5 Players the Colorado Rockies Could Sever Ties With Before 2014 Season

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5 Players the Colorado Rockies Could Sever Ties With Before 2014 Season

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Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies were close to being good enough to compete all season long in 2013. Walt Weiss performed as well as anyone could have expected in his young managerial career and the likes of Carlos Gonzales and Troy Tulowitzki proved to be once again some of the better players in the game. Dexter Fowler is nearly ready for the next step in his career and Michael Cuddyer appears ready to take the veteran leadership of the clubhouse as I feel sure he will be back as good as ever.

Like any team that falls apart somewhere during the season there are problems that have to be addressed. These are problems other than the obvious issue of health that the Rockies continuously have dealt with over the last couple of years. I mean there is a little dead weight around the team that needs to be cut loose so that they might improve to the type of team they need to be.

Offensively they have some good weapons but also have some players that need to either improve or get moving along. If they are able to trade for a first baseman or sign one via free agency they will have a solid outfield and an infield with only a few more issues. It would be nice if they could shape up right side of the infield with a trade or two. There are a few players that they could just cut loose however. These are they.

David Miller is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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5 – Roy Oswalt

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Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

This was a good idea and well worth the little amount of money the Rockies threw in his direction but it simply didn’t work. If the Rockies had another few seasons to develop other talent it might be different but this team is too close to seriously competing to give Oswalt another shot. Someone will but they shouldn’t.

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4 – Tyler Colvin

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Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

With Helton retiring it would be nice if there was a young guy waiting to take the lead at first base and be the next great Rockies first baseman. That could eventually be in the cards but that man is not or at least does not appear to be Colvin. They should be willing to allow him to be part of a trade to bring someone else in somewhere along the line.

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3 – Jeff Francis

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Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Pitching is the thing that could have saved this team this season but instead wasn’t there when they needed it. Francis’ ERA of 6.27 means he is unfortunately part of the problem and should not return. Guys like this have to be cut loose if the Rockies want to build to solid pitching staff than can support their offense and allow them to compete.

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2 – Josh Rutledge

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Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Rutledge is not really on the Rockies radar as of yet as he is third on the depth chart wherever he is listed. The fact is that I see few reasons to move his name up the charts if I am the Rockies. He again could be someone that another team might want to sweeten a trade but he isn’t someone they have to hold on to. That is for sure.

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1 – Chris Volstad

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Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

There are quite a few levels of starting pitching on the free agent market and that means that the Rockies should easily be able to find a couple of good veteran pitchers than can pick their way through a lineup pretty well. When that happens, guys like this are going to have to move somewhere else.

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