2007's organization of the year

Baseball America award celebrates 'fulfilling' season

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published December 4, 2007 at 12:45 a.m.

Text size

Photo by Chris Schneider / The Rocky

Baseball America chose the NL champion Rockies as the winner of its Organization of the Year Award, which will be presented today.

More Colorado Rockies

More stories »

The Rockies were shut out in individual awards this year.

But Monday, they hit the jackpot.

The Rockies were selected organization of the year by Baseball America, which will present the award today during the winter meetings.

"This is more fulfilling than any award any of us could have won," general manager Dan O'Dowd said. "It affirms the efforts of the entire organization. It is recognition of the work everyone in the organization has done, from the business side to the baseball side.

"This is what our organization is about, the sum of the parts, not one individual."

A Rockies team that was a consensus pick to finish fourth or fifth in the National League West for the 10th consecutive season put on the strongest season-ending push in baseball history, claimed the NL wild card and swept its way to the pennant by knocking off Philadelphia in the NL Division Series and Arizona in the NL Championship Series before being swept by Boston in the World Series.

"It's hard to imagine an organization having a year much better than what the Rockies just had," said Will Lingo, editor of Baseball America. "We knew they were bringing great talent through their farm system, but we certainly didn't expect it to pay off with big-league success so quickly. They won with homegrown players, have more talent on the way and have maintained stability in their front office, so they had pretty much everything we look for in an organization."

And the Rockies did it with a World Series roster that included 16 homegrown players, including rookie pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales - midseason call-ups the Rockies had turned to instead of bringing in veteran journeymen when rotation needs arose.

"We don't have any hired guns," first baseman Todd Helton said.

What made the Rockies different from other teams considered for the award is the men who built the foundation in Colorado were given the chance by ownership to see their vision to fruition.

The point was underscored on Opening Day, when O'Dowd and manager Clint Hurdle were given two-year extensions.

"What has happened proved that the people we have in place have the capability we knew they did," Rockies chief executive officer Charlie Monfort said. "When we announced the extensions for Dan and Clint, it reached farther than the manager and general manager. The farm system was good. The scouting was good. We knew Clint could bring them together at the big-league level.

"This is gratifying, not for ownership, but to know that, after the slings and arrows that everyone in our organization took, maybe we did know what we were doing. Consistency is what you need, and we've had a system in place for eight years. Stability in any business is good."

O'Dowd ranks fifth among general managers in terms of tenure with his current franchise, behind San Diego's Kevin Towers, Oakland's Billy Beane, San Francisco's Brian Sabean and the Yankees' Brian Cashman.

The success the Rockies enjoyed goes much deeper than the major leagues.

They have emphasized scouting and player development, and they made strides in Latin America, where, in the pre-O'Dowd era, they would spend less than $100,000 a year. In the past year, they invested $1.9 million in signing bonuses, in addition to staff and complex expenses.

Rolando Fernandez, who oversees the Latin program, has begun to bring in position players, but the initial impact came with a group of strong arms, including closer Manny Corpas and starters Jimenez and Morales.

That has given scouting director Bill Schmidt flexibility in the draft to focus on adding impact position players, such as shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. But the Rockies look beyond ability.

"When you go into our clubhouse, there is evidence of old- school values, which is a tribute to the scouting and player-development programs," Hurdle said. "We knew when we started this, it was going to take patience, and patience takes courage. A lot of people were upset with it, but I think (the NL pennant) is a tangible sign that we are headed in the right direction."

Others have noticed.

"You can't be surprised that the Rockies are a good team," said Dick Egan, a 47-year baseball veteran and currently a special assistant to the general manager in Detroit. "The Rockies' kids didn't crumble like the Diamondbacks' kids from a couple years ago when they brought up all those guys and only Chad Tracy succeeded. The Rockies' guys reached the big leagues and just kept getting better. And the biggest thing is, they are going to get better."

SECOND STUFF

Put the Mark Loretta talks on hold.

Houston offered the shortstop arbitration, which could open the way for Loretta to get a salary as high as $4 million for 2008.

"I guess they got him," Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said.

Second baseman Marcus Giles, released by San Diego, has been in contact with the Rockies about a possible invitation to spring training camp. The Rockies have marginal interest.

The Rockies' primary interest, if they were to add a second-base candidate from outside the organization, is Houston's Chris Burke, whose hopes of replacing retired Craig Biggio ended when the Astros gave Kazuo Matsui a three-year, $16.5 million deal.

PITCHING IN

Left-handed pitcher Brian Anderson, who made his most recent major league appearance in May 2005, is looking to make a comeback and has had talks with the Rockies.

A first-round draft choice of the Angels in 1993, Anderson was traded to Cleveland in 1995, where he developed a relationship with O'Dowd, the Indians' farm director at the time.

"I'll be ready to get on a mound next week and should be ready to let it go by mid-January for anyone who wants to get a look," said Anderson, who has undergone two reconstructive left-elbow surgeries since he last played in the majors.

IMPROVEMENT

Rockies officials say they were encouraged by the physical catcher Yorvit Torrealba, below, underwent to finalize his two-year contract.

"He's lost 10 pounds, and the MRI (of his shoulder) is better (than a year ago)," club spokesman Jay Alves said.

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News