Opinion Writers Specializing in Sports Matters
The Rockies are on a roll, but not in a good way. With a 6-26 record as of Saturday morning, they're making a slippery descent on a slope that's harder than the Rockies themselves. Their current pace would put them on track for a loss of 132 games, but that's something they can't even achieve with the league's new anti-tanking rules.
You heard that right - the White Sox, who set a modern major league record for defeats with their 121 losses in 2024, are picking 10th in the 2025 draft. That's because the Rockies are ineligible for the No. 1 pick, or any pick better than 10th, thanks to MLB's new anti-tanking measures.
So, is 122 defeats, or more, in the cards for LoDo this summer? It's looking like it. While we were initially on the fence, after witnessing the Rockies up close earlier this week, we're starting to hop on the "worst-ever" bandwagon.
Historic Start - D-minus
After 27 games, the 4-23 Rockies were only one game behind the 2024 White Sox's dismal start. From April 25-May 2, they went 2-6. If they managed to maintain this winning percentage for the rest of the season, they'd finish with an unusual record of 30-132, a new record low that would be tough to match.
While a 120+ loss season is extremely difficult to achieve, even for the worst of rosters, FanGraphs.com's computer projection as of late Friday had the Rox ending up with 56-106 record. PECOTA.com projects a 49-113 record, and TeamRankings.com forecasts 51-111. That averages to 52-110, which is close, but not quite 132 or even 121 defeats. Still, it's well within reach.
The Rockies have more "talent" than the 2024 White Sox, but they're in a much tougher division. There aren't many fringy veterans who can be traded to bolster a playoff contender, and the front office is hesitant to sell "franchise favorites" at the trade deadline. Only three hitters - Jordan Beck, Hunter Goodman, and Brenton Doyle - have an OPS better than .700, and their MVP on the mound so far is a 29-year-old middle reliever named Jake "The Beard" Bird, with a stellar ERA of 0.95.
Network Schedulers - D
The scheduling woes don't stop there. During their respective first-round series, the Nuggets and Avs wound up playing on the same day on five different occasions this spring. This unnecessary overlap occurred only once in the 2024 and 2023 playoffs. NBA and NHL schedulers, we have questions.
[1] CBS Sports, "PECOTA Projections: Chicago White Sox," April 25, 2022, https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/pecota-projections-chicago-white-sox/
[3] BetOnline, "Colorado Rockies OVER 60.5 Wins -225," May 6, 2022, https://www.betonline.ag/sportsbooks/baseball/mlb/wins/colorado-rockies/2022
[4] Bovada, "Colorado Rockies Total Wins: Over 60.5 -175," May 6, 2022, https://www.bovada.lv/baseball-betting/mlb-oval-mlb-division-wins-colorado-rockies
- If the Rockies continue their current winning percentage for the rest of the 2022 season, they will end up with an unprecedented record of 30-132, a new record low that may be tough to match.
- Despite having more "talent," the Rockies are in a much tougher division, and there aren't many fringy veterans who can be traded to bolster a playoff contender.
- In 2025, the Rockies will be picking 10th in the MLB draft, unable to secure the No. 1 pick or any pick better due to the league's new anti-tanking measures.
- The scheduling overlaps between the Nuggets and Avs during their first-round series in the spring have raised questions about the efficiency and coordination of NBA and NHL schedule makers.
- By the end of the 2022 season, there is a strong possibility that the Rockies will have surpassed the 2024 White Sox's record of 121 losses, potentially reaching new heights of insanely poor performance in baseball.
