A PITCHER FRAME
Wanting a starter in the picture
nashville, tenn.» The Rockies’ front-office personnel packed up their charts, scouting reports and computers and headed back to Denver on Thursday morning after the close of baseball’s winter meetings.
They have shored up their shaky bullpen by signing veteran right-handers Jason Motte and Chad Qualls, and reached agreement on a one-year, $2.6 million contract with veteran first baseman Mark Reynolds.
What they didn’t score here was a starting pitcher, either through free agency or a trade. That could change in the coming days or weeks.
Throughout the meetings, general manager Jeff Bridich said the Rockies fielded plenty of calls on outfielders Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson.
Gonzalez, who is owed $37 million over the next two seasons, has been the hottest target, but there is also interest in his outfield mates, both of whom would come more cheaply and might be a better investment. Blackmon is under club control for the next three seasons, Dickerson for the next four.
Bridich said he’s still contemplating ways to improve the roster.
“This is one very condensed, crazy week in a long offseason,” Bridich said. “This is just part of our offseason. Hopefully, there are still things we’re looking into, trying to do, and there certainly are teams that are checking in on our players and asking questions of us. If that results in something else, other than what we’ve already done here in Tennessee, then great.”
The Rockies on Thursday set up a possible platoon at first base by coming to terms with Reynolds, according to a major-league source. The deal is pending until the 32-year-old Reynolds passes his physical. Reynolds’ $2.6 million contract includes performance incentives. The deal was first reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Reynolds, a right-handed hitter, probably will split time at first base with lefthanded hitter Ben Paulsen, 28, who emerged as Colorado’s starter last season after Justin Morneau was injured.
“We are pretty left-handed offensively,” manager Walt Weiss said Monday. “So, you look around at some right-handed bats that might fit over there, too.”
Reynolds hit .230 last season with the Cardinals, with 13 homers in 432 plate appearances. He was once known as a premier slugger, with a career-high 44 home runs in 2009 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and 237 career homers.
He hit 37 home runs with Baltimore in 2011, but Reynolds’ power numbers have declined since then. He also swings hard and misses a lot. He owns a career strikeout rate of 28 percent.
Paulsen struggled to hit left-handed pitchers last season. He had a .554 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) against left-handers, but .815 against right-handers.
With Christmas two weeks away, Rockies fans are still wishing for the perfect gift — either a proven starter or possibly another power hitter. Bridich won’t reveal the Rockies’ asking price for the three outfielders, although it’s probably steep.
“Look, the reason that teams are checking in on our players is because they’re very good players,” he said.