Rockies need pitching, but pitching doesn’t want the Rockies

Colorado, and more specifically, Coors Field is one of the most beautiful destinations in all of the MLB. Players love it there, and the grounds crew there takes pride in their masterpiece of a ballpark. Why then, do free-agent starting pitchers not like to flock to the Rox?

Coor’s Field is the highest ballpark relative to sea level in the Majors. The thin air in the summer heat causes baseballs to jump off of hitter’s bats like rockets, making it an incredibly difficult park to pitch in. Couple that with the fact that it has the largest field by square feet in the MLB, and you have one of the most hitter-friendly parks in all of baseball. In fact, Coors Field typically has the highest annual ballpark ERA in baseball every year.

It’s no wonder why the Rockies have a need for both starting pitching and bullpen help. Colorado typically doesn’t have an extremely high payroll, as theirs sits somewhere in the $75-$80 million dollar range. They have a powerful offense with Carlos Gonzalez, Todd Helton, Jordan Pacheco, Wilin Rosario, and Dexter Fowler, yet their wins often escape them because their pitching gives up more runs than their bats can score.

Colorado often has to fulfill their pitching needs through trades, yet this winter has been slower than most. There were talks about the Rockies acquiring former first-round draft pick Homer Bailey from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for young center-fielder Dexter Fowler, but Reds GM Walt Jocketty shot down these rumors, saying that he hadn’t even spoken to Colorado’s management.

If the Rox can’t acquire their pitching, it may be another unfortunate season for Colorado, who finished last place in the National League West at 64-98, thirty games back from first-place San Francisco. However, the winter is young, and many deals, trades, and signings are in the cards. Whether or not the Rockies jump in on the action remains to be seen.