MLB Hot Stove Rumors: Rockies reportedly set high asking price for Charlie Blackmon

The Rockies aren't going to give away their center fielder

With Adam Eaton and Dexter Fowler each finding homes last week, clubs seeking a new center fielder and leadoff hitter have had to change their focus. As a result, Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies has become a more popular target.

Yet anyone hoping to acquire Blackmon will have to pay "exorbitant" prices, according to those in the know:

Teams that spoke to the Rockies seem doubtful Charlie Blackmon gets traded: "They're only trading him if they get an Adam Eaton type deal."

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 15, 2016

#Cardinals ran into this high asking price during their search. Upped offer to Fowler because trade costs were exorbitant, Eaton-like. https://t.co/YP56nY93nM

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) December 15, 2016

We covered why Blackmon was a desirable addition during the summer. The gist is that he's a tolerable defender with good bat-to-ball skills and improving plate discipline. Add it all together, and you have a high-quality player who is under team control for an additional two seasons. Nifty.

Of course, you can acknowledge that Blackmon is a good player while also conceding he shouldn't require the Adam Eaton package. Over the past three seasons, Blackmon has tallied a 112 OPS+ and 8.9 WAR; Eaton has notched marks of 120 and 15.4. Is it that simple? Absolutely not. But even if you consider the two equals, Eaton has more value based on his contract, which gives his club -- now the Washington Nationals -- the ability to control his services through the 2021 season.

Blackmon, then, is a good player who can help a team win. He is just not worth an Eaton-like package, especially if you believe Eaton himself wasn't worth an Eaton-like package. We'll see if the Rockies hold firm to their demands, or if they're just using the Eaton blockbuster as an anchoring point to get more in a trade than they might otherwise.