Colorado Rockies Acquire Matt Lindstrom From Houston Astros

Whether it be starting rotation help or bullpen help, the Colorado Rockies have been searching for any type of pitching help this offseason.

The Rockies have been linked to Grant Balfour, Jon Rauch, Todd Coffey and David Aardsma at various times.

While the Rockies still might acquire one of those relievers, on Thursday, they traded for another reliever.

The Rockies acquired RHP Matt Lindstrom from the Houston Astros for minor league pitchers Jonnathan Aristil and Wes Musick. Lindstrom was traded from the Florida Marlins to the Astros last offseason, so this experience is nothing new for him.

I am going to have to be honest: I don’t see Lindstrom working out all that well in Colorado.

Does a power arm who’s really not a strikeout pitcher and doesn’t throw ground balls ever work out in Colorado? The answer to that question, my friends, is no.

Lindstrom compiled a 4.39 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 7.3 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 53.1 IP in 2010. His  ground-ball percentage was 48.9 percent and right-handed batters absolutely crushed Lindstrom to the tune of a .336/.385/.424 slash line.

I just can’t see Lindstrom being anything more than a guy who comes into a game in the sixth or seventh inning when the Rockies are either up by five runs or down by five runs. I wouldn’t pay $2 million and trade two prospects (even if they just were fringe prospects) for that type of pitcher.

Normally I hop on the Rockies’ bandwagon any chance I get, but I really haven’t liked a lot of things they have done this offseason.

I didn’t understand the Troy Tulowitzki extension, I am not a fan of Jorge de la Rosa and I thought they should have made more of an effort to sign or trade for another top-tier pitcher.

The Rockies could still do some things this offseason, but right now I don’t see them finishing higher than the San Francisco Giants or Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

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