The Rockies make me laugh so hard, sometimes it is hard to write through watering eyes.
Friday, they actually did something smart. Even if it was a year too late.
RyMac won’t be back. The Rockies shipped Ryan McMahon to the Yankees, where he will love contending and staring at the short right-field fence, but not the booing if he keeps striking out at his current pace (second in MLB with 127).
First, the good news: It’s clear general manager Bill Schmidt knows how the trade deadline works. Maybe next week, the Rockies will realize they only get three strikes while hitting, not four.
Schmidt acquired two High-A pitchers, Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz. It was a decent return given the horrible position the Rockies were in because of the previous GM. Oh, wait, that was him. Had Schmidt shipped off McMahon after he made the All-Star Game last season, they could have landed a top pitching prospect, possibly from the Pirates.
Herring, a former LSU star, is a left-hander with a funky delivery and wicked slider. But his fastball tops out at 93 miles per hour, leaving him little margin for error (see Kyle Freeland). Grosz is a stock right-hander with a good changeup and a 96-mph heater. He profiles as a reliever. For this deal to be looked at as a success by anyone other than Dick Monfort’s accountant — the Rockies will save roughly $36.5 million — they need Herring to fill a spot in the rotation in 2027.
What makes anyone think this will happen, given the Rockies’ sordid history of developing prospects?
Absolutely nothing.
But they did the right thing by moving on from McMahon. It clears a spot to get a peek at Kyle Karros and perhaps increase his trade value since anyone at the hot corner is only keeping the seat warm for Ethan Holliday in 2027.
The question now is who will Monfort let Schmidt trade next (both deserve blame for getting nothing for Trevor Story, Jon Gray, Brent Suter and Daniel Bard)? Freeland could help a contender, but is not looking to leave, meaning there is little chance he will. And Austin Gomber, Jake Bird and Tyler Freeman have mild value. The Rockies would be wise to keep Mickey Moniak, making him part of the future, while listening to offers for Brenton Doyle — if he hits over the final two months — and Zac Veen this offseason.
This is how good teams operate. They see their players as commodities. They finally realized this with McMahon, but it was likely too late to help them.
Coach Prime update: Deion Sanders will hold a news conference Monday with his medical team, the first day of preseason camp. Is he capable of coaching? Does he need more time to recover from an undisclosed medical condition? His health should remain a top priority, and hopefully, Monday’s update will provide some transparency on his path forward this season. CU owes the players, coaches and fans that much.
No autographs, please: The Trail Blazers shocked scouts by drafting Yang Hansen with the 16th pick. Then he played in the summer league, earning the nickname “Chinese Jokic.” Hansen said one of his goals next season was to get Jokic’s autograph. Jokic, on a tour of China as the global ambassador for his shoe outfitter 361 degrees, responded with humor. And a scare. He said he would sign for Yang, but not if he got the best of him in the game. Jokic added he might be out of the league when 20-year-old Yang reaches his prime. Um, no. Please don’t go there. The Nuggets need Jokic for at least six more years.
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