LAS VEGAS -- The Rockies' desire to improve their offense for a 2019 playoff push, while simultaneously maintaining a focus on a farm system-fueled future, has led to trade ideas that are surfacing at this week's Winter Meetings. The Rockies are looking to deal primarily with the Mariners for Carlos Santana or with the Indians for Edwin Encarnacion.
Both are first basemen, although the switch-hitting Santana has been trusted to play far more first base than Encarnacion. Before Santana signed with the Phillies last year, he and Encarnacion were Cleveland teammates and Encarnacion received most of his time as the designated hitter. The Rockies made the postseason the last two years with some offensive flaws, and Santana's high-power, high-walk m.o. or Encarnacion's consistent power could help them attempt to break the Dodgers' six-year stranglehold on the National League West.

Either would be costly in the short-term -- Santana with a two-year, $41.7 million guarantee, Encarnacion for one year and $26.7 million guaranteed. But the Rockies are the Rockies, and they'll always look to turn the roster over to players they've developed.
General manager Jeff Bridich didn't address specific trade ideas in his Wednesday afternoon meeting with the media, and said only, "We're inching closer to understanding what can be done here."
Certainly, there will be a player cost and a financial impact of any trade made. But obtaining either Santana or Encarnacion would not affect the players who saw time last year, since left-handed-hitting Ryan McMahon's skill set easily allows him to move from first base to second base.
If one of the deals can be completed, it means that the Rockies wouldn't be involved in a potentially longer free agent contract. Three of the Rockies' Top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline could be at Double-A or Triple-A this season -- No. 17 Josh Fuentes, last season's Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player; No. 25 Brian Mundell, who dipped from 15 home runs in 2017 primarily at Class A Advanced Lancaster to seven at Double-A last year; and fast-rising No. 11 Tyler Nevin, who played at Lancaster last year and turned heads in the Arizona Fall League.
Ideally, acquiring a first baseman that is an established player could help the Rockies strike now -- while the starting pitching is hot -- and allow potentially a young power bat coming in later to keep the competition going.
"The cons of bringing anybody in from the outside is how it affects the roster," Bridich said. "When we talk about the balance of the decision making process, that's what we are referring to. So we're conscious of the type talent that we have in the young players. There are certain young players that we do expect to emerge and become counted-on, relied-on, consistent and productive big leaguers in the next step in our evolution. That's not lost on us, but we're trying to weigh that out versus who's out there."
Santana, Encarnacion and the possibilities
The switch-hitting Santana, who turns 33 during the first month of the season, struggled early in his career as a catcher, but has developed into a trusted first baseman with 421 regular-season appearances at the position over the last three years. That's important because infield defense is dear to the Rockies' hearts. It's a factor they can control, since the occasional cheap home run or soft ball that falls in outfield gaps is a fact of life at Coors Field.

The right-handed-hitting Encarnacion, who turns 36 in January, will have to familiarize himself with a fielding glove. Not since playing 80 games at first for the Blue Jays in 2014 has he appeared at any position more than designated hitter, which the National League doesn't regularly offer. But the short contract and seven straight years of 30-plus homers (including two with 42) could be enough for the Rockies to work with him.
Moving man
The acquisition of either would mean that Ian Desmond, with a -0.6 WAR, but 22 homers and 88 RBIs in 2018, becomes part of the outfield mix in the third-year of a five-year, $70 million contract. Desmond and Charlie Blackmon, in the second year of a six-year, $108 million deal, seem slated for position changes.
Blackmon could move out of center field to a corner to decrease wear and tear. Desmond, a center fielder with the Rangers in 2016 after spending seven seasons at shortstop with the Nationals, signed with the thought that he would be open to change. Bridich said the club is communicating with both, and they are on board.