklund, Colorado Springs
Nick, if the Rockies continue to careen toward another 100-loss season, Black’s job will be in jeopardy. There’s no way around that. I don’t believe he’s lost the clubhouse, and he’s tried to remain upbeat, but that can’t be easy.
It’s a shame because Black is a good man and a good manager. But he can’t hit for his players or pitch for his pitchers.
How does Dick Monfort rationalize maintaining the status quo with the general manager and manager after two years of 100-plus losses and now possessing the worst record in MLB?
— Jerry, Boulder
Jerry, I don’t have an answer because I haven’t talked to Monfort recently. In the wake of the Nuggets’ recent decision to fire coach Mike Malone and GM Calvin Booth, I contacted Monfort about the status of Black and Schmidt. He declined to respond. Monfort owes it to the fans to discuss the state of his failing team.
When will it be time to move on from Bud Black? Why are Rockies fans so scared to blame him for all the losing? Is it time to hire Todd Helton or Vinny Castilla to become the new manager? Should this be expected in the coming weeks?
— Daniel M., Louisville
Daniel, I don’t think fans are “scared” to blame Black for all of the losses. Some fans like him and sympathize with him. Others are tired of Black and believe he gets a free ride from many in the media, including me. There are a lot of opinions out there regarding the Rockies’ manager. There is no timeline for a change.
As for Helton, he doesn’t want to be a manager. Castilla? I’m not sure. He’s previously managed Team Mexico, but I don’t know if he wants to be a full-time big-league manager.
I think Bud Black is a great manager, but is it possible this Rockies team isn’t a good fit for him? Are some managers better at supporting a pitching staff than their lineup? Black was amazing at helping young pitchers blossom, but most young Rockies hitters have struggled to break in the last couple of seasons and always talk about “trying too hard.” In contrast, managers like Jim Tracy and Walt Weiss seemed to excel at helping young hitters gain confidence.
— Isaac Bowen, Fort Collins
Isaac, I’ve never looked at Black from that perspective. It’s true that Black knows much more about pitching than he does about hitting, but there have been plenty of managers who know a lot about the intricacies of hitting but not much about pitching. A manager’s job is just that — to manage all aspects of the team.
The bottom line is that the Rockies are not a very talented team, and their young hitters are currently overmatched by big-league pitching.
With the bleakness on the field and the future looking equally bleak for the Rockies, what do you see as a potential bright spot this summer? Losses are piling up, but there has to be something positive to watch this summer.
— Kyle, Thornton
Kyle, bless you for your question. I was drowning in a sea of negativity.
I think right-hander Chase Dollander will be fun to watch. He’s going to struggle at times and will give up home runs. But he’s also going to strike out a lot of batters, and I’m betting he has a couple of dominating performances.
Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle have All-Star talent, and Ryan McMahon is a joy to watch at third base. When Thairo Estrada returns from his injury, he’ll be excellent at second base and inject some life into a dormant offense.
Since Bill Schmidt took over as GM, the Rockies have gone 188-298. Are we picking up enough young talent like the Orioles did during their worst years to make a turnaround any time soon? I don’t know if our analytics department is up for the task. Is there any way we can steal Sig Mejdal from Baltimore?
— Mark, Arvada
Mark, I double-checked your math. Counting Schmidt’s tenure as the interim GM beginning on May 3, 2001, the Rockies are 255-380 entering Tuesday night’s game at Los Angeles.
Anyway, there is some young talent in the organization, but aside from shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle, it has yet to transfer to the majors.
Starting first baseman Michael Toglia, a first-round draft choice out of UCLA in 2019, has been an enormous disappointment. This was supposed to be his breakout season, but he’s slashing .167/.206/.217 with no home runs and one RBI after 16 games. His 29 strikeouts lead the majors, and his strikeout rate is an astonishing 46%.
The Rockies’ farm system is ranked in the middle of the pack. Baseball America ranks it No. 13, and MLB Pipeline ranks it 18th. In other words, the Rockies are not stocked with young talent like the Orioles are, so I don’t see a turnaround on the near horizon.
As for Mejdal, Baltimore’s assistant GM and analytics wizard, I don’t see him leaving the Orioles for the Rockies.
How does the Rockies’ analytics department compare to the rest of the majors? My understanding is the Rockies are way behind in this area.
— Bill Eldred, Parker
Bill, you are correct; the Rockies’ analytics department remains one of the smallest in the majors.
If the Monforts were to sell the Rockies franchise, what would be the price tag and are there any potential buyers rumored at this time?
— Dom, Longmont
Dom, I don’t know what the actual selling price would be. According to Forbes’ annual report, the Rockies are worth $1.475 billion, ranking 24th in the majors. The Yankees, by comparison, are valued at $8.2 billion.
There have been rumors occasionally that the Monfort brothers might sell the team, but those rumors are unsubstantiated. With Walker and Sterling Monfort (Dick’s sons) already working for the organization, I believe the Rockies will be owned by the family for many years to come.
Why can most other teams manage to teach their hitters to lay off pitches out of the zone, but the Rockies consistently have the highest “chase rate” in baseball? The Dodgers, especially, never swing at pitches out of the strike zone. This year already, we have seen at least a half-dozen 3-2 pitches that would have been ball four but resulted in strikeouts.
— Tom Ricca, Centennial
Tom, it’s incredibly frustrating. According to Baseball Savant, the Rockies’ 31.6% chase rate is the second-highest in the majors, trailing only Texas (32.2%). The Dodgers, like all teams, do swing at pitches outside the strike zone, just not as much as the Rockies. The Dodgers’ 27.7% chase rate is the ninth lowest in baseball.
The big difference is that while other teams chase pitches, they also hit home runs. The Rockies rarely hit homers. It’s a bad combination.
Why is it happening? Young players who are overmatched are the No. 1 reason. Too many players are stubborn about adjusting their approach, especially with two strikes. The coaching/teaching is not getting through to several players.
Given his flair, quirkiness, off-the-wall celebrations, and place of birth, isn’t it time we gave Zac Veen the nickname “Florida Man?”
— Rick, Colorado Springs
Rick, if you want to name Veen that, go for it. But how about we wait on a nickname until the rookie outfielder starts hitting? Veen entered Tuesday hitting .125 with zero homers, one RBI, and a 34.6% K rate.
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