GM Bill Schmidt speaks about Ezequiel Tovar and asserts 'It's still early' for struggling Colorado Rockies

The 2023 Colorado Rockies (5-13) are off to the worst start in the franchise’s 31-year history through 18 games.

Owner Dick Monfort thought his team might be no better than .500 going into the season; however, GM Bill Schmidt feels there’s plenty of time to turn things around in spite of the struggles that have led to a seven-game losing streak and a 3-13 record this month.

“It’s still fairly early in the season,” Schmidt said before the series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. “Some guys have got off some good starts and some guys have scuffled. So I don’t think to overreact after two weeks or even the first month.”

Nine players began the year on the injured list. A group that large would certainly cramp the style of any team. But that created opportunities on the Opening Day roster for six players who were acquired after January 1, including three big league veterans — 3B/1B Mike Moustakas, LHP Brad Hand and LF Jurickson Profar — signed over the course of Spring Training.

Now, the return of Daniel Bard, Randal Grichuk and Germán Márquez from the IL in the coming days will require a few transactions to alleviate the roster crunch. 

“We’ll figure a way,” Schmidt responded to the personnel concerns.

If Tuesday’s lineup ahead of the 5-3 loss to the Pirates was any indication, Elehuris Montero could be one of those players optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque when Grichuk returns. Manager Bud Black moved Ryan McMahon back to third base with Alan Trejo starting at second base following a two-error game at the hot corner by Montero on Monday night. 

Noah Davis’ performance on Sunday, on the other hand, was evidence of the improved depth within the upper levels of the Rockies’ system, something that’s been a product of having a top 10 pick in the MLB Draft for the last three years, as well as something Schmidt worked on improving during the offseason.

“I’m happy for Noah. For the first major league start, the second major league appearance. He did well,” Schmidt said of the five scoreless innings by the 25-year-old. “He gave the team a chance to win. That’s all you can ask for. I doubt he’ll be the last young guy you see this year.”

At 21 years old, Ezequiel Tovar is younger than every member of the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. Considering Tovar was born in 2001, you’d have to go down to Double-A just to find someone born in 2002.

Colorado has happily turned the keys to shortstop over to the rookie from Venezuela. Batting .200 with an OPS of .519, Tovar entered Tuesday ranked 180th out of 192 qualified hitters. The defensive metrics have also suggested he’s been underperforming and the eye test has shown pretty much the same. The potential is there on both sides of the ball, but it simply has translated yet. 

“Hopefully, he relaxes and then you see the true talent come out,” Schmidt offered on Tovar’s struggles. “Again, it’s been a little over two weeks of games, so you’re not gonna overreact — good, bad or indifferent — just let him get some experience.”

Framing The Farm System

We saw it in 2022 when LHP Joe Rock skipped Low-A and was promoted directly from the Arizona Complex League to High-A after being taken in the 2021 MLB Draft. Davis and fellow Yard Goat RHP Gavin Hollowell even went from Double-A to the Majors last season.

This year, it was RHP Gabriel Hughes, LHP Carson Palmquist, 3B/OF Sterlin Thompson and OF Jordan Beck bypassing a rung on the MiLB ladder and going straight to Spokane. It’s become somewhat of an organizational philosophy that advances the special talent through challenge. 

“We felt the three guys — Hughes, Thompson and Beck — their skill levels, they were ready to handle that level of baseball,” the third-year GM shared. “They’re three talented individuals that we think can handle that.”

Schmidt and the front office have placed a goal on winning in the minor leagues. It worked when many of the players from the 2014 Asheville Tourists who had the best record in the South Atlantic League contributed to the Rockies’ consecutive postseason berths in 2017-18. 

Colorado’s four Minor League affiliates combined to go 23-16 entering Tuesday. That .590 winning percentage ranks fourth among MLB’s 30 organizations. Will the continued success of so many affiliates in 2022 translate to winning a minor league championship in 2023?

“I don’t know. You hope.” Schmidt continued to explain the difficulties with affiliate success by saying, “It’s gonna be a lot of things. One, stay healthy. And two, with moves during the season, it’s tough to say. But that’s not our ultimate goal right there. Learn how to win, that’s important.”

Senzatela Update

RHP Antonio Senzatela threw about 33 pitches on Tuesday during an extended Spring Training game in Arizona, followed by 17 more during a bullpen session.

Sidelined by an ACL injury last August in St. Louis and rehabilitating from the surgery, Senzatela appears to be on track to return by May, and not a moment too soon for Colorado’s starting rotation.

The next step for the 28-year-old is to pitch for the team’s Double-A affiliate in Hartford on Sunday where he’ll face the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, an affiliate of the New York Mets. With the Rockies finishing up a road series with the Philadelphia Phillies, it could allow Senzatela to rejoin the team after the start and work with the big league staff. From there, he’ll still need more time to lengthen out and prepare for a return to the rotation, all of which could take a few more rehab starts.