Jason Marquis: Time to Sell High?

When the Rockies acquired Jason Marquis from the Cubs last offseason, the team hoped Marquis could produce as a 4th or 5th starter and give the Rockies some quality innings. From 2006-2008, Marquis was a below average pitcher, who seemed to be serviceable at best.

But in 2009, Marquis has been a revelation for the Rockies. Marquis has a league leading 8 wins to go along with his respectable 3.93 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. While those numbers are far from dominant, they do reflect Marquis's dramatic improvement in 2009. And furthermore, Marquis has solidified himself as a steady middle of the rotation starting pitcher even with his noticeable limitations (poor K/BB ratio!).

And with the Rockies struggling badly in 2009 (aside from the past week), Marquis could become a hot commodity on the trade market. If the Rockies fall even further out of contention over the next few weeks, then odds are very high that the Rockies would try and move Marquis. The right hander is a free agent at the end of the season, which means there is no guarantee that Marquis would be around in the long haul even if the Rockies elected not to trade him.

What the Rockies need to consider is how much the market will be playing into their hands. At this point, there does not appear to be many quality starting pitchers, who will look to be moved. Even with all the rumors swirling around Erik Bedard and Jake Peavy, odds are high that those guys will stay put, which is good news for the Rockies. Because of the lack of quality starting pitchers on the market coupled with the high demand for starting pitchers amongst the contenders, Jason Marquis could become a hot commodity in a few weeks as long as he continues to perform.