Rockies farm roundup: Matzek sharp in seven innings
Triple-A Colorado Springs (L, 11-4 vs. Nashville, box)
Carlos Gonzalez was 1-for-5 in what is expected to be his final rehab appearance. Shortstop Ryan Rohlinger was 4-for-4 with two RBI. Starting pitcher Alan Johnson allowed eight runs in four innings.
Double-A Tulsa (L, 4-2 vs. Springfield, box)
Starting pitcher Joe Gardner, one of four players acquired for Ubaldo Jimenez, made his first appearance with the Rockies, allowed four runs and striking out six in 6 1/3 innings. Second baseman Thomas Field was 3-for-4 with a run. Catcher Wilin Rosario doubled and drove in a run.
High Class-A Modesto (W, 7-2 at Rancho Cucamongo, box)
Starting pitcher Chad Bettis allowed one run on five hits, walked one and struck out 10 in seven innings. First baseman Jared Clark was 1-for-4 with a grand slam. Third baseman Nolan Arenado was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Low Class-A Asheville (W, 3-1 vs. Hickory, box)
Tyler Matzek pitched perhaps his best game as a pro, allowing one run on four hits, walking just one and striking out nine in seven innings. Center fielder Rafael Ortega was 3-for-4 with a stolen base and a run. It was the fifth straight multihit game for Ortega.
Short-Season Class-A Tri-City (L, 10-8 at Eugene, box)
Second baseman David Hernandez was 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base, an RBI and two runs. Third baseman Jayson Langfels was 1-for-4 with a solo home run. Starting pitcher Erik Stavert allowed three runs (two earned) in two innings.
Rookie Casper (W, 14-2 vs. Idaho Falls, box)
Left fielder Dillon Thomas, the Rockies fourth-round pick in June, was 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBi in his professional debut. Center fielder David Kandilas was 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run, two RBI and two runs. Starting pitcher Jeffri Hernandez allowed five hits and struck out two in four scoreless innings.
Matzek’s back!!! Time to trade him
That is great news. Great to see the kid have some success. Now he has to duplicate it, hopefully he can.
Keep the farm system pitching coaches away from Pomeranz, White, and the rest. At least the guy who tried to “fix” Matzek.
Thought the Rockies were going to move Gardner to the bullpen, well I guess there is always plenty of time for that to happen? Even so this was a solid start for the Cleveland transplant who gets little notice from the UJ trade.
He has had a mediocre 2011 year so far, but if I was a guessing fan, I would guess that DanO thinks he got a steal with Gardner due to the prior 2011 results and more importantly just raw stuff.
There is something to be said for “expectations” – because at this pont I no longer have any expectations for Matzek. You can remind me of this and wake me up when he has a 2/1 K/BB ratio with some extended time pitching in Tulsa. But until then I will say the ONE walk was very impressive given past 2011 performances.
Gardner started because of a comfort factor, as much as anything. He has started and the Rockies didn’t feel that giving him a new role in his first game in a new organization was going to be beneficial as he tries to get settled. They can transition him to the bullpen and are expected to do so.
“Matzek’s back!!! Time to trade him.”
Couldn’t do it quite yet if they wanted to, for the same reason that Pomeranz is still a “player to be named later”