If the Colorado Rockies end up contending this season they will look back upon December 3, 2013 as a pivotal day in the drive for the pennant.
It was on December 3 that the Rockies made two big moves to shape their 2014 roster. One move, signing costless agent first baseman Justin Morneau to replace the retired Todd Helton was immediately recognized as a necessary and smart signing. The second, trading Dexter Fowler to the Houston Astros for two unknowns was panned as a salary dump.
Morneau, 32, came to the Rockies with an All-Star and MVP resume. He spent 11 seasons with the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2013 season. As a Twin he had a career batting average of .278 with 225 home runs and 860 RBI’s. He went to five All Star games and was voted the 2006 American League MVP. On paper he was a credible replacement for Helton at first base and at the plate.
The Fowler trade caused more of an uproar for fans and observers of the Rockies. Though he was often injured, when Fowler played he was more than capable of covering the vast Coors Field outfield at the center-field position. At the beginning of 2013 Fowler started off fast offensively, hitting eight homers. Then a series of injuries occured that slowed him down the rest of the year. He finished 2013 batting .263, with 18 doubles, 12 home runs, 42 RBIs, 71 runs and a .369 on-base percentage. He was due to earn $7.3 million in 2014.
For the Rockies to sign Morneau they needed the salary flexibility that trading Fowler would present. The Rockies pulled the trigger on the deal to send Fowler to Houston for two unknowns- 23-year-old right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles and 27-year-old outfielder Brandon Barnes.
Lyles pitched three years with the Astros, posting a record of 4-29 with a 5.35 ERA. He made 72 appearances (65 starts) during that time. The 6-foot-4, 215 pounder was a supplemental first-round pick by Houston in the 2008 draft and made his major league debut by the time he was 20 years old. In 2013, Lyles spent the majority of the season with the Astros, going 7-9 with a 5.59 ERA.
2013 was Barnes’ rookie year with Houston and he stuck as a starter in center-field. He hit .240 with eight home runs, 41 RBIs and 46 runs scored. He posted just a .289 on-base percentage, and struck out 127 times while walking just 21 times.
Following the trade the Astros were praised for coming out on top in such a one sided deal. The Astros spoke of Fowler as an impact offensive player who would spark the top of their lineup,
"We're happy about it," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "We've been working on it for more than a few days now, and I think it really fits with our offseason strategy. We want to focus on pitching, but we want to be able to bring in an offensive catalyst, and I think this type of player for us is ideal. ... It's a pretty exciting overall package for us."
The Rockies were viewed as having made the trade for finances only or they would have received more value for Fowler then a couple of "castoffs."
Rockies general manager Bill Geivett disagreed that trading Fowler was a "salary dump."
"I will say that when we open the season, our final payroll number is going to be what it's going to be," Geivett said. "Any money that we aren't spending on Dexter is going to go to somebody else.
"Part of this is to (costless up) money for another deal (Morneau)," Geivett said. "The big thing is, it's always hard for us to acquire starting pitching. (Lyles) is a starting pitcher that we had interest in. And we feel like at his age — and we can control him — that he can impact our club."
Considering the Rockies past of pinching pennies when it came to acquiring talent, you will forgive Rockies fans for automatically believing that a salary dump was exactly what it was.
Fast forward to today and the results of the the first few weeks of the season have painted a new face upon those December transactions. Fowler is struggling with a .207 average, one homer, three RBI’s, and a .270 on-base percentage while the Astros continue to sit at the bottom of the AL West with a 7-15 record. The whispers of Fowler being a product of Coors Field are growing louder as he continues to search for the same production he had while a member of the Rockies. Fowler is working out with former San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds in hopes of fregaining his swing.
Lyles, originally destined for Triple-A Colorado Springs until an injury to Tyler Chatwood, has been one of the anchors for the Rockies’s starting rotation so far this season. While the rotation has had to battle injuries, Lyles has stepped forward to post a team leading 3-0 record, 3.04 ERA, struck out 14 and walked six in four starts.
Barnes has made seven starts in center while also coming off the bench. He is hitting .324, with a .378 slugging percentage and .375 on-base percentage. Known for his hustle in Houston, he has continued to show it with the Rockies. Barnes, along with Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson have played well enough in center that Carlos Gonzalez was able to stay in left where he prefers.
Whether Gievett was truly convinced that Lyles and Barnes would contribute at this level with the Rockies is still up for debate. What’s not up for debate is that without the contributions of Lyles and Barnes the Rockies wouldn’t be sitting in second place in the National League West.