One minor-league addition and many subtractions
The Rockies signed outfielder Ryan Harvey after he was released by the Cubs. Harvey, 24, was their first-round pick and sixth player taken overall in the 2003 draft but hasn’t played above Double-A, a level he reached and struggled at last year.
Harvey split last season between high Class A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee. In 59 games at Daytona, Harvey hit .228 with 10 homers and 31 RBI, 75 strikeouts in 202 at-bats and a .313 on-base percentage. In 36 games at Tennessee, he hit .216 with three homers and 15 RBI, 39 strikeouts in 111 at-bats and a .276 on-base percentage.
The Rockies released a dozen minor league players, typical for this point in the spring when rosters are being finalized. One of those released was journeyman left-hander Cedrick Bowers, 31, who appeared in five games with the Rockies last year and was in big-league camp this spring. Also released was Lakewood native Chad Lembeck, an outfielder. Those released, with their age and where they played last year, include:
RHP Brandon Dill, 24, Rookie Casper
RHP Josh Hall, 28, Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Colorado Springs
RHP Ethan Katz, 25, Short-season Class A Tri-City and low Class A Asheville
RHP Andres Marrero, 20, Casper
LHP Cedrick Bowers, 31, Colorado Springs and Colorado
LHP Craig Rodriguez, 23, Asheville
1B Chad Rothford, 23, independent Frontier League
SS Derek Kinzler, 24, Tri-City
2B Zack Murry, 21, Casper
OF Victor Ferrante, 24, high Class A Modesto
OF Chad Lembeck, 24, Tri-City
OF Kane Simmons, 24, Casper, Tri-City and Modesto
Does the dream die here for these guys? Do they resign or go sell insurance somewhere? Hats off to all who follow their dream!
I’m a little surprised about 3 guys: Katz, Murry, and Simmons. I thought they had high hopes for Murry.
JJZdad0830, let’s hope the dream starts here and doesn’t die here. The internet is becoming the focal point for newsgahtering, and hopefully this will provide us with an opportunity to remain involved in that. Time will tell but the reception has been very strong, and there is hope that advertising will have an interest. Time will tell, but the commitment is there on our part to make this work.
All but a couple were very old for their level, and that’s never a good sign. It happens. There will be a new crop of kids hoping for their shot. Some of these might catch on, especially on independent league teams.
(oh, and Tracy, ha, you missed the first posters point..he was asking about the dream of playing baseball for money, not this web site vs print media…you’re mind is on something today huh?)
Redhawk, does oops say it all?
Yes that works…I use “I’ve been drinking” even when I’m stone sober…but you have an image of professionalism to maintain.
Tracy and Jack: I wouldn’t mind if a paypal button was added to the top of this page.
Thanks for the first-rate coverage of baseball in the Rockies and throughout the league
Well, as long as we’re handing out accolades, many thanks for this website. The Denver Post is almost worthless as a source of baseball news. And the other web sites like to concentrate on the coast teams, especially the east coast.
So, to get my Rockies fix, to this website I come every day. But Tracey and Jack are two of the better baseball writers, so it’s a great pleasure.
My thanks to ya’ll.
Trip
Did the Rockies let Barker go as well?? Do you know if he has been picked up by another farm system? I also agree this is the best place for Baseball and the Rockies INFO!!! THANKS!!!
Trey,
Sean Barker wasn’t released in recent days simply because the Rockies didn’t resign him after last season. It’s probably fair to say Barker was as eager to look elsewhere as the Rockies were to move on. Colorado Springs manager Tom Runnells said Barker was one of his great disappointments last year, not because of Barker’s personality, work habits or anything like that. Instead, Runnells was personally disappointed that he was unable to get Barker, who has Matt Holliday-like power, to click. He started off well, fizzled and Runnells and hitting coach Rene Lachemann were never able to get Barker into any kind of hitting groove.
I should add, Trey, that I don’t which organization, if any, picked up Barker.