For the first time in years, Rockies fans actually have a reason to look forward to the Winter Meetings.
With a new president of baseball operations and a new general manager, both coming from outside the organization, there is real hope for change. After years of a stagnant, isolated, low-innovation and losing cultureHopefully, the 2025 Winter Meetings mark the beginning of a new era: an era that means a new plan for creating an evolving, more integrated analytics to move with the times, finding players – pitchers and hitters – who can thrive at Coors Field, and developing an identity that puts Colorado back on the path to winning baseball.
It won’t happen overnight, and there may not even be monumental news to come from the Winter Meetings, which take place December 8-10, as well as some related events on December 7 in Orlando. However, it is still the Rockies’ first chance to reintroduce themselves to the MLB world without Bill Schmidt. It’s the first test for PBO Paul DePodesta, GM Josh Byrnes and EVP Walker Monfort.
With the action kicking off Monday, here’s a preview of the schedule and goals for the new Rockies brass at this year’s Winter Meetings.
Sunday December 7 – MLB Network begins its 20 hours of live coverage of the event at 5:00 PM MT. Voting results from the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee will be announced at 5:30 p.m. The list includes a former Rockie (at least for 26 games) in Dale Murphy, as well as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.
Monday December 8 — The Winter Meetings officially begin. MLB Network will broadcast live updates and interviews with decision makers from around the league beginning at 7:00 a.m. MT.
Tuesday December 9th – Meetings continue and MLB Network’s coverage will follow Monday’s with the addition of the MLB Draft Lottery at 3:30 p.m. It’s not very exciting for Rockies fans as the team is not lottery eligible having been in the lottery the past two seasons. Rules prevent losing teams from entering the lottery three years in a row. (The Rockies are joined by the Nationals and Angels if eliminated.)
December 10 — Last day of meetings, including the draft of Article 5 at 12:00 MT.
DePodesta and Co. must be like a giant Etch A Sketch: shedding the old image of the Rockies — the one that couldn’t or wouldn’t communicate, wouldn’t trade players out of a destructive sense of loyalty, and didn’t have accurate player valuations — and build new relationships with every other front office in the league.
This is where having Colorado newcomers like DePodesta and Byrnes will help. They are not affiliated with the old guard, but at the same time are still well established in the league – even if DePodesta had a stop in the NFL.
The Rockies will need to be a better trading partner and expand their trading network. In the history of the organization, several major steps were taken during the Winter Meetings. Some didn’t yield as much as signing Mike Hampton to an eight-year, $121 million deal in 2000 or signing Ian Desmond to a five-year, $70 million deal in 2016; while others have been excellent, such as trading for DJ LeMahieu in 2011, Brian Fuentes in 2001, and Jeff Cirillo in 1999. The Rockies need to move away from the practice of signing veterans who were never that great to take steps to actually improve the roster and field a competitive team sooner or later. Even though the Rockies are in rebuilding mode versus a win-now mentality, and need to continue to “let the kids play,” they also need some talented veterans to lead the way and prevent them from losing another 119 games.
Trade or free agent opportunities
The Rockies rotation needs help. That could start with acquiring an experienced groundball thrower who can be effective at altitude, sea level and back again. I’ve been rooting for Zac Gallen, but getting a solid arm to bolster the rotation with Kyle Freeland should be a priority so the Rockies aren’t forced to draft pitchers who aren’t ready, destroying their confidence and burning out promising weapons.
The offense is almost as bad. There have been a lot of rumors this year about trading Gold Glove midfielder Brenton Doyle. Despite his elite range and glove, his inconsistent hitting and hitting in 2025 dented his future as the face of the franchise. If he stays, Colorado’s front office could also look at the others in the crowded outfield of Mickey Moniak, Tyler Freeman, Jordan Beck and Yanquiel Fernández, in addition to candidates like Cole Carrigg, Jared Thomas, Zac Veen, Robert Calaz and Max Belyeu.
The Rockies could also look for a trade to bring power or a contact-hitting veteran to first base (like Josh Bell, Luis Arráez or Paul Goldschmidt) or second base (like the longshots of signing Bo Bichette or trading for Ketel Marte).
Even if it were just one trade or a notable free agent signing, some movement would be a sign of progress and proof that this is a new front office.
While the hype is always high, an impactful payout is less common when it comes to the Rule 5 Draft. Despite the downside of players having to remain on the big league roster for the entire season and being available for a reason, Rule 5 Draft selections can make a splash from time to time.
The Rockies picked up RHP Anthony Molina in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft. Over the past two seasons, he appeared in 52 games (two starts) with a 6.96 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. He remains on the 40-man roster.
With the first pick in the Rule 5 Draft due to their worst MLB record in 2025, the Rockies will have their pick and could be looking at a pitcher, especially a reliever, who could try to make an impact in 2026.
What do you think the Rockies will do at the Winter Meetings? Share your predictions and hopes in the comments.
What’s in store for the Rockies: Can an MLB team stuck in the past finally join the modern game? | Yahoo Sports
This is the latest version of the same story about the Rockies’ failures under Dick Monfort and the league’s wavering reputation for being “shrewd” while lacking logic and innovation. Jake Mintz got some great quotes from anonymous former players and staff that make this quite spicy. It also outlines the challenges facing Paul DePodesta. Definitely worth reading.
Renck: Rockies did a good job hiring GM Josh Byrnes, but it doesn’t mean anything. He has to prove it. | Denver Post ($)
Troy Renck praises the newest Rockies loanee. With many more front office and coaching jobs to fill, a roster to build, a development plan to create and an identity to reshape, the Rockies are certainly in the right place to start showing signs of improvement. This article provides more insightful background on Byrnes as he heads into his first Winter Meetings with the Rockies.
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