Eric Young Jr. planned to leave the Dominican Republic before Christmas after a healthy dose of winter ball and a chance to face pitchers with major league experience. Instead, he played a mere five games for Escogido, dealing with illness when he arrived, followed by a calf strain and finally a knee injury that wasn’t serious but ended his stay.

Young played his first game Nov. 6 for Escogido after overcoming the stomach sickness he contracted his second day in Santo Domingo, where Escogido plays. He said in that game, in which he homered and stole second base, his left calf cramped up due to dehydration.

Young’s final game was Nov. 10 when he banged his left knee when he jumped to make a spectacular catch and hit the wall while playing center field. Young said he then returned to the United States and as a precaution, underwent an MRI exam that showed a lot of inflammation but no structural damage to the knee and after a 2009 season made happily longer by a late August promotion to the Rockies, opted for rest with an eye toward 2010.

Player development director Marc Gustafson and Rockies trainer Keith Dugger just returned from the Dominican, where Dugger evaluated Young.

“He could’ve played through it,” Gustafson said, “but at the same time, you’re battling through a knee that’s sore, it’s tender and you worry about what else could go wrong from that standpoint. His bread and butter are his legs, and he needs to make sure his legs are healthy going into spring (training) next year.”

Dealing with a knee injury in the same leg he sustained a calf strain added to the potential risk. That made rest the most prudent decision with Young, ending his hopes of helping his game with about six weeks in winter ball and leaving him to take away benefits beyond baseball.

“I got to see a different culture,” Young said, “and got to see how the Dominican players grew up. I know coming into spring training, I’ll be ready to go. Do what I got to do in the offseason to be ready to go come spring training.”

Young said in January he will come to Denver to work out.

In five games for Escogido, Young hit .278 (5-for-18) with one double, one homer, two RBI and three stolen bases in three attempts. He played four games entirely in center field and the 10th inning of the fifth, moving in that game from second base, the position where he has had the most experience. He wasn’t surprised to play more in center field, where he made his first five appearances in the majors.

“I had an idea I was going to play more outfield than second base, only because I’m pretty sure the Rockies aren’t sure what they’re going to do next year,” Young said. “I want to make sure I’m ready to go, whatever they ask me to do that I can help the 25-man roster.”

Young, 24, said, “One day I want to be an every day second baseman, but like I said, whatever’s going to help me get on the 25-man roster and ultimately help the team win, that’s what I want to do.”