FanPost

The danger in trading JJ

I generally have not been posting that much on The Coors Effect about all the offseason talk.  Until it happens, it's just that: talk.

On one level, trading Jennings makes a lot of sense.  If he's not going to be a Rockie beyond 2007, why not trade him now and get a nice prospect package (okay -- probably a couple of B-level prospects) in return, instead of just getting a draft pick.  And there's a chance that FA compensation may be changed soon, anyway.

On the other level... we have to ask ourselves, are we going to contend in 2007?

If the Rockies are going to contend in 2007, JJ absolutely must stay around.  Without him, the rotation looks something like this:

#1: Cook
#2: Francis
#3: Kim?
#4: Fogg?
#5: Jimenez

Not the rotation of a playoff team.

If, on the other hand, we don't think the Rockies can make a serious run in 2007, then by all means trade him.  So the question we have to ask ourselves is, is 2007 a serious contending year?  Or is it another year where .500 is about the best we can ask for?  If it's the former, JJ must stay, even if it means parting with JJ at the end of the season and getting little to nothing in return.

If it's the latter, I'll take 70-75 wins with a couple more guys for the future than 80 wins and a third-place finish.  It's time to ask ourselves this serious question.

On the other hand -- you can see the serious commitment the Rockies have to developing within in the talks about bringing in a CF.  The Rockies don't want to sign anybody to a long-term deal because the club believes Dexter Fowler will be ready in 2009.  We're not looking for a long-term fix -- we already have that.  What we're looking for is a two-year stopgap.

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).