Earlier this month, general manager Bill Schmidt expressed optimism regarding the Rockies’ direction. “I believe in the club,” he said at the trade deadline. “We haven’t performed to our expectations, but we are continuing to grow in a lot of areas. And I think the future is bright.” Looking at talented young position prospects such as outfielder Zac Veen, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, catcher Drew Romo and first baseman Michael Toglia, all of whom are on track to debut in 2023 or ’24, you can see where Schmidt is coming from. But Colorado’s starting pitching is more problematic, as illustrated by a 5.22 ERA that ranks as the second-highest in the majors.