Two Minute Warming

 

Since trading a handful of vets at the deadline, the Colorado Rockies have shifted to defcon 'Oops! All Rookies'. Seeing as the team is already going to be hitting 100 losses this month, and potentially chasing last years' White Sox for the benchmark of modern ineptitude, it makes more sense to just fill as many roster spots as possible with guys who have no business wasting their time overperforming in the minors. So lots of guys are up. People like Jaden Hill, Yanquiel Fernandez, Braxton Fulford, Chase Dollander and Tanner Gordon are all giving it their best despite the complete futility in playing for the Rockies in August. If your first exposure to MLB play is trying to pitch, or play the outfield, in Coors, you're gonna learn a lot, quickly.

The Rox have let up some prized organizational guys recently, and they've been welcome presences. Warming Bernabel is a well-liked corner infield prospect, and so far in the majors he has a .294 average, 3 homers and 11 RBIs. He's the kind of consistent thumper this team has needed for a while, and he's already evoking memories of Andres Galarraga or somebody like that. Bernabel's cooled down a bit since his first week, but he's 23 in Denver, so he'll be fine. It's also cool to see Kyle Karros, a first baseman who's the son of another NL West 1st baseman, in the majors at 22, he's a well-regarded prospect as well. Karros the 2nd already has 7 hits and 3 RBIs in his first 6 games. It is...very odd that we have another Karros running around the NL, as we already have another Conine, another Tatis and the promise of another Holliday on the way.

What's odd is that, with all the rookies that have factored into the season, and with all the young guys like Jordan Beck, Hunter Goodman, and Ezequiel Tovar leading this team, I still think about the fact that two of the biggest prospects in this organization, Drew Romo and Zac Veen, are just chilling in the minors for another year. Both had MLB stints, neither went well. Veen's been a ton better in Albuquerque this year, but now he's blocked by Moniak and Fernandez. Romo was lapped by Fulford, and Goodman might be the guy at catcher for a little while longer. I don't want it to be like the Pirates where so many rookies miss their window and just pile up in AAA. 

At the very least, this Rockies year will finish with a 25-homer year from Hunter Goodman, and a lot of potential answers to how not to lose 120+ games in 2026. It's a start. It ain't pretty, but it's a start.

Coming Tonight: For him, the Marlins got Kyle Stowers. Yet let the record show that he's probably been the best starter in Baltimore this year.