Baker, Torrealba on the block
When you get right down to it, there's no point in the Rockies carrying both Jeff Baker and Ian Stewart.
Both are third basemen by trade, but of course neither is going to play much there as long as Garrett Atkins is in a Rockies uniform. Both can play the corner outfield positions; but with Brad Hawpe entrenched in right, there's only one place out there for either to play. Both can reportedly play second, but Baker's a defensive butcher there, while Stewart quite frankly hasn't gotten enough reps there. Both can hit for power; both strike out quite often. Hell, they're even basically the same size: Baker's listed at 6'2", 210; Stewart at 6'3", 205.
The main differences are twofold: Baker's a righty, Stewart a lefty; and Stewart is four years younger and therefore more projectable. Those differences mean that if the Rockies are going to keep one and let go of the other, Stewart's the keeper. Before, it looked like the Rockies might pointlessly send Stewart down to Colorado Springs to get regular at bats, but now they've come to their senses and realized that they're better off carrying Stewart on the roster even if he can't play every day, and sending Baker out. So it's no surprise that the Rockies are now shopping Baker around.
On the latter note, I realize that there's an inconsistency in saying that Dexter Fowler needs to go down to AAA if he's not going to get regular at bats in the majors, but suggesting that Stewart should be on the major league roster even if he's not playing every day. But they are different situations. Fowler is in a situation where he can still benefit from playing in AAA. Stewart has nothing left to prove in the minors; there's really no point in sending him out even if keeping him on the major league roster means he won't be playing every day.
The most-rumored trade involving Baker would bring Kyle Kendrick back from the Phillies in return. Kendrick's not a great pitcher and is something of a soft-tosser, but he's the kind of pitcher I'd be fine with having in Colorado Springs in case somebody goes down. It wouldn't be a terrible trade; Baker isn't the kind of player I'd expect teams to be falling over themselves to get.
The other Rockie rumored to be on his way out is Yorvit Torrealba, though for different reasons. Basically, the Rockies are realizing that paying $3.5 million for a backup catcher is really stupid and that Sal Fasano can do the same things Torrealba does for much less money, so they're looking to unload Torrealba's contract. Of course, trading Torrealba will require finding a team that thinks paying a backup catcher $3.5 million is a good idea, and I can't imagine too many teams doing that. Option B is finding a team that thinks Yorvit Torrealba is a starting catcher, which has less of a chance of happening than Option A.
Seriously, though, the Rockies should carry Sal Fasano on the roster for his mustache alone.
Both are third basemen by trade, but of course neither is going to play much there as long as Garrett Atkins is in a Rockies uniform. Both can play the corner outfield positions; but with Brad Hawpe entrenched in right, there's only one place out there for either to play. Both can reportedly play second, but Baker's a defensive butcher there, while Stewart quite frankly hasn't gotten enough reps there. Both can hit for power; both strike out quite often. Hell, they're even basically the same size: Baker's listed at 6'2", 210; Stewart at 6'3", 205.
The main differences are twofold: Baker's a righty, Stewart a lefty; and Stewart is four years younger and therefore more projectable. Those differences mean that if the Rockies are going to keep one and let go of the other, Stewart's the keeper. Before, it looked like the Rockies might pointlessly send Stewart down to Colorado Springs to get regular at bats, but now they've come to their senses and realized that they're better off carrying Stewart on the roster even if he can't play every day, and sending Baker out. So it's no surprise that the Rockies are now shopping Baker around.
On the latter note, I realize that there's an inconsistency in saying that Dexter Fowler needs to go down to AAA if he's not going to get regular at bats in the majors, but suggesting that Stewart should be on the major league roster even if he's not playing every day. But they are different situations. Fowler is in a situation where he can still benefit from playing in AAA. Stewart has nothing left to prove in the minors; there's really no point in sending him out even if keeping him on the major league roster means he won't be playing every day.
The most-rumored trade involving Baker would bring Kyle Kendrick back from the Phillies in return. Kendrick's not a great pitcher and is something of a soft-tosser, but he's the kind of pitcher I'd be fine with having in Colorado Springs in case somebody goes down. It wouldn't be a terrible trade; Baker isn't the kind of player I'd expect teams to be falling over themselves to get.
The other Rockie rumored to be on his way out is Yorvit Torrealba, though for different reasons. Basically, the Rockies are realizing that paying $3.5 million for a backup catcher is really stupid and that Sal Fasano can do the same things Torrealba does for much less money, so they're looking to unload Torrealba's contract. Of course, trading Torrealba will require finding a team that thinks paying a backup catcher $3.5 million is a good idea, and I can't imagine too many teams doing that. Option B is finding a team that thinks Yorvit Torrealba is a starting catcher, which has less of a chance of happening than Option A.
Seriously, though, the Rockies should carry Sal Fasano on the roster for his mustache alone.
