Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best all-round shortstops in baseball. he plays Gold Glove caliber defense, and he actually hits well pretty much anywhere whether home (.935 OPS) and Away (.819 OPS). The team always plays better with their franchise Shortstop is in the lineup – and they have a punchers chance to compete in their Division. Tulo is owed $134 MIL over the next 7 years, and could easily command that type of salary on the open market

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The Rockies have to play in the same Division as new payroll ‘powerhouse machine’ Los Angeles.  It is hard to fathom that Colorado’s $88 MIL 2014 Payroll will trail the Dodgers payroll by almost $150 MIL.

If there were ever a case to cry out for the inequities in salaries, the 3 teams in the NL West of San Diego, Arizona and Colorado have a huge case.

It wasn’t always like this, only 2 years ago the Dodgers were hovering in the same financial stratosphere as the Rox.

New ownership and a huge TV deal has landed LA a windfall that they have reinvested in their on field talent over the last 18 months.

Colorado is one of the weirdest franchises because of their home ballpark.

Even with playing teams in the NL West with Parks like Petco, Dodger Stadium and AT &T Park, Rockies player gets 81 games of AB versus 27 against the other parks or 75-25 %. The Rockies continue to lead the MLB for Home Averages year in and year out.  These artificial numbers are quite troublesome when players agent’s compare their effectiveness versus the rest of the league based on the built in advantage.

Coors Field is an underrated facility to witness a game, but it is also a team management’s worst nightmare when evaluating a player.

Worse is the fact that Arbitration Eligible guys are paid on what their numbers are against their peers, at Coors gives them a massive advantage.

I have written several pieces on  the park on Blake Street in Denver.  They have led the NL in home Batting Average for 19 of the 21 years in existence.

It is also hard to quantify pitching ability, or even lure Free Agent Pitchers to the fold based on this perception.

I wont belabor the point too far, but lets just say the team is always at a fiscal crunch.

If you really look at Colorado’s history, we are talking about 5 o r 6 decent years out of the 21 years they have seen action.

The brass has done a good job at handing out multi-year contracts to their best players.

Tulo has the biggest deal on the board, with a guaranteed minimum of $134 MIL over the next 7 Years, and if the Rockies pick up the 2021 Team Option, it amounts to $145 MIL over the next 8 years.

Tulowitzki is the best all around SS in the game, the problem is keeping him on the field.  After missing 115 games in 2012, he did rebound with a 126 Game Campaign in 2013.

He also is worth the kind of cash the club is paying.  If he and Gonzalez are on the same field, at the same time, this squad will have a chance to compete.

After Cargo’s 1st awesome season in Denver, the club offered him a pact worth 7 YRs/$80 MIL that ran through the years of 2011 – 2017.

On the liquid cash board for the next 4 years, is $63.5 MIL left, although his AAV is just over $11.4 MIL for duration of the deal.

It was a risk by Colorado to have doles out this money, however Gonzalez would be worth a hell of a lot more money on the Free Agent market, than being locked up til the end of 2017.

Gonzalez finally hit on the road as well as home, and has made strides to better his overall game.  The 28 Year Old from Venezuela enters his 7th season in the bigs upcoming.

The Rockies brought in several players in the offseason.

Justin Morneau is a bargain at the 2 YRs/$12.5 MIL price tag he came with to sign as a FA.  The Canadian also has a 3rd year Mutual Option for $9 MIL in 2016.

The former 2006 AL MVP should provide the same kind of numbers Todd Helton has paved in the last 4 or 5 years.

Boone Logan was inked to a 3 YR deal worth $16.5 MIL.  It maybe a bit of an overpay, but that is what Colorado must do to bring in any pitcher.

Brett Anderson was acquired via a trade and earns $8 MIL this year, with a Club Option for $12 MIL in 2015.

laTroy Hawkins returned to the team, signing a 1 year contract worth $2.25 MIL, with the same dollar amount available for the 2015 season.

Hawkins is listed as the teams Closer right now, and has carved a nice career with steady Bullpen work.

Drew Stubbs was traded for Josh Outman, to play CF, and he will make $4.1 MIL this year before he hits his last year Arbitration Eligibility in 2015, becoming a Free Agent in 2015.

Players that are in the last year of their contract before hitting the open market are: reigning NL Batting Champion Michael Cuddyer ($10.5 MIL in 2014), Jorge De La Rosa ($11 MIL in 2014), Matt Belisle ($4.25 MIL) Franklin Morales ($1.71 MIL in 2014) and Rafael Betancourt is already a Free Agent after he had to undergo Tommy John Surgery at the end of 2013.

I am sure the club would love to extend De La Rosa for more years, however having Brett Anderson for the 1 YR/$12 MIL Team Option is a good backup for next season.

10 guys will be Arbitration Eligible in 2015:  Adam Ottavino, Charlie Blackmon, Wilton Lopez, Rex Brothers, Tyler Chatwood, Jhoulys Chacin, Jordan Pacheco, Jordan Lyles, Wilin Rosario, Juan Nicasio and Stubbs.

This will mean a serious escalation in players salaries for next year.  The good news is that 8 of them all are in their 1st year.

That does factor in that 2016 and 2017 will see the club have to make some big decisions on who to retain or possibly trade.

The biggest question on the team for next year will be whether they can bring back Cuddyer or De La Rosa.

If the Rockies are in contention near the ALL – Star Break, I am sure the club would pursue some trades to enhance the team’s chances.

Much like Arizona has stretched their payroll over the $100 MIL mark to compete with the Giants and Dodgers,  the Colorado may do the same if it is justified.

The franchise draws nearly 3 Million fans even when the team is not playing well, if they are in contention wire to wire, they may stand to benefit in additional ticket revenue – by the extra cash spent on player salaries.

The financial scope looks good for the immediate future.

Carlos Gonzalez is latest in the long list of players to take advantage of the thin air in Denver. CARGO has destroyed the cover off of the ball at a 3 Slash Line of .339/.403/1.033 – with 79 HRs and 253 RBI in just 1168 (or the equivalency of playing 2 full seasons at Coors Field. His road 3 Slash is .269/.324/.774 – with 48 HRs and 148 RBI in 1248 AB. To be fair, 2013 he evolved to hit everywhere finally, sporting a .987 OPS on the Road – to a .930 mark at home. The 28 year old, will make $63.5 MIL over the next 4 years, but that is decent when yoiu consider the MVP type numbers he is putting up every year.

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Jeff Kleiner:  “I have been a sports fan since the first Baseball game I went to at Comisky Park in Chicago in 1959, when baseball for me turned from black and white to color.

I have attended or watched thousands of games, always paying attention to statistics, rosters and salaries of all professional sports.

Luckily I had the advantage of watching WGN TV and seeing hundreds of games in the 60’s. Collecting Baseball Cards and then later dealing them gave me an extra sense of the sport, both good and bad.”

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