Comments on: What They Need: Colorado Rockies – More Stewart, Less Atkins http://umpbump.com/press/2008/07/24/what-they-need-colorado-rockies-more-stewart-less-atkins/ In-your-face baseball commentary Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:15:35 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Paul Moro http://umpbump.com/press/2008/07/24/what-they-need-colorado-rockies-more-stewart-less-atkins/comment-page-1/#comment-56301 Paul Moro Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:27:54 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/?p=2453#comment-56301 I don't think that anyone's going to argue that trading Helton is the best possible scenario. I didn't mention it because I just don't think it's possible. As you mentioned, Helton has a full no-trade. Even if he were to waive it, he's still owed a ridiculous amount of money over a long time - 3 more years at a combined $52.3MM, not including the $23MM option in 2012 with the $4.6MM buyout. So that's a guaranteed $56.9MM for Todd Helton. I just don't see a contract that large getting dealt anytime soon. I don't see anyone willing to take it on nor do I see Colorado agreeing to pay the huge chunk of money it will cost them to unload him on somebody else. And for Helton to agree to waive his no-trade, he could very well demand that that 2012 option for $23MM become guaranteed as well. The odds aren't in favor of them being able to get rid of Helton. And if you're going to try and platoon Helton, I'm assuming that his platoon partner in this scenario would be Atkins, who is also going to be getting a raise in arbitration. So you'd probably be paying Atkins $6MM to hit against lefties, which will probably give him 200-300ABs over the course of the year. I just don't think a team like the Rockies whose payroll is around $65-$70MM paying someone so much for so little work. And I don't think Atkins would like that very much either. I don’t think that anyone’s going to argue that trading Helton is the best possible scenario. I didn’t mention it because I just don’t think it’s possible.

As you mentioned, Helton has a full no-trade. Even if he were to waive it, he’s still owed a ridiculous amount of money over a long time – 3 more years at a combined $52.3MM, not including the $23MM option in 2012 with the $4.6MM buyout. So that’s a guaranteed $56.9MM for Todd Helton. I just don’t see a contract that large getting dealt anytime soon. I don’t see anyone willing to take it on nor do I see Colorado agreeing to pay the huge chunk of money it will cost them to unload him on somebody else. And for Helton to agree to waive his no-trade, he could very well demand that that 2012 option for $23MM become guaranteed as well. The odds aren’t in favor of them being able to get rid of Helton.

And if you’re going to try and platoon Helton, I’m assuming that his platoon partner in this scenario would be Atkins, who is also going to be getting a raise in arbitration. So you’d probably be paying Atkins $6MM to hit against lefties, which will probably give him 200-300ABs over the course of the year. I just don’t think a team like the Rockies whose payroll is around $65-$70MM paying someone so much for so little work. And I don’t think Atkins would like that very much either.

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]]> By: John http://umpbump.com/press/2008/07/24/what-they-need-colorado-rockies-more-stewart-less-atkins/comment-page-1/#comment-56300 John Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:33:50 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/?p=2453#comment-56300 Trading Atkins would be a bad move for the Rockies. The long term solution is to keep Atkins at first (where he played at UCLA), Stewart at third and Baker at second. This is the best lineup for the Rockies right now. Todd Helton has had a rough year. If his trends continue, 2008 will be the worst season of his career. Whether this is a simple off-year or whether Todd is nearing the end of his playing days is a different debate entirely. Either way, Helton needs to accept a platoon role or agree to waive his no-trade clause. Difficult as that may be, it is what is best for the franchise right now. Trading Atkins would be a bad move for the Rockies. The long term solution is to keep Atkins at first (where he played at UCLA), Stewart at third and Baker at second. This is the best lineup for the Rockies right now. Todd Helton has had a rough year. If his trends continue, 2008 will be the worst season of his career. Whether this is a simple off-year or whether Todd is nearing the end of his playing days is a different debate entirely. Either way, Helton needs to accept a platoon role or agree to waive his no-trade clause. Difficult as that may be, it is what is best for the franchise right now.

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]]> By: Lyndsay http://umpbump.com/press/2008/07/24/what-they-need-colorado-rockies-more-stewart-less-atkins/comment-page-1/#comment-56299 Lyndsay Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:40:34 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/?p=2453#comment-56299 watching Ian Stewart > watching Garrett Atkins /fangirl vote/ watching Ian Stewart > watching Garrett Atkins

/fangirl vote/

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