Jul. 13—According to a hot-shot headline writer for The Gazette the Rockies picked a “plethora of pitchers” in this week’s MLB draft.

But did the team primarily purchase “pigs in a poke?”

Since 2011, when Dick Monfort became the mighty managing general partner, chairman and club CEO, and with Bill Schmidt, the VP of scouting for 14 years before being named “permanent” general manager, the franchise has drafted 238 pitchers.

Not one of them has become an All-Star. Fewer than 10 percent of the previous picks have pitched for the Rockies.

And just four have experienced quality careers for years at the corner of 20th and Bleak Street — Kyle Freeland, Tyler Anderson, Jonathan Gray and Scott Oberg.

Freeland and Gray each have won 53 games with the Rockies. Anderson and Oberg each won 18 in Colorado.

The Rockies’ owner, executive staff and scouting department should be ashamed.

The franchise’s “draft and develop” strategy is a “daft and dud” tragedy.

Futility is drafting plenty of pitchers over and over incessantly and getting the same ridiculous results.

Everybody knows the Rockies require outstanding pitching. Nobody with the Rockies knows how to get it.

Oddly enough, Anderson was 15-5 starting for the Dodgers last season and is 4-2 with the Angels in 2023. Gray has a 13-12 record in two seasons with the Rangers.

After Denver’s own Freeland was chosen in the first round of the 2014 draft, the Rox selected pitcher Ryan Castellani with the seventh pick in the first round. They were supposed to be the future one-two punches in the club’s rotation of the future. Freeland has become a particularly good starter despite a 4-10 record this season because of rotten offensive production. The old refrain with the Boston Braves was “Spahn and Sain, and pray for rain.” The exhortation here should be: “Freeland and just pray.”

Then, in his last start, Kyle dislocated his right (non-throwing) shoulder and has to be shut down for an undetermined period.

Castellani finally reached the Rockies in 2020 and started nine games with a 1-4 result. He started one game two seasons ago and was gone last year to Oakland, where he pitched in one game before being released. Castellani is with the independent Gastonia Honey Hunters.

Castellani has followed most of the other pitchers who had been selected in drafts by the Rockies, whose owner cries he can’t compete for high-priced pitchers.

Yes, the Rockies have suffered major injuries to their starters. Germán Márquez, who was not drafted by the Rockies, was the club ace and started on opening day. But, on May 2, he was hurt and had to undergo Tommy John surgery. Venezuelan Antonio Senzatela, signed as an amateur free agent in 2011, had become an essential starter for the Rockies until May of 2022 when he was diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his pitching elbow. When he returned this season, he was forced back on the injury list after his second start.

Ryan Feltner, who indeed was drafted by the Rockies in the fourth round in 2018, stepped into a regular rotation role this season. But in his eighth start, he was struck in the head by a batted ball and sustained a brain fracture. Feltner’s return is unknown.

Austin Gomber, who has compiled a 21-23 mark since his acquisition in the Nolan Arenado trade, is the last starter standing. The Rockies have sent out 13 different starters this season, and José Ureña and Dinelson Lamet were banished after losing eight games in nine starts.

But then, it was excruciatingly obvious during the off-season and spring training that the Rockies didn’t possess enough starting pitching depth if anything happened. Stuff happened.

As the Rockies play the Yankees this weekend, they own up to the National League’s worst record (34-57) and highest earned-run average (5.73).

Manager Bud Black can do nothing but bail water. And Monfort’s buddy-buddy Bill Schmidt is doing nothing but draft more pitchers. In nine consecutive drafts the Rockies selected 19 pitchers or more among the 40 rounds. In the past three drafts they have chosen 12, 14 and 14 pitchers among the selections decreased to 20.

Will the Rockies sometime in the franchise’s lifetime pick a plethora of pitchers who can potentially pitch?