@MarkKnudson41
Let’s be honest. The Colorado Rockies don’t do “new” very well.
Since he assumed the lead ownership role with the Rockies, owner Dick Monfort had implemented his very success (off the field) business model, which is pretty similar, if not identical, to the model his late father used to build a highly successful business in the beef and cattle industry. It wasn’t broke, so it didn’t need any fixing. Nothing new to see here.
When it comes to baseball, the model has been termed, “The Rockies Way.” And it’s changed very little, if at all, over three decades. They’ve built an organization that’s based on doing things pretty much the same way since Day 1. Successful off the field, not so much on it.
“New” hasn’t often been given a seat at the Rockies table.
However…Major League Baseball is embarking on a few “new” things this season. Could that force the Rockies to dip their collective toe into the “new” pool?
For example, the MLB rule change that makes the bases slightly larger (basically subtracting 4 ½ inches from the distance between the bases) is supposed to jump start the running game again (it’s a game of inches, right?) Supposed to give teams more incentive to try to steal bases. That would be something very new for the Rockies, who last season basically sucked (29th out of 30 teams, with a grand total of 45 as a team) at stealing bases. They didn’t have a lot of everyday players with overwhelming foot speed who could A) get on base regularly and B) steal bases at an acceptable clip. So they didn’t run. Like…at all.
They were worse than normal last season. Most time over the past five seasons, they’ve been in the middle of the pack, with a high of 95 steals as a team in 2018. In short, it’s been a team weakness.
Some think that playing in Coors Field makes it unnecessary – not worth the risk basically – to try to steal bases, since playing for the home run is considered the safe way to play at altitude. Folks who think that way either didn’t know or have forgotten that the most productive offensive teams in Rockies history have combined base stealing with power hitting. Eric Young wasn’t considered one of the Blake Street Bombers, but he stole a lot of bases (180) and scored a lot of runs (378) during his time in purple pinstripes, which was a time when the Rockies also hit a lot of homers.
If they could suddenly become base stealing threats, that would be something new for the Rockies. It would be a big addition to their dismal offense.
Of course, much of the offense will depend on the success of something else new, hitting coach Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens, who is that rare coaching hire that is not an internal promotion, but rather the addition of an outsider. Hiring from outside the organization is really new.
Relying on an influx of new players is also something new for the Rockies, who haven’t done a true “rebuild” since the early 2000’s when “Generation R” was becoming the face of the organization. Ever since the core of that World Series group – Matt Holiday (and then Carlos Gonzalez), Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, et all – departed, it’s been a patchwork roster building effort every off season.
The Rockies are trying something almost new this year, fielding a lot of first and second year home grown players.
Will the results be “new?” Stay tuned.