There will be a time to think more about what the Ubaldo Jimenez trade for the Colorado Rockies means in the short- and long-term, but I can't help but believe that the Rockies handled the final hours of Jimenez's career poorly.
While in the locker room, Jimenez told the Rockies fans that he appreciated the fans' supports and thanked them for his time in Colorado. But did the Rockies show their appreciation for him in those last few hours?
Roughly an hour before Jimenez was scheduled to pitch against the Padres, news broke that the Rockies and the Cleveland Indians were in serious talks about acquiring the pitcher. Then there was word that Jimenez was scratched, but nothing official. Still, Indians prospects were named and it looked like the deal was all but official.
Nope, Jimenez was still scheduled to start. Twenty minutes before the first pitch Jimenez started to warm up. Then came the game. The top of the first ended and Jimenez took the mound, but Esmil Rogers was warming up at the same time.
Jimenez went out there for one inning, allowed four runs on two hits and four walks. Clearly he was shaken by all the trade talk. Why even put him out there when trade talks were so far along? During his time on the mound, news did break that the Rockies would receive a fourth player in the deal. I hope this move wasn't a "Hey, we'll pitch Jimenez tonight and maybe even keep him if we don't get another player" type of thing. Incredibly ballsy, sure, but a poor way to potentially hurt the pitcher.
During his exit interview, Jimenez did openly wonder why he was starting. It would be absurd to believe that anyone could believe Jimenez wouldn't appear rattled. This was a disservice to Jimenez and to the fans who so dearly love him.
But such is baseball. For now, let's exsanguinate all the bad blood that this deal or the handling of the deal has caused. Passions run high now, but take time to think about what the Rockies have done.