Rockies may be ready to trade Carlos Gonzalez

In a departure from their thought process over the last few seasons, the Rockies are reportedly ready to trade outfielder Carlos Gonzalez:

"The Colorado Rockies’ surprising decision to extend a qualifying offer to Michael Cuddyer has created an expectation in the industry that the team is prepared to move Carlos Gonzalez this winter."

Gonzalez, 29, struggled with both injury and ineffectiveness in 2014, hitting .238/.292/.431 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI in just 70 games played.

Knee surgery on August 19 cut Gonzalez’ season short, and his readiness for the beginning of spring training is not guaranteed.

In the Daily News, Andy Martino writes that Gonzalez’ knee troubles may lead to the Rockies taking “40-60 cents on the dollar” for him via trade.

As far as the Mets’ current interest in Gonzalez and what they might be willing to give up, Martino termed it highly unlikely that the club would deal Noah Syndergaard for him, and noted that their desire for Gonzalez “does not seem particularly burning at the moment.”

Gonzalez is signed through 2017, during which he is owed $53 million.

Thoughts:

Gonzalez is an interesting case, but it’s likely that teams will be reluctant to part with anything substantial for him unless they’re assured that Gonzalez’ knee woes will be behind him prior to Opening Day.

Even if the Rockies eat some of Gonzalez’ contract or take a lesser package back in return, any acquiring team would still be gambling that he’ll be able to stay healthy.

In addition to his health problems last season, Gonzalez was limited to just 110 games in 2013 and hasn’t played more than 135 games in a season since 2010.

Another issue with Gonzalez is his home/road splits, which are stark.

For his career, Gonzalez has put up a triple slash of .329/.387/.601 with 82 home runs and 295 RBI at home. On the road, Gonzalez has posted a triple slash of .258/.314/.437 with 54 home runs and 162 RBI.

To me, it seems that the name Carlos Gonzalez is far more appealing than what he might actually produce if traded out of Colorado.

Would Gonzalez be a major upgrade over what the Mets had in 2014? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean he’s the best option.

As is the case with other potentially available players, the Mets should do their due diligence when it comes to Gonzalez’ availability. If they term him their best option, so be it. However, he wouldn’t be first on my list.