Ultimate fan prize: No Rockies player giveaways this month
What: The nonwaiver trading deadline is Thursday, with contenders doing last-minute Christmas shopping for a playoff run. The problem is some teams can’t decide whether to add or subtract players, with the mediocrity of the National League West and the wild-card tease complicating matters.
When: By Monday, the picture will crystallize. Clubs straddling the fence, such as the Rockies, should know whether this season is salvageable or best served to acquire extra parts from the junkyard.
Renck’s take: As late as the all-star break, having watched the team’s most disappointing first half, I was fully in favor of the Rockies shipping out closer Brian Fuentes and promoting prospects Dexter Fowler and Casey Weathers. So what changed? The attendance. The fans’ affection for this team — even against the sobering math required for a September run — has been striking. They should draw well over two million. What this screams is that this organization should buy at the deadline, acquiring a fifth starter to stabilize the rotation — Josh Fogg makes a lot of sense, as does Paul Byrd. The division stinks. An opportunity exists to sneak into the postseason. Get under the velvet rope and who knows who you’ll meet in the club. The Cardinals were wildly pedestrian two years ago, and went 11-3 in the playoffs to win the World Series. With a caffeinated lineup suddenly functioning like human Red Bull and the starting pitching functional, the Rockies have a realistic shot to hang around. The odds improve dramatically if the real Jeff Francis shows up after his disabled list interruption. Even if the Rockies don’t get in, the fans deserve another meaningful September. It shows ownership cares, a perfect antidote to last October’s cold-hearted World Series ticket fiasco.
