Mile High Territory

Troy and I dig into Rockies free agency with GM Meetings next week in Las Vegas and a lockout clock ticking. The Rockies have roughly $110M on the 2027 tax payroll and about $140M of room under the current CBT — but money doesn't fix chase rates and walk issues by itself. Troy wants a few mid-tier arms; I float Foster Griffin and Luis Arraez as skill-set fits, not championship fixes. Then Walton Penner Group reality vs Broncos spending, Nick Martinez as a leadership bridge, why Colorado still needs a pitching lab at Coors, and why the real path is trading controllable bats before chasing free agents. Plus Buffs-ASU and Fantasy Camp with CarGo. Player-licensed merch at foulterritoryshop.com is the best in the game Chapters: 0:00 Intro — GM Meetings next week, lockout looming 0:45 Troy to Phoenix; Spilly's World Series international feed 2:05 Rockies free agency and ~$140M of payroll room 4:00 Do they need to sign anyone? Troy's pitcher list 5:19 Free agents won't fix systemic issues — trade for arms 6:56 Foster Griffin and Luis Arraez as Rockies fits 8:00 Troy: add at least two pitchers 10:04 Walton Penner Group vs Broncos spending pattern 14:19 Don't treat the Penners as a piggy bank 14:55 Nick Martinez as the leadership signing 16:12 Pitching lab / infrastructure at Coors Field 17:33 Trades over free agency — Veen, Beck, Tovar 19:12 Controllable contracts and the Kris Bryant cloud 21:03 GM Meetings in Vegas — resolve Bryant? 21:35 Buffs vs ASU; Fantasy Camp Knuckleheads / CarGo 23:03 Wrap Corrections: Foster Griffin pitched three seasons in Japan (Yomiuri Giants), not Korea. Bowden projects Griffin at 3 years / $67 million, not "$3 or $67 million." Willi Castro is at about $6.4 million AAV, not billion. Moniak's 2027 base is $7.25M (AAV ~$8.125M). "$140 million" of room is ballpark; the payboard cites ~$136.7M of tax space. Tovar's ~$9.07M figure is AAV; later base years climb above $10M. Sources: Griffin: https://www.mlb.com/news/foster-griffin-guardians-trade Bowden projection: https://heavy.com/sports/mlb/chicago-cubs/chicago-cubs-white-sox-guardians-free-agent-pitcher/ Arraez: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/philadelphia-phillies-land-60-million-150006838.html Martinez: https://www.mlb.com/news/nick-martinez-2026-free-agent-profile GM Meetings: https://www.mlb.com/news/nationals-key-offseason-dates-2026-2027 DePodesta: https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/paul-depodesta-discusses-rockies-plans-for-2027-offseason Tovar: https://www.fangraphs.com/players/ezequiel-tovar/24064/contract-history Moniak: https://www.mlb.com/news/mickey-moniak-contract-extension-with-rockies Castro: https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/rockies?season=2026Shop Mile High Merch: https://milehighterritoryshop.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rockies have a new pitching coach, and Troy and I dig into why Ethan Katz might be the right fit for the toughest job in baseball. Katz was drafted by the Rockies in 2005, ran the White Sox staff for five years and spent 2026 with the Astros, and he's known as a relationship coach who can make analytics make sense to pitchers. We talk about what went wrong with last year's pitch-calling setup, why I still think calling pitches from the dugout can work, and the new game-planning role for 28-year-old Andre Lipcius. Then how you actually pitch at Coors Field, the four players outrighted off the 40-man, RJ Petit going back to Detroit, and six new scouts. Plus stories from Rockies Fantasy Camp with Larry Walker as commissioner, Todd Helton talking trash, and CarGo hitting a bomb. Corrections: Blake Adams was outrighted to Triple-A Albuquerque and remains with the organization; RJ Petit had Tommy John surgery in March 2026 after an elbow injury in camp.Shop Mile High Merch: https://milehighterritoryshop.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Brewers are World Series champs, and Troy and I are still trying to wrap our heads around how good this team was. 103 wins, 11-2 in October, a sweep of the Dodgers, and they did it without leaning on the home run. We get into why it worked: buy-in, no egos, and a club that talks about "offense," not hitting. Walks, bunts, first-to-third, "drag them" two-strike at-bats. Then the big question: what can the Rockies actually copy, and how long would it take? We give some love to the former Rockies in Milwaukee, especially Antonio Senzatela, who went from a rough 2025 to a World Series ring. We finish with offseason housekeeping (options, free agency, the non-tender deadline) and why Colorado has to be aggressive before the Dec. 1 lockout deadline. Plus Fantasy Camp with Larry Walker as commissioner, and Broncos-Chiefs. Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discountShop Mile High Merch: https://milehighterritoryshop.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan Spilborghs calls in from the World Series in Tampa, and Troy Renck joins from Denver. The Brewers lead the Rays 3-0 and are one win away from the first title in franchise history. Spilly lays out how historic this run is and responds to the "Brewers are cheating" talk. Then a personal story: Jack O'Dowd, son of former Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, went from independent ball to a real shot with Colorado, and Spilly explains what Dan meant to his own career. Last, the CBA expires Dec. 1, owners are pushing for a salary cap and a lockout is likely, so this World Series could be the last baseball for a while. Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount Corrections: The Dodgers won 100 games in 2026, not 98. Cooper Pratt's extension is eight years, not six. Tony Clark resigned as MLBPA executive director in February; he was not fired.Shop Mile High Merch: https://milehighterritoryshop.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan Spilborghs and Troy Renck preview the Brewers vs. Rays World Series: Milwaukee's first since 1982, and two small-market teams built on OBP, speed, contact and elite scouting. What the Rockies should copy, Chourio and Caminero, why this Series isn't "saving baseball," the 2007 Rockies and luck, the lockout and TV-deal time bomb, and our picks. Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TERRITORY10 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount Corrections: The Brewers ranked 4th in the NL in steals and 2nd in runs. The reported TV-deal trigger is 60 missed games, not 61. The 2007 Rockies' .989 was a team fielding-percentage record. Billy Eppler advised the Brewers in 2025, and Thad Levine joined in 2026.Shop Mile High Merch: https://milehighterritoryshop.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.