Rockies owner had funny email exchange with fan over Shohei Ohtani
Jul 19, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; American League pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) of the Los Angeles Angels smiles at fans before the 2022 MLB All Star Game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort is known for sometimes directly responding to fan emails in a rather unfiltered way. He did so on Friday in response to one fan’s amusing Shohei Ohtani suggestion.
Amid reports that the Los Angeles Angels would not completely rule out an Ohtani trade before the Aug. 1 deadline, one fan sent an email to Monfort suggesting that the Rockies make a move. The fan wrote that Ohtani would be a “tremendous fit in purple pinstripes” and “would turn around this franchise.” While not mentioning Ohtani by name, the original email included an amusingly-edited image of Ohtani in a Rockies uniform.
The fan actually did get a response from Monfort, who simply pointed out that Ohtani is a free agent at the end of the year, but that having him “would be fun for a couple months.”
BREAKING: The Rockies would consider acquiring Ohtani “fun for a couple months” and are not officially OUT on trade talks.
This tells me that Ohtani to the Rockies is a real possibility and they are IN on trading for the greatest player of our generation. You heard it here first https://t.co/23mAYmewBS pic.twitter.com/6qfUKBpzye
— Kevin (Only Jokic can save us now) (@_Kevlar23_) July 14, 2023
Technically, that is not a no from Monfort. Of course, it’s not a yes, either, and the non-contending Rockies are not going to give up anything to trade for a player they would have virtually no chance of keeping.
Still, to see Monfort respond at all is pretty funny. He has done it before, too. He famously responded to one critical fan’s 2014 email by essentially saying not to come to Rockies games if you don’t enjoy it.
One @Rockies fan was displeased with the teams play this holiday weekend. This was the owners heart felt response pic.twitter.com/XFHTPu5dpR
— Brandon Thompson (@BThompsonNews) July 9, 2014
Monfort is an optimist by nature, but even he knows the Rockies aren’t getting Ohtani. He is right that it would be fun for a bit if it did happen, though.