Well, that’s a wrap. The Colorado Rockies have officially suffered the same fate as several teams before them, and one that will eventually claim 20 of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams: they’ve been mathematically eliminated from the MLB playoffs.

It’s a familiar feeling for Rockies fans, who haven’t had much to cheer about since the team’s pennant-winning season in 2007. But there are plenty of other things about this team that don’t feel nearly as familiar – not the least of which is the absence of one of the franchise’s most iconic players. It’s been a strange (though not so long) trip through half-hearted contention for the Rockies this season. Let’s examine their year and see what went wrong, what (if anything) went right, and what might happen next year.

Team: Colorado Rockies
Date Eliminated: September 13
Record When Eliminated: 60-83, .420
Games Back When Eliminated: 22.5 Division, 22.5 Wild Card

What Went Wrong?

What didn’t? This Colorado team had an uphill battle cut out for them from the start. They were trapped in a tough division, one that – until the remarkable emergence of the NL Central was expected to be the toughest in all of baseball. The Dodgers were the big-spending favorites, the San Diego Padres had gone shopping for new stars themselves, and the San Francisco Giants were the defending World Series champions. The Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks were expected to spend the whole season out of contention, and that’s basically what happened (plus, the San Diego Padres unexpectedly joined them).

But that’s not a full explanation. Why are the Rockies bad?

Well, the Rockies have relied on two players disproportionately for the last few seasons. Those two – OF Carlos Gonzalez and SS Troy Tulowitzki – were sure to carry the team if they stayed healthy, the logic went. They never did stay on the field until this year. To everyone’s disappointment, the stars did not align: Tulowitzki and Gonzalez both turned in pretty mediocre efforts for most of the season. The Rockies eventually dealt Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays in this year’s most exciting trade. He’s doing fine in the second half of the season, but that only helps Toronto. Jose Reyes, the Rockies new shortstop, is good, but he’s no Troy Tulowitzki.

The good news is that the Rockies picked up pitching in that trade. They needed it: their pitching has been abysmal this year. They’re dead last in team ERA, and they sent their top pitching prospect back to the minors earlier this year. The Rockies poor pitching is probably the worst thing about their team. We have to mention the fact that Coors Field is a hitter-friendly park, but trust us: that’s not the problem.

Did Anything Go Right?

It wasn’t all bad times for this Rockies team. A couple of their young players have had remarkable seasons. Second baseman D.J. LeMahieu has been great, and 3B Nolan Arenado was arguably the best at his position in the league over the first half of the year. They are young players that the Rockies can build around. Which brings us to our next section (sorry that this one was so short, Rockies fans).

Will They Get ‘em Next Year?

We’re more bullish than some on the future of this Rockies team. Critics point out that they still have quite a bit of money tied up in aging players, including Carlos Gonzales and the recently-acquired Jose Reyes. But the Rockies also have a great deal of young talent under control, and their trade with the Blue Jays helped bring in pitching prospects who could, eventually, help the franchise address the weakest point of its team.

There’s no doubt that this team, as currently assembled, will be terrible next year and for the foreseeable future. But not making offseason moves would be madness for the Rockies, and we fully expect them to put every one of their older players on the block. Their returns may vary – there’s not a huge market for some of these guys – but if the Rockies can clear some payroll, they can build a team that will be competitive a few years from now. This is a rebuilding project in progress.

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