SAN DIEGO -- Those who were around the Rockies last year say the team is embracing a different direction. President of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, a leader in setting that direction, agrees that good things will happen in time.
The early phase of the plan to halt the run of losing seasons, which reached a club-record seven last season, points to some possibilities. A beefed-up front office and a willingness to find veterans -- including pitchers who welcome the challenge of pitching for a team that plays in an extremely hitter-friendly park -- gives the team a better chance to compete while figuring out exactly where the talent lies.
A new ownership infusion also has DePodesta excited. Over the weekend, he touched on several subjects in an interview with MLB.com.
The new environment
It needed a change after last year’s 43-119 finish. But 6-10 after a sweep at the hands of the Padres is still 6-10 as the team heads into a series at Houston beginning Tuesday night.
“The environment has been really, really strong,” DePodesta said. “I’m encouraged by how competitive we are game in and game out. That said, I know we all would have liked to win a couple more. We’ve lost four one-run games. We've been walked off twice. Those are six of our losses.
“So I’m not really one for moral victories. But at the same time, our guys feel like they can compete with everybody that we've played so far. That's our expectation going forward.”
Is consistent offense coming?
The Rockies entered this week 19th in OPS but tied for eighth in home runs and 12th in slugging. The lineup is a mix of younger players and veterans new to making the adjustment of going in and out of altitude.
“It's going to ebb and flow, and it's so early in the season, too,” DePodesta said. “So much will be dependent on who you face, what your health is like, and even what the weather is like.”
(Rain and snow are in the forecast Friday and Saturday for the first two games against the Dodgers.)
“This time of year could have such a big impact on your offensive output, but even on, you know, teams that have great offenses, they go through ups and downs over the course of the season,” he said. “We expect that. We’re still trying to find our identity.”
Players stepping up
“There are a lot of guys that we were excited about coming into the year,” DePodesta said. “Some of the guys internally, like Chase Dollander and Kyle Freeland [who was scratched from his start over the weekend with left shoulder soreness], have been really strong. But we’re happy with the guys we’ve brought in. TJ Rumfield has played great. Troy Johnston has done really well.
“The bullpen, up and down, and our starting pitchers -- Tomoyuki Sugano, in particular -- have been fantastic.”
Sugano’s attributes fit what DePodesta wants to see out of younger pitchers.
“[Friday] night was actually a great example -- yes, he gave up two home runs, but you look up and say, ‘All right, six innings, two runs, would you take that?’ Yes, every time,” DePodesta said. “That put us in a position to have a chance to win that game.
“He’s shown that when you're aggressive in the strike zone, good things happen. Overall, you're going to end up in a good position.”
Adding to ownership
DePodesta said team owner, president and CEO Dick Monfort and club president Walker Monfort “gave me a heads up about” the negotiations that led to the Penner Sports Group (which owns the NFL’s Denver Broncos) joining Rockies ownership as the largest minority investor.
“Having the support of the Denver sports community -- that alone is very attractive,” DePodesta said. “They’re done a terrific job with the Broncos. That’s just very positive.”
The move primarily wiped out the debt that hit the franchise when the regional sports network model collapsed.
The announcement doesn’t change plans. The knowledge that it was happening helped the club form its vision to compete in the future.
“We’ve had a plan for how we want to attack this climb for a while, and we have the [financial] flexibility to pursue that plan,” DePodesta said. “There will be things that happen along the way, maybe opportunities that arise, that maybe we'll be able to take advantage of.”
Rockies history is spotted with high-dollar decisions. Some have worked in their favor during periods of contention, like 2007-10, the longest sustained period of contention in team history, and from 2017-18, the only consecutive postseason trips in team history.
Some have not, whether because of timing or injuries. The most notable of those being the seven-year, $182 million contract the Rockies gave Kris Bryant before the 2022 season. Bryant has played in only 170 games across five-plus seasons due to chronic back issues.
“The Rockies have taken their shots in the past when they were in position [to spend],” DePodesta said. “Now it's on us to get us to that point, within where we feel like we are close [to contention] and maybe one move will make a really significant difference.”