Seven questions I hope are answered at Rockies Fest

Apologies for being a day late! Let’s just say my week was largely defined by tech challenges. But it’s the weekend now, and the technology issues are resolved (until they aren’t!), so let’s turn our attention to baseball.

Today, the Colorado Rockies will host Rockies Fest, a pre-season get-together to hype the season and give a taste of baseball to those of us desperate for it. If you’ll haven’t checked yet, this year’s player roster seems a bit thin.

But the Rockies have been clear they see this as a year of past (the alumni), present (the attending players), and future. Given that this will be a transitional year, that all makes sense.

But much of the focus, I think, will be on the new front office and coaching staff, and they will appear on at least two panels today, so we’ll be hearing more from them. What they reveal may be notable.

I realize Rockies Fest is more public relations than journalism, but I generally leave feeling like a have a better sense of where the Rockies are headed, so here’s what I’m hoping to learn this year.

What is Paul DePodesta’s plan?

Clearly, he’s not going to reveal anything significant at a fan event, but we’ve watched him build his team over the offseason — with a lot of front office Mets alumni. What’s the next step in the rebuild? I expect him to give fans some hints.

Since he is, effectively, the face of the franchise right now, I think he will be as open as he can in answering questions.

How will Alon Leichman approach pitching?

If anyone has a challenge before him, it’s pitching coach Alon Leichman given how bad the Rockies pitching was in 2025 — as in, historically bad. How does he intend to take on pitching at elevation, and what does Michael Lorenzen bring to the mix? (Also, Lorenzen is a pretty good interview, so I look forward to his thoughts on Coors Field.)

Where are the prospects at?

Generally, the Rockies do not feature prospects at Rockies Fest who aren’t close to being MLB-ready. (In this case, Ethan Holliday is probably an exception, but it’s easy to see why.) So, these are probably players the Rockies think are close. In panels with Clint Hurdle, they’re generally pretty revealing about what they’ve experienced. So what will we learn about them? I am especially interested in Cole Carrigg and Jared Thomas, both of whom had terrible chase issues last season. As the Rockies work through their outfield glut, is there a place for those two players?

What does Warren Schaeffer have in mind for spring training?

Schaeffer has been clear that this year’s spring training will be different. By now, he should have that all worked out, so what are his plans? After all, this is truly his team. (Last season, that was not the case.) And he’s emphasized that the Rockies need to get faster and more aggressive on the base paths. What does he think that looks like?

What does Jake McCarthy make of his new life?

For any number of reasons, it was surprising to see the Rockies acquire Jake McCarthy, and DePodesta has talked a bit about what he sees in the outfielder. But what does McCarthy think about the new future that’s been given to him? That’s got to be a big change for him, going from a team in the World Series three years ago to a team that is historically bad.

Will anything happen at the Todd Helton-Larry Walker panel?

It’s scheduled to take place at noon, and maybe it’s just going to be two guys sharing stories about Cooperstown. But maybe there’s something else going on, too. We’ll find out.

Where’s that fifth starter?

The Rockies have said they intend to hire another veteran starter. Time’s winged chariot is moving fast, but the Rockies have yet to make that addition. Will we get a sense of their plans on that front today?

Will I manage to get a photo with Dinger?

Okay, this is eight, but it’s on my mind! I’ve tried for years but failed. Today, I’m going to take another run at it.

Wish me luck.

Closing thoughts

And that’s it for this week.

I’m confident Rockies Fest will give us all plenty to ponder until the spring training games get started.

Thanks for reading —

Renee

Rockies Pitch is a newsletter that focuses on Colorado Rockies baseball.

Find me on Bluesky at @ReneeDechert.com or send an email to Renee@RockiesPitch.com