Rockies farm roundup: Stewart doubles twice for Sky Sox
Triple-A Colorado Springs (L, 9-2 at Oklahoma City, box)
Third baseman Ian Stewart was 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. Shortstop Ryan Rohlinger was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run. Starting pitcher Billy Buckner allowed seven runs in five innings.
Double-A Tulsa
(Game 1, L, 5-1 at Midland, 7 innings, box)
Second baseman Thomas Field was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Catcher Wilin Rosario was 1-for-3 with a double. Starting pitcher Cory Riordan allowed four runs (two earned) in five innings.
(Game 2, L, 2-1 at Midland, 7 innings, box)
Right fielder Bronson Sardinha and catcher Lars Davis each had two hits. Starting pitcher Joe Gardner allowed two runs in five innings.
High Class-A Modesto (L, 3-0 at Lake Elsinore, box)
Delta Cleary Jr was 3-for-4 and is 10-for-17 in his past four games. Shortstop Josh Rutledge was 1-for-3. Since his 27-game hitting streak was snapped on Aug. 4, Rutledge six straight and is 11-for-24. Starting pitcher Parker Frazier allowed three runs (two earned) in 6 2/3 innings.
Low Class-A Asheville (W, 4-3 at Rome, box)
Left fielder Corey Dickerson was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two runs. Center fielder Rafael Ortega was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a run and two stolen bases. Second baseman Brett Tanos was 2-for-3 with a double and a stolen base. Starting pitcher Nick Schnaitmann allowed three runs in seven innings.
Short-Season Class-A Tri-City (W, 8-5 at Everett, box)
Shortstop Taylor Featherston was 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs. Center fielder Brian Humphries was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Third baseman David Hernandez was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run. Starting pitcher Ben Alsup allowed five runs (four earned) and struck out seven in 2/3 innings.
Rookie Casper (L, 6-5 at Orem, box)
Infielder Samuel Mende was 1-for-4 a home run and two RBI. The home run was Mende’s 11th in 118 at-bats. Designated hitter Will Swanner and first baseman Harold Riggins each hit solo home runs. Starting pitcher Geoff Parker allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Steve, is there anyone on the Colorado Springs roster who can be expected to make the Rockies roster next year? Can Garner be the 5th outfielder (after CarGo, Smith, Fowler, and Blackmon; I’m assuming that Spilly won’t be resigned)? What has happened to Pacheco’s hitting and can he be the backup catcher to Iannetta (I am assuming that Rosario will start next season at CS) and also be a backup at 1B/3B, or will he have to repeat at CS? Might Jacobs make the Rockies next year as Todd’s backup (nice article about him in the Denver Post)? Is there anyone else on the CS roster who might be a Rockie next year?
I thought I read somewhere that Rosario will be on the opening day roster next year and that was a direct quote from Odowd
Julian,
Contrary to popular belief, Ryan Spilborghs is not leaving via free agency automatically at the end of the season. He will not have enough service time to be allowed to file. As his contract is expiring, he will be arbitration eligible again. The team could still choose to go another direction with Spilborghs and non-tender him in December (Garner himself is also a candidate to be removed from the roster in the offseason).
If that happens, Garner will compete with Eric Young Jr (out of options for the first time next year, Garner is not), as well as any non-roster invites or future roster additions for the fifth OF spot. It is also possible that the team again chooses to neglect an additional outfielder if Ty Wigginton isn’t traded in the offseason, nixing the need for any of these players altogether.
As for your other questions:
- Pacheco will contend for a utility role. Though the Rockies have kept him at catcher so far this year, if Rosario is at the AAA level next year instead of with the Rockies or Drillers, it’s likely Pacheco starts to see time at the corners. I would say the chances of him making the 2012 roster out of the gate are slim, but not impossible.
- To both of you, Rosario has taken a step back this year. The leg injury is partly to blame, and Rosario is still one of the top positional prospects in the system, but there is concern. His future depends a lot on what we do with Iannetta in the offseason. if we trade him, he’s instantly the favorite to replace him as starting catcher, regardless of where he is. If we keep Iannetta, Rosario only makes the roster if Iannetta becomes backup again. If Rosario is in the minors again, there are arguments for both a promotion to the Sky Sox and yet another year at AA. AAA in the PCL can be detrimental to a player’s offensive development, as the league is so hyperbolic in terms of offense that it can lead to bad habits at the plate. That said, the organization hasn’t been afraidf to send other top prospects (Blackmon, etc.) to the Sky Sox.
- Mike Jacobs is headed for MiLB free agency after the season. He will not remain in the system unless we sign him again. If we do, it’ll be to a minor league contract again.
Of players at the AAA level, only a select few project to still be with the team next year: Starting pitchers Clay Mortensen (three options used but will get a bonus) and Greg Reynolds (out of options next year), relievers Keith Weiser and Andy Graham (do not figure to make the majors right now), catchers Jordan Pacheco and Matt Pagnozzi (Pagnozzi could be let go in the offseason), infielders Ian Stewart (potential non-tender), Ryan Rohlinger (out of options) Brad Emaus and Warren Schaeffer, and outfielder Cole Garner. All the reste are headed for MiLB Free Agency.
So to answer your question, there is not a lot of potential impact here for next season. Mortensen and Reynolds will fight for spots in both the rotation and pen, Pacheco and Pagnozzi are potentials for the backup catcher, Rohlinger has a small chance at a utility role and Stewart’s fate could be anywhere from non-tender to starting 3B again in 2012.
I’ve seen Pacheco mentioned as a utility guy by several sources yet other than during the AFL I hear no supporting evidence from the Rockies. In fact, not long ago Mr. O’Dowd was talking about Pacheco and his future and he was talking catcher.
I thought the reason he was moved from second base to catcher was based on skills. The belief being he was better suited at catcher. I also thought the only reason he played some 1st base in the AFL was to get more at bats.
“I also thought the only reason he played some 1st base in the AFL was to get more at bats.”
That’s precisely the reason, and precisely the reason the team would allow Pacheco to move around the diamond; to get his bat in the lineup. There idea of converting him to a corner player isn’t because he’d be especially suited for it defensively.
Greg and Mike, thanks for your responses to my post.
My assumption on Spilly is that the team would nontender him because he hasn’t played that well this year, and he’s starting to get expensive as a #4 or #5 outfielder, and I think that we have equally good, less expensive internal alternatives. Also, maybe the team would find a better OF by trade or free agency. Spilly was one of a number of guys who I was hoping some other team would want badly enough at the trading deadline to give us someone of value in return for him.
I also think that Rosoario has regressed. He was one of our two players invited to the Futures game, and yet he is only batting in the .240s. I think that the team should not trade Iannetta in the offseason. Although Chris hasn’t been great, he has been OK overall, and far from our largest problem. I would pencil him in as next year’s starter. If Rosario develops quickly next season to the point where it makes sense for him to be the starter, Iannetta could still be traded at next year’s trading deadline; he would still have value to another contending team at that point.
It’s disappointing how little we have of value at Colorado Springs.
Agreed that AAA is a disappointment (that is why despite being a COS resident and Sky Sox fan I asked about moving the AAA team). However we did get Blackmon up here, so that is one. The pitching staff there is a wreck, aside from possibly Mortensen and Reynolds. Pacheco has to show something big the next few months (here and winter ball). I hate that teams treat like their back-up catcher like if they use them to pinch hit its the end of the universe (kuds to Tracy for using Eliazer the other night in a PH role). Having Pacheco up here would lengthn the bench by giving them a bat and glove that can also play catcher. His calling skills when I have watched him simply are not that good (like a college catcher).
Will be interesting to see who ends up a AAA next year.
Greg, you’ve got some great info. I’m glad you’re here.
On Pacheco: non-prospect until spring training. Impressive spring had lots of folks excited. Nunimpressive season says “nonprospect” all over again.
Blackmon showed enough of a skillset to figure in next year’s plans, but certainly not as a starter. And that’s it from AAA. A total dearth of talent.
Greg, I’m not as down on Rosario as you. This season showed us that dreams of a star catcher are unwarranted. Dreams of a steady bigeague starter aren’t. Sure, a young Rod Barajas is nothing to get excited about, but it’s nothing to sneeze at either. Of course we have a better catcher right now who seems to get sneezed at all the time ….
The Rockies better and best prospects are below the Triple-A level. If you want to get excited about new, talented blood, Double-A Tulsa and the A-league teams are the places to look.
Remember Juan Nicasio arrived from Tulsa and Rex Brothers didn’t start the season in Colorado Springs.
MJay
Rockies Prospects and Futures
Agbayani,
Calling Pacheco a nonprospect is quite a bit of an exaggeration, I feel. The team considered him worty of a non-roster invite in 2010, and after spending the whole season on fire from Spring through Modesto (eventual promotion to Tulsa) and the Arizona Fall League. All the guy did was hit. He was protected on the roster after the season and, in my opinion, was coming into Spring Training very much already a prospect. It’s discouraging to see him take such a step back at AAA, but he’s not lost prospect status in my eyes.
Regarding Blackmon, if the team chooses to trade Smith over the offseason, I actually think Blackmon is very much first in line to take over as a starter. If not, then I agree that he’s also a satisfactory fourth outfielder, much as Smith was for his first two years.
As for Rosario, I wouldn’t say I’m “down” on him (unless he’s being compared to where I was on him at the end of last season). I tried top make it clear I still absolutely consider him a top positional prospect for the team, and when I do my votes for Purple Row’s prospects list this fall, he’ll likely be in the top three (I voted for him at #1 coming into the year).
A few late thoughts:
- Pacheco has been considered a legit prospect for the past two seasons (ranked 18th in Rockies system by Baseball America before spring training, between Nelson and Russell Wilson), but not all prospects are presumed to be future starters. His strong spring raised the possibility that he might hit enough in the majors to be a starter, which had never been considered. He hasn’t hit consistently for the Sky Sox and hasn’t made dramatic strides in calling a game, so he’s back to where he was: a possible super-utility guy, who can catch and play some infield.
- On Rockies outfielders, as Greg notes, Spilborghs in under the Rockies’ control next season but at the moment I would consider him a strong trade or non-tender candidate. Smith and EY, too, are trade candidates. I expect Gonzalez, Fowler and Blackmon to be three of the Rockies’ outfielders and likely the opening day starters. From there, too much is up in the air to predict.
- To say Rosario has taken a step back isn’t quite accurate. He hasn’t progressed as much as fans would expect, but that Rockies aren’t calling him a disappointment. I would point to Tim Wheeler’s 2010 season. A lot of fans gave up on him as a prospect, called his season terrible and decided he would never be a major leaguer, but the Rockies were content with the season. Stats don’t tell you everything about what’s going on in the minors; in fact, they can be very misleading. Not hearing anything negative from the Rockies about Rosario. We’ll almost certainly see him in September and how he does will affect what the team does with Iannetta.
- As MJay, notes, the Rockies best prospects are at Tulsa and fans should get comfortable looking there. As a friend noted a few days ago, the Rockies like a lot of major league teams more and more are treating Triple-A like a taxi squad, filled with players like Mike Jacobs — major league veterans who don’t win a job and wait for an opportunity — or players like Nelson and EY, who reached the majors in a previous season, but don’t immediately stick on a roster. Right now the Sky Sox roster is fairly depleted of prospects. Pacheco will be in the mix for a utility job next year. Garner could be in the mix for a fifth outfield spot but he’s a also a good candidate to DFAed to make room on 40-man depending on what else Rockies do in the outfield. Mortensen and/or Reynolds could be in the mix for long relief. Joey Williamson is the one guy there who is a real unknown. He’s had a very good year between Tulsa and the Springs after taking a season off. He’s worth watching — not just an org player.
Steve, after a shutout performance last night against AAA hitters, you gotta like what Williamson is doing. Many have questioned whether or not he has the raw stuff to be successful at the MLB level, and certainly the year off last year set him backsome some.
Roenecke (from Toronto on waivers) has been a huge pleasant surprise in the MLB so far (SSS), and Williamson might be another useful RH arm for the Roockies to take a long look at.
Greg, I am just guessing that Pomeranz and White are right there at #1 and #2 just ahead of Rosario at this point.
Steve, thanks for your comments.
If Pacheco’s defensive and game calling skills have been slow to improve, and with Rosario and other catchers in the loop (does Lars Davis project to be an adequate backup major league catcher in a year or two), would it make sense to let Pacheco focus on playing first and third so that he could be a suitable backup in those positions? If he weren’t catching, maybe his hitting would return to the level that we saw in spring training.
Speaking of guys who hit well during spring training, but haven’t hit so well since, what do you hear about how Paulsen is doing? His statistics don’t look great.
Steve thanks again for giving us updates. I knew that the Rox treated their AAA that way, didn’t know that this was how other teams were operating. Makes a lot of sense. What will be interesting is what to do with Wheeler next year. He has done what you want at Tulsa, but moving him here to COS may create new issues, but there does not appear to be room yet for him (unless they want to create a 3 man rotation for two spots). Williamnson is intriguing. That is what pitching here can do for arms – if they can find somethng big here in terms of arm, speed, pitches, etc. Still hoping that Mortensen and Reynolds will come to next year’s camp with something more in their arms and repoitre.