NEW YORK -- Rockies left-hander Boone Logan envisioned a bright future when he signed a three-year $16.5 million contract before the 2014 season. If that promise materializes this season, Logan wants to participate in it.
The Rockies have not been prominent in the rumor mill as the non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches on Monday at 2 p.m. MT, but Logan's name has been attached to the most credible reports. Colorado has heard from multiple teams..
However, the Rockies entered Saturday a game under .500 and five games out of a National League Wild Card spot. So either way, Logan -- with standout statistics against left-handed batters and overall -- could be with a team vying for the postseason regardless.
"I've got to survive the weekend," Logan said, smiling. "Winning the games we've won lately, Baltimore and here [two wins in each spot before Saturday], that could be a difference-maker.
"I'd rather win with this team. I'd rather go the distance with the Rockies. Even if we don't make it to the playoffs, going in the right direction with the Rockies, I want to be a part of that."
Logan, who turns 32 on Aug. 13, signed when he was coming off an elbow surgery and endured elbow pain and a bout with diverticulitis his first two seasons. He came into Saturday at 1-0 with a 2.48 ERA in 29 innings, and had held opponents to a .152 batting average. Logan has held lefty batters to a .418 OPS in 68 at-bats; the only NL pitchers who have endured more at-bats and yielded lower OPSs are the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw and the Cardinals' Seunghwan Oh.
But Logan said his success would be meaningless without the success of a mostly young starting pitching staff. Of the current rotation, only lefty Jorge De La Rosa and righty Chad Bettis entered the season with as many as two years' service time.
"It's obvious that starting pitching wins baseball games," Logan said. "Our lineup is potent, one of the best in the game. If you get quality starts out of the starters and give our lineup a chance, we're going to win more times than not. The heroes to this point are definitely our starters. The boys have come out of their shell."
The Rockies, presumed to accept the role of seller before they started 11-4 out of the All-Star break, could add rather than subtract. The bullpen is without veteran righties Chad Qualls (colitis) and Jason Motte (right shoulder inflammation) but evolving, thanks to rookie closer Carlos Estévez, the return of Adam Ottavino after missing 14 months because of Tommy John surgery, and encouraging work in the week since Scott Oberg was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.
"We have all the pieces in the bullpen, and I feel like they're all starting to fall into place," Logan said.