Scahill going to Arizona Fall League
Pitcher Rob Scahill will go to the Arizona Fall League, replacing Drew Pomeranz, whom the Colorado Rockies announced would not pitch there following his start Wednesday in the final regular season game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
Scahill, 24, went 12-11, 3.92 at Double-A Tulsa with 60 walks and 104 strikeouts in 160 2/3 innings, ranking second in the Texas League in the latter category. Scahill finished strong, going 3-0, 1.71 in his final three games and allowing four earned runs and 14 hits in 21 innings with four walks and 14 strikeouts. Drafted out of Bradley in the eighth round in 2009, Scahill began his career that year at short-season Class A Tri-City and has moved up one level annually.
The Rockies feel rest rather than more innings is the best thing for Pomeranz, who finished a hectic season with diminished velocity and is about five weeks out from an emergency appendectomy.
Scahill will pitch for the Salt River Rafters, whose other Rockies farmhands include pitchers Parker Frazier, Casey Weathers and Joe Gardner, center fielder Tim Wheeler, first baseman Ben Paulsen and third baseman Nolan Arrenado. Triple-A Colorado Springs manager Stu Cole will manage Salt River. The fall league season runs from Oct. 4 through Nov. 17.
Pomeranz pitched a total of 119 1/3 innings in a season that was highly unusual. The final 18 1/3 innings were with the Rockies in his first four starts in the majors. He pitched for high Class A Kinston and Double-A Akron in the Cleveland organization before the Indians traded him to the Rockies in the July 31 deal for Ubaldo Jimenez.
Because he couldn’t officially be traded until one year after he signed his first professional contract, Pomeranz had to spend 2 1/2 weeks in limbo at the Indians spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. Pomeranz made his debut in the Rockies organization on Aug. 17 at Tulsa but three days later underwent an emergency appendectomy. He returned to start Tulsa’s final game of the regular season Sept. 5 and then joined the Rockies.
Pomeranz pitched three perfect innings Sept. 5 and Scahill followed with six innings in his lone relief appearance after 26 starts.
