The Colorado Rockies front office has long been a source of ridicule, often considered one of the worst in Major League Baseball. Over the years, the team has built a reputation for making decisions that seem to defy conventional wisdom, frequently straying from league-wide trends and signing players in moves that leave fans and analysts alike scratching their heads. Whether it’s baffling contracts, questionable trades, or strange roster decisions, the Rockies’ front office has made several moves that have not aged well.
Below are five of the worst free-agent signings in the history of the franchise, highlighting some of the more perplexing and regrettable choices the team has made over the years.
The Rockies and Their Worst Free-Agent Acquisitions
Mike Hampton- 8 years, $121 million
The Rockies were eager to land a top-tier starting pitcher. They made a massive commitment to Mike Hampton, signing him to an eight-year, $121 million contract—the richest in MLB history at the time. Given his track record with the Houston Astros and a strong 2000 season with the New York Mets, it seemed like a logical move despite the challenges of pitching at Coors Field.
However, Hampton’s time in Colorado quickly turned into a disaster. In his first season with the Rockies in 2001, he struggled to a 5.41 ERA over 203 innings. Things only got worse in 2002, when he posted an abysmal 6.15 ERA across 178.2 innings. His once-solid control deteriorated, and his strikeout rate plummeted. The thin air of Coors Field, combined with his pitch-to-contact style, made him a liability rather than an ace.
Hampton’s contract was an MLB record in total dollars at the time. He earned an all-star appearance due to a strong first half with the Rockies. But Hampton struggled mightily in the second half. In 14 games, he went 5-8 with a 7.46 ERA allowing 102 hits and 21 homers in 82 innings pitched. It was more of the same for Hampton the following season. Cementing his time in Colorado as far and away the worst seasons of his career. He was traded after the season to the Florida Marlins. Considering Hampton’s poor play and how badly his contract aged, this is easily the worst signing in Rockies history.
Darryl Kile- 3 years, $24 million
Instead, Kile’s time in Colorado was a disaster. In his first season with the Rockies, he posted a 5.20 ERA over 230 innings. Things only got worse in 1999 when his ERA ballooned to 6.61 over 190 innings. Unlike Hampton, who at least had stretches of competence, Kile never adjusted to the thin air of Denver, struggling with his command and movement on his breaking pitches. Colorado trying to be competitive but could not figure out how to solve the conundrum of pitching at Coors. But the sheer money handed out and the complete lack of success by either player as a Rockie make Kile another easy add to this list alongside Hampton.
The Rockies mercifully cut ties with Kile after two seasons, trading him to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 2000 season.
Ian Desmond- 5 years, $70 million
Ian Desmond was an all star with the Texas Rangers in 2016. He cashed in on that success, signing with the Rockies for five years worth $70 million. As it was one of the largest contracts in team history, high expectations were placed on Desmond. All three seasons with the Rockies were the only seasons of his career in which he posted negative WAR. His Rockies tenure could not have gotten off to a worse start as he suffered a broken left hand in spring training, limiting him to 95 games. Desmond hit .274/.326/.375 with only seven homers.
Due to his injury in spring training, it was reasonable to give Desmond a chance to rebound in 2018. Desmond was durable throughout the season, playing in 160 games, but his hitting plummeted. Over 339 at-bats, Desmond hit just .236/.307/.422 with a 29.1% whiff rate. The worst season of Desmond’s tenure in Colorado came in 2019. From 2018-19, his batting value dropped from 8 to -3, and his WAR dropped from -0.1 to -1.5.
Desmond did provide solid speed and defense during his time with the Rockies. However, he didn’t live up to his contract.
Bryan Shaw – 3 years, $27 million
One of the staples of the Jeff Bridich era as general manager of the Rockies was the “Super Bullpen”. $106 million was spent on Bryan Shaw, Wade Davis, and Jake McGee. The theme in this article of pitchers signing big contracts only for it to turn into a disaster continues here. The Rockies pried Shaw from the Cleveland Indians, signing him to a three-year deal worth $27 million. Shaw was coming off a stellar seven-year stretch with Cleveland, in which he posted a 3.44 ERA with a 456/183 K/BB ratio over 494 IP.
Davis would serve as the closer coming off of three stellar seasons with the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals. McGee and Shaw would handle the setup duties. Both struggled from the very beginning and never found consistent success in Colorado. Additionally, Davis continued his stellar play in 2018, collecting a career-high 43 saves, before imploding in 2019-20. After nine seasons in which he did not have an ERA over 3.52, Shaw’s ERA after two seasons in Colorado stood at 5.61. Per Statcast, Shaw’s pitching Run-Value dropped from 6 to -15 from 2017 to 2018. He was constantly getting hit hard in the altitude, as opposing lineups had a 10.3% barrel rate and 39.7% Hard-Hit rate.
Daniel Murphy – 2 years, $24 million
The decision to let DJ LeMahieu walk in free agency and replace him with Daniel Murphy proved to be a costly miscalculation for the Colorado Rockies. LeMahieu had been a steady presence in Colorado, winning three Gold Gloves and a batting title, but the Rockies seemingly viewed him as expendable, believing his offensive production was inflated by Coors Field. Instead of re-signing him, they opted to bring in Murphy.
Murphy struggled mightily in his first season with Colorado. Despite the supposed advantage of playing at Coors Field, he posted a .279/.328/.452 slash line and just 13 home runs. Worse yet, his defense at first base was a major liability. While LeMahieu ranked in the 95th percentile with nine Outs Above Average (OAA), Murphy was in the 8th percentile with -8 OAA. His lack of range and poor footwork significantly downgraded the Rockies’ infield defense, which had been a strength with LeMahieu at second base.
Beyond the numbers, Murphy never seemed to mesh with the Rockies’ roster the way LeMahieu had.
Main Photo: © Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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