Not only would the Rockies not pay to keep Sabathia, but one stud pitcher is NOT the cure that would fix what ails the Rockies right now. Sure, we should have an ace, but our problems are much deeper than that.

The Rockies are scoring an average of 4.2 runs per game this season, a pace of 689 runs for the whole year. The all-time franchise low in runs scored for a full season is 740 runs, so we are on pace to break the record-low in runs scored. Would trading Holliday for an ace pitcher fix that? No. Nor would trading a soon-to-be expensive Holliday for a soon-to-be expensive ace like Sabathia help our financial situation.

By the way, we are allowing 5.52 runs per game, which is not breaking any team records for most runs allowed. It’s the highest since 2004 when we allowed 5.70 runs per game, also during the humidor era.

So, while our pitching and DEFENSE have resulted in other teams scoring in droves, especially lately, it’s not unprecedented in Rockies history. 4.2 runs scored per game, however, IS unprecedented. So, unlike most of the unsophisticated Denver media, we should all appreciate how the Rockies need more HITTING as well as tighter defense, better baserunning and more consistent starting pitching.

So many problems, and yet media hacks think there’s a simple solution. Let’s hope our front office thinks a little more clearly than Paige.

I don’t even have the energy today to consider trade possibilities. Can we just win a frickin game, please? How about a quality start from Ubaldo? too much too ask for?

Good god, I’m tired of hearing about this. Every team makes blunders. The good ones put them in the rear view mirror.

The everyday Rockies fan will not understand trading away Holliday. They don’t really care about the Scott Boras variable because all they will see is that he is gone. With that in mind, O’Dowd and the Monforts will have the media’s ear and will constantly feed them favorable info much like they did in the case of Jason Jennings and what is currently happening with Atkins. However, Holliday is much more popular so the spin will have to be intensely negative.

The Jennings trade worked out well.. O’Dowd can and has made some decent trades and since Matt is under contract through next year, then there is no hurry so he should be able to work a fair deal. The thing the fans may have to accept is watching Holliday playing on the big stage either as a Free Agent signing or a trade. It may make baseball sense to talk trades with all the teams, however, there won’t be a trade to a small market club in the AL (Devil Rays) because those type teams don’t trade for Boras players, they instead trade them away. Boras is basically working for the big market teams and probably already has had conversations about Matt with Boston, NY, NY, LA, Cubs.. etc.

is how overrated compensatory picks are becoming.

Let’s look at this realistically. The Rockies have always held a firm budget when it comes to drafting, and while they won’t lowball anyone, they won’t really go over slot in the first few rounds either. The more high picks you add, the more likely the budget will allow for less money for each first rounder the Rockies select. If we are looking at Baseball America’s Top 100 as a rough guide, it would be unlikely that the Rockies would nab several players in the top fifty on that list for budgetary concerns. On top of that, the Rockies second pick rarely seems to come from someone falling, but more often falls in the reach category. Good player or not, the Rockies are again less likely to take a high rated player on pundits lists later on the first day.

That’s just the first issue. The second is the myriad of issues that relate to all Type A type guys. Do you really want them back if they accept arbitration? If a bad team signs him, are the low Comp One picks worth the value of the player? Comp picks are a pretty big crap shoot.

Lastly, you’re holding on to a guy so that you can get one or two players that will start at the very bottom rung of the system. On the flip side, you can trade the guy for one or two players that have already reached Double A, have a developed skill set easier to forecast, and could provide quicker dividends to the club.

I’m a big draft guy, but let’s not get carried away with the allure of a draft pick. Prospects are prospects, and if I had my drouthers, I’d get them from Double A before I’d get them from Rookie Ball.

There’s no talent gap either, if you offer a Fuentes or a Holliday or an Atkins, you’ll get some players back, and they’ll have a smidge more certainty and an earlier ETA. Trades make so much more sense.

That Mark Kiszla is the voice of reason – even though it’s only in a debate with Woody Paige. Crazy year.