Colorado Rockies' Moment of Truth

But who really wants to be a small-market team? Who wants to compete for the playoffs every decade or so? And the idea of Colorado fans filling Coors Field all summer long is not a pipe dream. They want something to root for.

Colorado has to decide what sort of team they want to field. In Stewart, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jeff Francis, Manny Corpas, Holliday, and Tulowitzki, they have an enviable base of talent.  But they have to keep it together. Though this franchise is gun-shy after having pulled the trigger on huge, and ultimately wasteful, deals for Mike Hampton, Denny Neagle, and Helton, they need to take the plunge with Holliday.

Yes, he is a better player at Coors Field than on the road, but the Rockies play 81 games there, so that works out well for them. Yes, he is represented by Scott Boras and would take up a huge hunk of payroll, a luxury that the Rockies feel they can’t afford because of Helton (he is due for $75 million over the next four seasons).

But, in the battle for legitimacy—and the Denver sports fans’ heart—the Rockies need to keep Holliday. He has dropped hints that he loves Denver and the clubhouse and would like to stay, so perhaps he’ll sign for only $120 million.

Expendable, sadly, is Atkins (one of Holliday’s best friends). Colorado should be able get a capable No. 2 or No. 3 starter for him. A team like division-rival San Francisco or Seattle or even the Minnesota Twins would be well improved with Atkins, and they may have the pitcher that Colorado is looking for. 

Even Boston or Tampa Bay should take a long look at Atkins (as a first baseman for the Rays). The Rockies should also move OF Willy Taveras, who leads the majors in stolen bases. The team has plenty of depth in the outfield and have super-prospect Dexter Fowler in the wings.

C Yorvit Torrealba ($3 million) also could net a respectable prospect. One of the big questions is closer Brian Fuentes, whose $5 million salary ends this season, and he will be a free agent.

Unsaid, but clearly something that the Rockies have talked about behind closed doors is the option of trading Helton. His salary and production are two reasons why he is a really rough trade. But he is also the clear leader, the heart of the clubhouse. And that may offset much of his lackluster statistics. 

And, still, the team cannot reasonably afford to pay him $75 million more at this sort of production. Furthermore, his balky back has likely finished him for 2008, and he will enter Spring Training a question mark (again).  Helton's salary is such a drain on the payroll, that, if they could trade him, they would probably keep Atkins and Holliday.

The Rockies have an enviable farm system and a nice stash of prospects. But they also need to channel some of those excess prospects into more pitching help. Though Ubaldo Jimenez and Aaron Cook have both had solid seasons, and Francis seems to be rebounding from an awful start, the Rockies’ rotation is missing a fearsome pitcher. 

Every other team in the division has one (or two), and Colorado must catch up. The team seriously considered trading for Rich Harden last offseason and should not pass up a similar player in 2008.

With the Dodgers perhaps reaching their immense potential, and the Diamondbacks continuing to look dangerous on paper, it is going to take a serious commitment from Colorado to prevent themselves from shrinking back into an afterthought.

GM Dan O’Dowd has already strongly hinted that this winter will be more tumultuous than last years. Let’s hope that he makes the right choices.

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