The Rockies also have held negotiations with
in-house free agents outfielders Jeffrey Hammonds and Todd
Hollandsworth, but the talks seem to be taking different
directions.<br><br>``The door's still open (with Hammonds),'' O'Dowd said.
``I just think we have a completely different idea of
what market-value is. He fits in on this club within a
certain dollar amount and a certain role. If he feels
he's worth more in a different role, then it would be
better off that he find that somewhere
else.''<br><br>Hollandsworth, acquired in a July 31 trade with Los Angeles, is
the front-runner to be Colorado's starting center
fielder next year after hitting .323 with 11 homers and
23 RBIs in 56 games with the Rockies.<br><br>Of
course, with O'Dowd, nothing's guaranteed. He did make 14
trades involving 40 players in his first year on the
job.<br><br>``We kind of traded all the ammo in the gun,'' he
said. ``That's not to say I won't make a trade. You
guys know me now. If there's a right trade to be made
out there, I will make it, notwithstanding how much I
care for somebody.''<br><br>Count on this: O'Dowd will
not make any trade that involves Helton, who hit .372
with 42 homers and 147 RBIs.<br><br>``I would probably
have to leave town and never come back again,'' O'Dowd
said. ``We're really building our franchise around a
guy like Todd. It's not the numbers. It's the rest of
the package. It's the character and the preparation
and attention to detail. It's what he stands for. You
really need to build around that kind of character. On
top of that he's a great player.''