GM Jeff Bridich on Rockies’ ups and downs of bottom-line baseball – The Denver Post

SAN FRANCISCO — Another losing chapter in Rockies history comes to a close Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park against the Giants.

The Rockies will finish last in the National League West for the third time in four years. It was not the leap forward new general manager Jeff Bridich envisioned when he was named to replace Dan O’Dowd last October.

The season was not without drama. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and second baseman DJ LeMahieu made the National League all-star team. Then, near the trade deadline, Bridich traded Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays in a blockbuster deal.

That trade signaled a dramatic change of direction at 20th and Blake, but it didn’t change the Rockies’ fortunes.

Here is a glimpse back and a look forward as Bridich attempts to revive a franchise where 90-plus losses have become the norm.

Pitching predicament

Tulowitzki, along with veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins, was traded to acquire pitching prospects, although the Rockies had to accept high-priced veteran shortstop Jose Reyes as part of the deal. The Rockies received right-handers Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro and Jesus Tinoco from the Blue Jays.

How they perform will determine whether Bridich made a smart move.

Left-hander Jorge De La Rosa and emerging right-hander Chad Bettis are expected to anchor the rotation in 2016, and the Rockies have high hopes for the development of rookie right-hander Jon Gray.

But frustrated Rockies veterans such as Carlos Gonzalez and Arenado say the Rockies will never turn things around until the club adds a veteran, front-line starter to its rotation, either through free agency or a trade. The Rockies again had the worst ERA in baseball.

Bridich’s take: “We haven’t seen any of the market play out yet (for a pitcher), or even begin to, so it’s a tough question to answer. I think there are — in terms of our depth — internal answers that we are very hopeful we’re going to have, next year.”

Telling numbers: 7-13 record, 6.32 ERA and 33 homers allowed for Kyle Kendrick, who signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal as Colorado’s No. 1 pitching acquisition during the offseason.

Reyes in play

There was speculation by much of the media that the Rockies would quickly trade Reyes after he was acquired from the Blue Jays. It didn’t happen, and Reyes became Colorado’s starting shortstop “for the foreseeable” future, as manager Walt Weiss said. Still, the Rockies might try to move him in the offseason. Reyes lacks Tulowitzki’s power and range, and his offensive skills have declined noticeably in recent years.

Bridich’s take: “Based on how the trade happened and the finality of it, we are excited to have Jose, because he’s an established veteran and there are a lot of things we like about his game. … Moving forward we plan on him being here. Having depth at key positions is important, obviously.”

Telling number: $44 million owed to Reyes over the next two seasons, making him the club’s highest-paid player.

CarGo’s future

Gonzalez, 29, still healing up and trying to find his timing after undergoing left knee surgery in August 2014, started the season in a deep funk that lasted through May. Then he re-emerged as one of baseball’s most dynamic outfielders, teaming with Arenado to become the first pair of Rockies sluggers to hit 40 homers in a season during the humidor era at Coors Field.

Still, trade rumors are likely to swirl around Gonzalez during the offseason. He will get $17 million in 2016 and $20 million 2017 before he becomes a free agent. Bridich will listen if teams come calling, but he said Gonzalez remains a core element to the Rockies’ future.

Bridich’s take: “I never doubted CarGo, especially based on everything we were seeing in his rehab. We saw it working. We saw how hard he was working. … This wasn’t a veteran doing as little as he could trying to get by. No, this was a guy trying to get back. This was a guy who was angry that he was injured and wanting to get back to the way he was.”

Telling number: CarGo’s 27 second-half homers are the most since Jose Bautista hit 30 for Toronto in 2010.

The good

The Rockies did some things well, starting with Arenado’s play at third base that should earn him his third consecutive Gold Glove. LeMahieu improved as a hitter and played superbly at second base. The same can be said for center fielder Charlie Blackmon.

Bridich’s take: “Our defense, I don’t know if I can call it better, but it’s maintained its high level of execution and high level of performance.”

Telling numbers: Arenado leads the National League in total chances, putouts, assists and double plays.

The bad

Not only was the starting pitching awful, so was the bullpen, as its NL-worst 4.75 ERA entering Saturday showed. The relievers got marginally better in August and September, but by then they had blown so many games that they crippled Colorado’s chance of improving its record. The offense, which hit a major league-best .302 at home, was batting only .228 on the road and had a .278 on-base percentage away from Coors Field, worst in team history.

Bridich’s take: “What didn’t we improve on? Other than the record? I mean, there is a lot of stuff that adds up to that record. I think, overall, the consistency of our pitching. And the consistency of our offense.”

Telling numbers: Longest winning streak: four games. Longest losing streak: 11.