The Rockies have signed relievers Wade Davis, Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw to expensive contracts in recent offseasons. Those deals haven’t worked out for the team, though, and now buyer’s remorse may be setting in regarding at least a couple of those pitchers. The club’s “investigating trades” involving McGee and Shaw, per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, though he notes it’s unclear whether the Rockies will be able to move either.
No member of the Davis-McGee-Shaw trio should be easy to trade. It may be close to impossible in the case of Davis, who’s coming off a shockingly awful season and is still owed $18MM (including a $1MM buyout for 2021). Meanwhile, McGee and Shaw are still due substantial amounts in their own right. McGee has $11.5MM left (including a $2MM buyout for 2021), and Shaw’s owed a $9MM salary this year with a $2MM buyout thereafter.
The left-handed McGee, 33, was coming off a mostly solid run with the Rays and Rockies before he re-signed with the latter entering the 2018 season. Since then, he has put up a pair of unimpressive years, most recently recording a 4.35 ERA (with a far worse 6.00 ERA) across 41 1/3 innings in 2019. McGee walked just 2.4 batters per nine along the way, but his K/9 (7.62) and groundball percentage (35.7) left plenty to be desired. He also finished with a swinging-strike percentage of 8.6, almost a career low.
Shaw, a 32-year-old righty, had about as much trouble retiring enemy hitters as McGee did last season. He stumbled to a 5.38 ERA/5.19 FIP wth 7.25 K/9 and 3.63 BB/9 over 72 innings during his second straight subpar showing since he joined the Rockies on a three-year, $27MM guarantee that matched McGee’s deal. The Rockies’ version of Shaw has paled in comparison to the one who held his own with the Diamondbacks and Indians in previous seasons.
Going forward, Shaw’s $9MM club option for 2021 will become guaranteed if he appears in 40 games this year and finishes the season healthy. So, if the Rockies are unable to find a taker for Shaw in a trade, it would behoove them to significantly reduce his workload after he averaged 65 appearances in his first two seasons in their uniform.
The Rockies have the most overpaid sucky bullpen in all of baseball. It is a big reason they won’t contend for anything any time soon.
Lol. All that money is off the books
colorado rockies are doomed. better to trade story, arenado and blackmon before it’s too late
Arenado and Story? Why not just go back to being a AAA city.
What money is off the books? I’m pretty sure this entire article is about how the ridiculous McGee, Shaw and Davis money are all still ON the books.
I think he meant off the books after this coming season.
Until the options vest which is the major issue in, exception is McGee. Add in the no trade clauses if traded, the readily reachable bonuses and you have a bad situation for the Rockies pen and ability to offload guys.
Such a tough call for any pitcher in their career….
Take the money that no one is offering and go to Colorado and say bye to your career or take less money and go anywhere else and maintain your stats to sign another lucrative contract.
Should be opposite for the hitters…but it isn’t.
The thing I don’t get is the Rockies making the offers in the first place. You are absolutely right and it is a tough call for the pitchers that get offered top dollar by Colorado. I just don’t know why they do it in the first place because they have been here before with these highly paid free agent pitchers. Dating all the way back to the Mike Hampton/Denny Neagle days this exact thing happens over and over again when the Rox commit a bunch of cash to free agent pitchers. The year the Rockies actually made the World Series it happened because they used homegrown pitching from pitchers that grew up pitching in the Colorado area. That’s the path they have to go down if they want to win. By now the Rockies organization has already been through lengthy periods of time when they openly admitted that they have to build their team in a different way than every other team in baseball. It’s just a fact. The Rockies need to spend their draft picks on young pitching (especially pitchers out of Colorado and other high elevation areas) and almost only use free agent $ for position players. They have proven to themselves and everyone else time and time again that spending big money on free agent pitchers just flat out doesn’t work for them on a consistent enough basis to win a championship. I really don’t understand why every few years they get trigger happy with the payroll and pretend they forgot all the lessons they have already learned.
Uh, no, I’m afraid not. But, you have me at a loss. You know my name but who are you? Just another American who saw too many movies as a child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he’s John Wayne? Rambo? Marshal Dillon?
Who are you talking to Monty? Until I made this exact reply to your comment I can’t find a single post that even implies anyone knows your name or what your talking about. Did somebody get moderated and I missed it or something? I’m only replying because you said that in a reply to my post and you are the only one that replied so it kind of comes off as if you’re talking to me but I have no clue who you are or what you’re talking about.
He’s quoting “die hard” ….not sure why.
I was a bit partial to Roy Rogers.
Well said.
You are right about an important fact. They need guys who were born and raised at high altitude. Red blood cell count correlation.
Pitching and catching are extra strenuous in Colorado for people born at sea level.
I say the Rox should open a youth baseball camp in Eritrea or Ethiopia.
Mexico.
There all unmovable…
What are your thoughts on Launchpad McQuack?
Pretty much anybody is movable at the right price. Someone might be willing to take a chance on Davis if the Rockies were willing to eat the vast majority of what is owed to him. Not a big believer in changes of scenery but in his case it might help. He was really awful at Coors but not so bad on the road.
i think these guys are all reasonable gets if the Rox eat some money. would probably have to be conditional if they dont want to eat a good chunk though.
Trade wade Davis Jake McGee and Ian Desmond for Kirby Yates and Luis perdomo
Face palm. Smack
Padres laugh, hang up, and instruct Colorado never to contact them again. All three players the Rox would be giving up have negative value. The padres would be giving up an elite rp and a young, low cost player.
Yup you’re definitely a Rockies fan.
I think he was joking. Or at least I hope he was
He was joking…..
Maybe throw in tapia
It’s not like anyone thought these were good deals when they were signed.
Typical of so many teams. They over pay for players who excelled elsewhere and then can’t Lee their own guy like Ottavino, whobis hetter than all of them
McGee’s road numbers were good in 2019 suggesting a move away from Coors would benefit him. Shaw was just bad last year, Home and Away. Rockies will play him initially but they will drop him at some point to avoid his 2021 option from vesting.
Might as well just keep the relievers. Trading them would get them minimal in return. They might even have negative trade value, so they’d have to attach someone with value just to unload the contract. The nice thing about these three relievers is that they were only signed for 3 year deals, and 2020 is the third. Might as well stick with them until the deadline and hope they have a bounce back season.
I’d actually say that it doesn’t about matter the return if it means getting rid of the contract. Davis actively hurts us when he comes into the game (although weirdly, not in the 9th inning as the closer), Shaw has improved but is still not good, and McGee lets in more than half of the runners he inherits.
We probably would benefit by getting rid of the player, and the other teams may see a benefit paying a minimal price for a reliever who could be much better outside of Coors.
How about Odubel Herrera for Wade Davis straight up? The money equals out as Odubel is owed approximately 17mil over the next two years which is almost identical to Wade Davis’ 18mil. They are both “immovable” contracts but the Rockies just so happen to need a CF. I mean they were deploying Ian Desmond out there last year. Odubel would be a nice left handed compliment to Desmond and it would allow Ian to bounce around to other positions. Odubel has show flashes of being a great, not good, GREAT hitter at times. Maybe his line drive profile would play well in Coors and he would be in a market that wouldn’t destroy him for his off the field issues. The Phillies just so happen to need a back of the ‘pen reliever with Robertson out until at least September. They both need a change of scenery and I think it’s a perfect match in a bad contract swap.
Rox couldn’t cut Reyes fast enough after his domestic violence charges. Why would they trade for that baggage when they’ve previously shown no tolerance for it?
also, Wade Davis’ contract can very easily be turned into a one year deal
Rockies could trade McGee and Shaw if they included a decent prospect…Colton Welker and Michael Toglia would be a very good combo to include. Welker is blocked at third and Toglia is their second best 1B prospect. Get Shaw and McGee our of Coors and I bet their stats would look much better.
no one is going to trade for herrera, no team wants him anywhere around or associated with there organization
Its tricky for the Rockies from a pitching perspective. Most pitchers don’t want to sign with Colorado so they have to rely on their drafting/minor league pitching development; unfortunately they haven’t done a great job at that. Their minor leaguers are typically decent hitters so if they trade a big name, their goal should be young, controllable pitching with high upside in return.
I thought Kipnis for Bryan Shaw was a decent framework of a trade when Kipnis was still under contract with the Indians, especially since he could benefit from going back to Cleveland.
Obviously Kipnis is a free agent now though, and I can’t imagine the Indians taking on any of the money he’s still owed — even if the Rockies threw in a prospect. The Indians don’t really have any bad contracts anymore either.
I can’t see anyone taking on Odubel under his current circumstances
(This was meant as a reply to Phillies2020 although it somehow posted as its own comment)
Thanks for your insight guys. I realize that teams may want nothing to do with Odubel because of the incident in Atlantic City that led to his arrest and suspension. However, MLB is a business and I truly believe that Odubel can still be a great player in the right setting. He’s a great defender and although inconsistent, has shown some real promise at the plate. He can go the other way, he moves runners and he has pop. He’s hit homers at CPB at 110mph off the face of the upper deck. Playing in a place like Coors would, in all probability, unleash his potential. If he had 600-650 PA’s for the Rockies next season I would bet he would be among the league leader in triples the way he can hit the gaps in a spacious park like Coors. Wade Davis is a great pitcher but he proved he cannot pitch at altitude. Davis put up an 8.25 ERA and he wasnt even injured. His agent should be demanding a trade somewhere, anywhere. As far as Odubel, I think everybody deserves a second chance. Maybe this happening to him will finally help him to get his act together. The Astros gave Osuna a second chance and that worked out. Just sayin
I notice when I post two comments on one thread the phone app will put me back in the text box of my previous comment. I have to scroll done to find the new text box and click on that to put my words in the right place. Not sure if that’s related to your situation…..
That’s possible, I use the phone app so it’s probably a similar situation
i feel so bad for the state of the rickies. yup. tonight they are going to be the rickies. these rickies have the best third basemen in the game. charlie mullet is past his heyday (its sad i know). i like him. uhh trevor story? ill take me a trevor story over every other ss but four. the rest is like as bad the tigers. or even baltimore. they will be passed by san diego this year. maybe even sf takes that step past the garbage that the rickies became. boo hoo. no one cares about thee relievers on the rickies. absolutely. no one. quit writing these special kind of stoooopid articles. or please dont and i come back with rickies. rickies. hagahagag
Wade Davis, Jake McGee and Ramiel Tapia for Wil Myers, Adrian Morejon, Ronald Bolanos and Austin Hedges.
Win/Win trade for both sides. Padres save a little $ but give up a little more value with the ceilings of Morejon + Bolanos, 5 more years of control with both arms.
That’s not too bad of a proposal. Rockies could use help in the OF and at 1B since it seems they made Desmond the CF and McMahon the 2B. Going from one extreme (Petco) to another (Coors) may really help Myers hit like he did a few years ago.
While we are on a Rockies thread, it’s an abomination that Larry Walker is not in the HOF. If you disagree with me, please explain why he’s not deserving.
For sure, Myers could play LF or 1B. Hedges pairs with Wolters as a legit defensive combo behind the plate, Morejon either slots into the back end of the rotation or a nasty young lefty out of the pen, Bolanos also could lock in one of the final rotation spots.
Padres save about $35 million and get two bullpen reclamation projects, to pair with their already strong unit. The grand prize for SD would be Tapia obviously. A terror on the base paths and gives the club another LH starting OF option.
LF- Pham/Cordero
CF- Margot, Grisham
RF-Tapia/Cordero
With Naylor as a 5th guy and Olivares + Ona inclusion before the end of the year possibly.
I agree with Larry Walker and I’ll throw in a Dale Murphy.
Guys not in the HOF that would have been on my ballot every year:
Larry Walker
Fred McGriff
Gary Sheffield
Curt Schilling
I was one of those guys that were campaigning for Jack Morris, really glad he got in.
Lou Whittaker and Omar Vizquel are getting a lot of love. Great players, but not HOF worthy in my opnion.
Dale Murphy was a great ballplayer and had a long career. Just dont think in all of those years he ever led the league in anything or brought home any hardware. He’s close though.
@Todd76
Just checked and he led the league in HR twice and RBI twice in the early 80’s. He’s only a career .265 hitter. He finished with 398 career HR’s. Too bad when he joined Colorado for their inaugural season in ’93 that he couldn’t get those 2 Homer’s. Kinda like Fred McGriff tried in that final season with the Rays but fell like 6 or 7 short. Sounds crazy but if Dale got to 400 and Fred got to 500, they may be in right now.
As a Rockies fan I look at this and say:
I don’t hate it?
Myers doesn’t fit our lineup at all in my opinion, tbh as we have Hilliard for CF, McMahon for 1B, and Rodgers for 2B but with the other pieces added it may be worth having Myers on the bench.
Hedges would 100% help the pitching staff defensively (maybe help Wolters out too), Morejon gives us a higher upside pitching-wise, and Bolanos could be interesting too.
I was joking
The padres will never give Yates up for trash arms
I do like the hedges Myers deal tho
Myers absolutely rakes in Colorado too. He has had some monster games there.
Dodgers will gladly trade you Kelly or Baez
This team needs to press the reset button completely. So many bloated and bad contracts everywhere you look fooling themselves in both the short and long term prognosis within the division. They can’t beat the Dodgers and are stuck in the middle of the pack with the padres and the diamondbacks. Except both Sd and Az have better overall products on the field and in the farm. It’s getting really bad when you’ve now got to trade off the teams true superstar and young talents in gray and story just to free up cap to make marginal signings. They really need to get a grip on this ship before San Francisco catches them when they finally do reset and it’s too late and they become a 5 year rebuild project just to make the playoffs again. Here’s to some sorry seasons ahead Colorado. Play the kids see what you do/don’t have and keep Nolan as the face of the franchise.
I’m not sure how this works, but answer me this if you know.
What if the Rockies pitch Bryan Shaw 39 games. and if he doesn’t well, could they release him immediately and not have to deal with the option? Or would they still be obligated for the option if someone picks him up and he goes over 40? Or would that obligation go to his new team? They could also decide to keep him or trade him if he rebounds after the 39 games.
More than likely, there’s a provision in his contract where if he’s released the contract can’t vest with 40 game appearances. So he could be dropped and claimed by another team but the option becomes mute. Which I think is exactly what will happen.
shaw looks to be a rebound candidate if moved to other teams. if rockies eat $7 mil or so he should be tradable.
Suddenly all of these guys became terrible once they got to Colorado, shocking.
Davis, McGee, Shaw, and Story to the BoSox for Price, Eovaldi, and Bogarts.
Sorry, Jeff Bridich isn’t in. Please put Colorado on your no-call list.
That would give the Sox a super bullpen to compete with the Yankees. Plus it would help the BoSox clear out unwanted contracts. Also, Story is cheaper and just as good as Bogarts. For the Rox, it would give them a refresh and a chance to compete the next two years.
Over 25 years of evidence that sustaining any success in Colorado as a pitcher is too tough. Ubaldo Jiminez’s 2010 season was remarkable. Look closely at some of the pitchers and you’ll see better numbers on the road, and in Davis’ case it could be psychological because of the Colorado conditions.
It also hurts the hitters on the Rockies; hard to take them serious with inflated numbers. The splits do not lie.
Some GM somewhere in a rebuilding situation would be hailed as a genius if they took on all 3 of those guys in exchange for Brendan Rodgers.
The rebuilding team would be buying a top prospect. Get those relievers out of Coors and they should show great improvement. Flip each reliever at the deadline (we all know top relievers bring back some great prospects) and you just bought yourself a quick rebuild.