I don’t know if you heard, but a couple days ago, a fairly major transaction occurred.
The Boston Red Sox, in their infinite wisdom, dealt the face of their franchise to the San Francisco Giants for what many are calling, well, not enough in return.
(which, thanks Red Sox, for bringing yet another heavy hitter into a division that is already filled with them. Us Rockies fans really appreciate it).
In a vacuum, this is just another big trade in a league of pretty consistent big trades. After all, it’s hardly the first time we’ve seen a team jettison their most recognizable star — shoot, it’s not even the first time we’ve seen Boston do it.
So why does this particular deal have folks so floored?
Well, it’s because it seemingly confirms an unfortunately harsh reality of the professional sports world: Everyone is replaceable.
Is there a superstar on any team, in any sport, that is truly untouchable? It seems not.
The Devers move seems to be just the most recent example of this concept. Basketball fans will remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they found out that the Dallas Mavericks — mere months removed from an NBA Finals appearance — sent the cornerstone of their club, Luka Dončić, packing to Los Angeles. Considered one of the most stunning trades in the history of the sport, this deal was done largely due to a reason that some many find hard to believe: The GM and the star simply didn’t like each other.
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
It’s downright wild to think that something as minor as a personal dislike could lead to such sweeping, historically-significant ramifications, but that’s exactly the case for Dallas — and, it appears, for Boston.
The power that these general managers hold over their respective clubs means that they can make these kinds of deals for reasons that we as fans may find asinine. I’m not trying to demonize front offices — I don’t know these people personally and can’t claim to know their mindset when making these kinds of major roster moves — but it’s a fact that personal feelings were reported as being at least a factor in both of these significant transactions.
I guess in that way, we as Colorado Rockies fans are pretty lucky. We’ve never had a massive trade that was made largely because of bad blood…
oh wait…
Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports
Not to bring this whole debacle back up, but it’s relevant to our conversation. Recall that Nolan Arenado and then-GM Jeff Bridich had their share of off-field issues, creating tension that, in the end, could not be remedied. Their tenuous relationship was a key factor in the departure of Arenado to St. Louis, a move that altered the course of the Rockies franchise for years to come.
But that’s old news. Why are we revisiting such a dark time in our team’s history?
Because it shows that not even smaller-market, less nationally-relevant franchises are safe from these kinds of fanbase-dividing trades.
So here’s my core question: How can fans become attached to these players if they can be moved at any moment?
Maybe I’m overly sentimental — actually I know I am, but even so — but it seems a bit callous to just hand-wave this idea with a “well, that’s sports for ya.” I understand that, once a player reaches these highest of echelons of sports, that the business aspect takes over just as much as their actual play. Even so, these athletes are on the record detailing their love for the cities in which they play and the fanbases that cheer them on. It’s such a shame, at least to me, that that relationship can be severed with such dereliction.
Of course, it all depends on the star. A fringe player on a one-year deal attempting to make his bones — sure, that makes perfect sense. But these icons of their franchises moving for what seem like such petty reasons? Well, it’s just a bit… pessimistic.
I guess that makes the athletes who really do get to spend their whole time playing for one team that much more appreciated. In that regard, the Rockies truly are lucky. They can point to team legends such as Todd Helton and Charlie Blackmon as examples of players that they truly cherished and valued.
My point, in summation, is pretty simple: I believe that teams owe it to fans to consider some players unmovable. It seems the gap between the front offices and fans of teams are only getting wider, and the moving of beloved lynchpin players is simply one symptom. It’s a major factor, though, in what can and has eventually become apathy from the people that once vehemently supported these clubs, and is doubtless a reason that CBA negotiations seem more tense than ever.
Baseball, like all sports, is a money-making business, which means that tough decisions must be made to ensure productivity both on the field and off of it. I’m not saying every single move must be meticulously mapped out for fan understanding and sign-off. It’s clear, though, through these few examples among so many others, are on a different level. These are the kinds of deals that devastate fans and players alike, leaving lasting effects and scars.
Should a team be 100%, unquestionably devoted to a player, and vice versa? Probably not. But it sure seems like the concept of loyalty has, like many a cherished star, been traded away.
On the farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 8, Tacoma Rainiers 6
A pitching relay helped to lift the Isotopes over the Rainiers on the road Wednesday evening.
Gabriel Hughes, Karl Kauffmann, Luis Peralta, Evan Justice, and Nick Anderson were the five names that appeared in the contest. All pitched well bar Peralta’s four-run, one-out effort, but even that tough outing couldn’t spoil the good time.
Despite going 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and leaving ten men on base, Albuquerque’s offense was on fire as they tallied twelve hits and scored two runs in four straight innings. Owen Miller, Sterlin Thompson, Warming Bernabel, and Yanquiel Fernández each recorded two hits, while Thompson and Aaron Schunk recorded two RBIs apiece.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 3, Reading Fightin Phils 0
Pitching was the key to victory for the Yard Goats as they shut out the Fightin Phils with ease.
McCade Brown’s 5 2⁄3 inning start saw him allow just three hits and two walks against seven strikeouts, which set Hartford’s bullpen up exquisitely as they picked up where he left off to keep Reading off the scoreboard. Hartford’s pitching staff allowed five hits total, of which only one was for extra bases (an Alex Binelas double).
Juan Guerrero’s two-run double was all the scoring that the Yard Goats would need to secure victory, though Bryant Betancourt’s subsequent RBI single to score Guerrero didn’t hurt.
High-A: Everett AquaSox 9, Spokane Indians 3
A four-run fifth inning sank the Indians as they couldn’t match the offensive effort of the AquaSox on Wednesday.
Braxton Hyde pitched well in his three-inning start, but Hunter Omlid wasn’t so lucky. Omlid allowed six runs on four hits and six walks in his two innings, putting Everett up big. Spokane couldn’t mount a comeback as they scored just one run in the following five innings, by which point the AquaSox had added to their advantage.
Charlie Condon did homer in the bottom of the ninth, that being his third round-tripper of the season, but the solo shot did little to cut Everett’s lead.
Single-A: Visalia Rawhide 8, Fresno Grizzlies 7
This game saw plenty of action on both sides, but it was the Rawhide that would inch ahead in a hotly-contested affair with the Grizzlies.
Kevin Fitzer did his best to keep Fresno in the game, contributing three hits, four RBI, and two runs scored. Unfortunately, it was a five-run sixth inning that proved to be the turning point as Visalia took the lead on Adrian Rodriguez’s bases-clearing double.
That was the Rawhide’s first lead of the game, and one they would not relinquish.
For more on the Rockies farm system, check out this week’s Pebble Report.
★ ★ ★
On the internet
Rockies Mailbag: What role will Dick Monfort’s sons play in future of franchise? | Denver Post ($$)
Speaking of questionable front office decisions, the young Monforts appear poised to take control of the Rockies franchise once their father’s turn at the helm ends. But should they?
Brewers Named Landing Spot For Rockies $70 Million All-Star Via Trade | Sports Illustrated
As the trade deadline approaches, more and more rumors abound. Here, a potential Ryan McMahon-to-Milwaukee move is discussed.
Tigers named as potential landing spot for Rockies third baseman | The Sporting News
The Tigers, too, appear to be potential suitors for McMahon’s services.
★ ★ ★
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