The Rockies’ best commercial chip in a potential rebuild



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Once all the details are settled and Nolan Arenado was officially traded to the Cardinals, Rockies owner Dick Monfort and general manager Jeff Bridich may not mention the word ‘rebuild’ when explaining the trade to fans and the media. It could be sold as a perfect storm of superstar player dissatisfaction with the front office coinciding with an unprecedented economic downturn, leading the Roxes with no choice but to move Arenado despite the team’s full intention to wrestle in 2021. .

But let’s face it – the Rockies face a big, difficult battle in western Newfoundland and Labrador. The Dodgers and Padres are arguably the two best teams in baseball, the Giants are an imminent threat given all of their available pay space after the 2021 season, and even the Diamondbacks could be ready for a rebound given they can’t seem to take a break. Last year. After two consecutive losing seasons and the looming loss of Arenado, Colorado appears to be a prime candidate to blow things up. Several commercial candidates remain on the list, each with a hurdle that could limit what the Rockies could receive in terms of high-quality young talent.

Trevor’s storyHis name has been whispered in business rumors all winter long, but Story is only under contract during the 2021 season and many of the top contenders have already met their shortstop needs. Charlie blackmonThe 2020 Bat was not as powerful in 2020 as it was in previous years, and trade contenders might balk at the $ 52 million (in guaranteed cash and two years of player options) owed to Blackmon during the season. 2023. Scott ObergHis continued health issues make him a question mark for the future. Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela each has three more years of team control and would certainly get some commercial attention, though none of the pitchers have been consistent enough to deserve a top notch comeback.

Assuming the Rockies don’t get totally burnt out with a rebuild and start shopping with the old best hope Brendan Rodgers or current best prospect Zac Veen, who leaves a player who would instantly bring home a big trading package. From a comprehensive review of team control, financial costs and Major League history, German Marquez is not only the best Rockies trading chip, but one of the most intriguing trading chips in all of baseball.

Let’s start with Marquez’s underrated statistic record, as only 14 pitchers have racked up more fWAR than Marquez (12.2) in the past four seasons. Marquez has averaged 4.21 and averaged 24.2K% and 17.8K-BB% over 613 2/3 innings since the start of the 2017 season. He has averaged 177 frames per year during the campaigns of regulation length 2017-19, while throwing a record 81 2/3 innings in the shortened 2020 season. A hit on Marquez is that he allows for a bit of hard contact, but he limited the damage thanks to an ability to keep the ball on the ground (47.6% career grounder rate).

These are solid numbers for all pitchers, but particularly impressive for those starting their home games at Coors Field. As you might expect, Marquez has some pretty notable home / away divisions – a 3.51 ERA in 341 1/3 innings on the road during his career and a 5.10 ERA in 293 innings in Denver. There is certainly a possibility that the right-hander will reach another level of performance if he doesn’t throw in such a hitter-friendly environment, which makes it all the more interesting for contenders for the profession.

Marquez is entering his 26-year-old season and is already stranded for at least the 2023 season on a five-year, $ 43 million contract extension signed in April 2019. Marquez is still owed $ 36 million over the past three years guarantees of this contract. , which includes the $ 2.5 million buyout of a $ 16 million club option for 2024. Less than two years later, the Marquez expansion still looks like a very shrewd move from Bridich and his company , if that’s not quite what they expected – that affordable price makes Marquez an ideal candidate for nearly every contender in the league, despite declining earnings due to the pandemic.

Although Marquez hasn’t had a Cy Young Award-winning pic as Blake snell, Marquez is more than two years younger than Snell, has fewer injury issues and owes less money than the $ 39 million Snell is expected to earn in the 2023 season. As a result, Colorado is certainly in the game. right to seek a commercial return similar to what the Rays received for treating Snell to the Padres this offseason. An enterprising team with a little payroll space to spare could also sweeten the pot by offering to take some more money out of the Rockies’ hands – perhaps the remaining $ 11 million. Ian desmondhis contract, in terms of salary, the buyback of his 2022 club option and his assignment bonus of $ 1 million in the event of an exchange.

It remains to be seen whether the Rockies will begin a full-fledged rebuild immediately once Arenado is gone, or perhaps the team will take the rebuild route. There’s a countdown to a story given his remaining lack of control, but the Rockies may not yet be particularly in a rush to move Marquez as he’s still signed until 2023. It can be argued, however, that Marquez will never be. as valuable as it is right now, so if the Rockies wanted to start looking ahead, now is the time to maximize their return.

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