Newest Rockies could make dream of rings a reality

While most of the baseball world was watching the rich get richer in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers added Yu Darvish and Tom Watson to a team that is 39-6 over its last 45 games, the Colorado Rockies made comparatively tame moves in adding righty reliever Pat Neshek and catcher Jonathan Lucroy.

It’s easy to look at what Colorado did in relation to LA and Arizona, who added slugger JD Martinez, and see it as less than awe-inspiring. Sure, Neshek slots right into the set-up role, allowing the up-and-down Adam Ottavino, Mike Dunn, and — to a lesser degree — Jake McGee slide into roles better suited for their current production levels.

And Jonathan Lucroy, having the worst season of his career at the plate, still brings all the intangibles you want from a catcher and now has a few months in one of the most offense-friendly environments in MLB to play for his next contract on a team fighting for a postseason spot.

But are they transactions that will put the Rockies over the top in the Wild Card race? Are they enough to help them catch the Dodgers? Well, the Dodgers appear to be uncatchable… in the regular season, at least. Anything can happen if you get to the playoff dance.

Both players recognize the talent of the team they are joining, knowing that they might just be that one missing piece they needed to go from good to great.

“It’s nice, you pick up 25 wins overnight,” says Neshek on the move. “The offense… it’s one as a pitcher that you don’t want to face. We’ve got a great bullpen, those guys have pitched really well this year, I think you can mix and match us and Holland is having a really great year.”

“It’s a great starting staff and great bullpen I just want to complement them the best I can with my skill set,” added Lucroy.

They’ve gotten to know a few of their new teammates off the field as well.

“There are a lot of familiar faces in this clubhouse. It’s a pretty easy transition,” says Lucroy, mentioning he has played with Ian Desmond, Mark Reynolds, Gerardo Parra, and Jake McGee before and that he has a little brother who played with Jeff Hoffman. He even has a history with Rockies bench coach Mike Redmond.

They even know each other pretty well.

“When I was in St. Louis we played him all the time when he was with the Brewers,” says Neshek of Lucroy. “And last year with Houston he was one of the big forces with Texas. And they just clobbered us last year. And, of course, with the [World Baseball Classic] a few guys with McGee, and Nolan Arenado participated in that, but [Lucroy] and Posey were the big catchers. He played a lot and he did really well. He’s a big time player. For me, that was a huge pickup.”

That huge pickup is happy for a change of scenery for a multitude of reasons.

“I love Denver. Every time I’ve been here as a visiting player I’ve enjoyed the experience,” Lucroy said. “I’ve always said the Rockies were the best bullpen in baseball. It’s like a national park out there. I love coming and hanging out, it’s one of the few bullpens I actually enjoy sitting in. It’s pretty cool.”

BSN Denver asked if this trade was a chance for the catcher, in the midst of his worst season at the plate, to get a clean slate, a fresh start with the bat.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he replied. “I don’t speak of the past too much. I’m jumping right into a good lineup, jumping into a good hitting park, jumping into a division that I’m very familiar with from a hitting standpoint. It feels good. It’s a breath of fresh air… even if the air is a little thinner. It’s something I’ll definitely feed off of. This lineup is outstanding and I’ll jump in and try to contribute any way I can. I don’t have to do too much because we’re already really, really good.”

Coming to Coors Field is always enticing for hitters, especially those looking for a fresh, thin air. But for pitchers, the inverse is typically true. However, Neshek coming over from the bandbox that is Citizens Bank Park is in a rare situation where he comes to Denver and is actually less intimidated by his home environment than he was before.

“I was playing in Philly. That might be the hardest place in baseball to pitch,” he says. “I don’t think there are as many home runs [at Coors] but it’s a bigger park so you just have to control the running game and try to not let guys get on. I think our defense is pretty spectacular, for me, I’m really happy to be here.”

Getting traded is never easy, even when you go from a team well out of the race to a club right in the thick of one. You would think Neshek might be used to it by now, but everyone is human and he admits that all the moving around isn’t easy.

“It’s tough,” he says. “For me, I want to get as comfortable as I can as quick as I can. I’m still kinda in that deer in the headlights phase. I pitched right away, that was really nice. I just want to get things settled. I’ll be fine, I think I’ve been on seven different teams in the last seven years. It’s the same game out there, on the inside you just want to feel yourself. Things can get going 100 mph and it’s my job to slow it down.”

Lucroy, who has been traded two straight summers now, agrees that all the speculation can take a toll. “You never know what’s true and what’s not,” he says. “But it worked out great I’m happy to be here and to contribute in any way I possibly can and help this team win a championship.”

Both guys know that the upside to any downside involved in trades is the team that declares loudly and proudly that they want you to help them win.

“It means a lot,” says Neshek. “I know Bridich was pretty happy, I’m real happy. It’s fun to see a lot of guys that I’ve played with and knowing some of the other guys that are here… I think it gave everyone a boost.”

Manager Bud Black backed up that sentiment, speaking on behalf of the entire clubhouse:

“Everyone’s pumped up by it,” he said of the deadline acquisitions. “They know where we are. And what we can do.”

In addition to exponentially amplifying the already insane beard game the Rockies already have, Lucroy and Neshek bring postseason experience, on-and-off-field savvy, and an injection of enthusiasm to a team now in the driver’s seat to win the National League Wild Card.

“I’m sure we’re going to get into some bear tickling competitions,” joked Lucroy.

But when it comes to winning baseball games, the humorous catcher was all business, refusing to mince words or even set his eyes on just the Wild Card, Dodgers be damned.

“Hopefully we can take this team to the next level,” he says “And get a ring.”