2020 - The Rockies proved that the '19 season when they went 71-91 was

no fluke as they finished fourth with a 26-34 mark in '20. Colorado is now

officially a bad team. This all on the heels of two excellent seasons in

17 and '18 when they won 87 and 91 games, respectively. In '19, it was

the pitching that totally collapsed while the offense remained potent.

In '20, the pitching remained quite bad, while the offense declined to

league average. Based on runs scored and given up in '20, Mountain Men

should have only won 23 games. The decliine in hitting was pretty much

across the board with only a couple of hitters maintaining their production.

□  Dick and Charlie Monfort have owned the club for sixteen years.

The Rockies have topped .500 five times during their tenure including

three ninety plus win seasons and four post seaons appearances.

Early on in their tenure, '07, the Rockies made it to the World Series

and Colorado fans had hope for the new ownership. However, as

subsequent events have proved, it was a mirage. By and large, this

ownership has not had deep pockets and has not brought in particularly

savvy management. It will be a struggle to right the ship.

□  Jeff Bridich has been the Colorado GM since '15. The results have

been mixed. He has his work cut out for him to get the Rockies back

on track.

□ Bud Black has been Rockies manager since '17.

2021 - Star 3B Nolan Arenado is dealt to St. Louis in his FA walk year.

Suprisingly, the Rockies don't finish last (they finish fourth).

2022 - Bill Schmidt takes over for Jeff Bridich as GM.

Probably won't make a difference for the Rockies, never has.

2022 - Colorado falls to last place.

Star SS Trevor Story leaves as a Free Agent prior to the season.

The Rockies should have dealt him to at least get something.

Righthander Jon Gray also leaves as a free agent  prior to the season.

2023 - The Rockies are in a rut and not a good one.

The cupboard is bare - nothing close to a star and very few good players

on the roster as they finish a putrid 59-103. A glorified AAA squad in actuality.

With their home the launching pad, Coors Field, the Rockies actually scored

less than the league average runs last year. Which means their offense

really sucked. And their pitching, always going to look bad with their home

field being Coors, was off the charts bad giving up over two hundred runs

more than the league average.

2023 - Closer Pierce Johnson traded to Braves at trade deadline

2024 - The shallow pockets Rockies, coming off of a putrid season, were almost

inert on the transaction market over the winner. Obviously an ominous sign. On top

of that, their farm system sux. Don't look for help there. And, on top of that, they've

got a lot of pitchers with broken wings out there. Ace German Marquez is coming

back mid season from TJ surgery. Number two Kyle Freeland lost his fastball

last year. Cal Quantrill, picked up from Cleveland over the winter, has a sore

shoulder, Austin Gomber has a bad back and Dakota Hudson, picked up from

the Cards over the winter, also has lost his fastball. If all of these guys get

miraculously healthy next season, the Rockies would have a decent starting

rotation. Unfortunately, odds are that none of them will get healthy.

The bullpen situation, believe it or not, actually looks worse. And most of the few

guys that look even a little decent have medical issues.

Offensively, it also looks grim. That being said, lets see what it looks like if they

put all their best young players on the field in '24 and see what we get.

Biggest problem is not any big sticks which are an absolute must in Coors

□  1B Elehuris Montero, 24, '21 Trade from St. Louis, 11 39 .243 Well below par

□  2B Brendan Rogers, 27, '15 3rd overall pick, Has potential, injuries have hurt

□ SS Ezequiel Tovar, 22, '17 IFA, 15 73 .253, Decent prospect

□  3B Ryan McMahon, 29, '13 2nd rd, 23 70 .240, Has gone from prospect to suspect

□ OF Brenton Doyle, 26,  '19 4th round pick, 10 48 .203, Can field and run, not hit

□ OF Nolan Jones, 26,  '23 trade from Cleveland, 20 62 .297, Has a chance

□ OF Hunter Goodman, 24,  '21 4th rd pick, 1 17 .200, Big power numbers in minors

□ 2B Adael Amador, 20, '21 IFA, Excellent prospect, best in the organization

Pitchers:

□  LHP Kyle Freeland,30, '14 8th overall pick, 6-14 5.03

□  LHP Austin Gomber, 29, '21 obtained from Cards, 9-9 5.50

□  RHP Chase Anderson, 35, '23 obtained from TB, 1-6 5.75

□  Closer Pierce Johnson 32, '23 FA from San Diego, 1-5 6.00 13 saves

□  Closer Justin Lawrence 28, '15 draft 12th round, 4-7 3.72 11 saves

□  Closer Daniel Bard, 38, '20 FA from Boston, 4-2 4.56 1 save

2025 - The Rockies lose over a hundred once again in '24. They stink.

Colorado will always have a permanent problem in that they play in a completely

different atmosphere, literally, at home than on the road. And it is virtually

impossible to field a team of players that can thrive in both Rockie land and

also the normal universe. The pitchers that can be successful without a breaking

pitch in Colorado are cannon fodder on the road and vice versa. Hitters who

murder fastballs and are weak on breaking pitches can have terrific half careers

at home in Colorado while being mediocre on the road. And you can get them

cheap - a very attractive proposition for Rockie management.

On top of everything else, you need a superteam just to compete in this Division.

You've got baseball Royalty in the Dodgers, two really good playoff callibre teams

in Arizona and San Diego and a strong up and coming Giants team to contend with.

2025 Pitching:

The Rockies top three starters all went down to injury last season. If German

Marquez, Antonio Senzatela and Kyle Freeland plus closer Daniel Bard can

get and remain healthy, the Rockies can climb towards mediocrity this season.

2025 Hitting:

CF Brenton Doyle; SS Ezequial Tovar; 3B Ryan McMahon can all play.

Unfortunately for Colorado you need nine guys.