Results tagged ‘ Rockies ’
Root Sports announces Spring Training schedule
Root Sports Rocky Mountain has released its Spring Training schedule of game telecasts and other programming. Here is the press release:
ROOT SPORTS will televise six spring training games live this season, the network announced today. Coverage begins on March 17, as the Colorado Rockies take on the LA Dodgers at 2 p.m. MT live from Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Rockies will face the Mariners, Dodgers, Reds and Diamondbacks on ROOT SPORTS during spring training. All games are slated to start at 2 p.m. MT.
ROOT SPORTS will also debut a trio of new programming. On February 17 at 8 p.m. MT, sit with General Manager Dan O’Dowd and the Rockies staff as they plot the team’s offseason trades on the Rockies Winter Meetings Show. The premiere of Rockies All Access begins on March 17 at 5 p.m. with the 2012 Rockies Commercial Show, which gives behind-the-scenes access to the making of the latest Rockies commercials. The skipper also gives us a preview of who will take the field on Opening Day on Rockies Weekly with Jim Tracy (March 25 at 5 p.m.).
2012 Rockies Spring Training Telecast Schedule
All times listed are Mountain and subject to change
Date Opponent Time
Sat., March 17 Dodgers 2 p.m.
Sun., March 18 at Mariners 2 p.m.
Sun., March 25 Reds 2 p.m.
Tue., March 27 at Diamondbacks 2 p.m.
Mon., April 2 at Mariners 2 p.m.
Tue., April 3 Marines 2 p.m.
Rockies, Belisle reach contract extension
DENVER — The Rockies and right-handed reliever Matt Belisle on a one-year contract extension through 2013, the club announced Friday morning. Terms were not immediately known.
Last season, Belisle, 31, went 10-4 — a career high for wins in a season — with a 3.25 ERA in 74 appearances. Belisle has appeared in a career0high 76 games the previous year, and over the last two years is 17-9 with a 3.07 ERA.
This is the third time Belisle and the Rockies have reached an agreement in about a year. He signed a one-year deal last winter to avoid arbitration, then he and the Rockies worked the agreement into a two-year, $6.125 million contract.
Belisle, who joined the Rockies as a non-roster invitee in 2009, is 36-32 with a 4.48 ERA, 401 strikeouts and 131 walks in 306 appearances, including 43 starts, with the Reds (2003, 2005-08) and the Rockies.
Flurries fall, but baseball is in the air, thanks to Rocky Mountain SABR
The snow flurries are much lighter now than they were an hour or so ago. Perfect time to think about baseball. Pitchers and catchers are days from reporting to Spring Training, but that doesn’t mean baseball-minded folks aren’t mentally into the season already. One of the rites of this time of year is SABR Day in America tomorrow. Across the country will be celebrations of baseball. In Denver, the Rocky Mountain SABR chapter will have its annual hot stove meeting at the Blake Street Tavern (near Coors Field) at 11 a.m.
The event always is entertaining, educational and moves fans’ thoughts to baseball.
There will be a brief look back to last season, with the awarding of the champion of the Rockies prediction contest, to the participant who came closest to the number of wins for the Rockies in 2011.
One highlight is the way members turn education and research into entertainment. This year, Matthew Repplinger, the new chapter president, and Alan Rice will do a presentation on the expansion and contraction of the Minor Leagues, 1953-2011.
That is followed by the Sylvester Report, an anticipated speech and question-and-answer session with Rockies baseball operations member Walter Sylvester, who can discuss stats and styles of players on the team’s Major League roster and through its Minor League system. The questions from the fans are often pointed and always backed by knowledge, and Sylvester doesn’t duck any of them.
Finally, the plan is for a massive game of catch. Last year members conducted it in one of the parking lots near Coors Field. A certain baseball writer with a chronically sore throwing shoulder even donned catcher’s gear. The gear may stay packed Saturday, but we’ll see.
Rockies offer in Moyer’s court
For now, the Rockies’ 2012 potential Opening Day starting rotation can be called the “under-30 club.” But that could change, considerably, with one signing.
Looking for a veteran to help guide the young rotation, the Rockies could be bringing in the veteran – 49-year-old left-hander Jamie Moyer. The Rockies have made an offer of a Minor League contract, and a club official told MLB.com on Tuesday morning that “it’s in his court.”
Moyer had Tommy John ligament transfer surgery in his throwing elbow in December 2010 and worked for ESPN as an analyst last year, but stated all along he hoped to pitch again in 2012. He went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA for the Phillies in 2010.
By making the offer, the Rockies are signaling that they believe Moyer can be a help to them, not merely a novelty, although his potential signing sparks folks to go digging for trivia. For example, when Moyer made his Major League debut for the Cubs on June 16, 1986, the following competitors for the Rockies’ 2012 rotation had not been born: Jhoulys Chacin (Jan. 7, 1988), Tyler Chatwood (Dec. 16, 1989), Juan Nicasio (Aug. 31, 1986), Drew Pomeranz (Nov. 22, 1988) and Alex White (Aug. 29, 1988).
One of Moyer’s teammates on the 1986 Cubs was Rockies television color commentator George Frazier, then a relief pitcher.
The Denver Post, which reported the offer to Moyer on Monday night, also reported that the Rockies are looking at trading for a second baseman, with the Red Sox’s Marco Scutaro and the Mets’ Justin Turner as possibilities.
Rox still combing free agent list for starter
According to the Denver Post this week, the Rockies and right-handed pitcher Kevin Millwood have not progressed much this offseason. While the Rockies have added a pitcher with some experience in Kevin Slowey, obtained from the Twins during the Winter Meetings, general manager Dan O’Dowd has not given up on adding a veteran arm at an affortable price for the club. Attempts to trade for such a pitcher have been fruitless.
“We are trying to create depth and competition in our rotation, so we’re looking at all free agents,” O’Dowd said Wednesday evening. “We don’t see a trade on the horizon.”
The Rockies have one spot available on the 40-man Major League roster, so they can sign a pitcher to a Major League contract if they choose to do so.
In other developments:
– The Rockies also haven’t found a trading partner as they try to maximize what they can get for arbitration-eligible, left-handed hitting outfielder Seth Smith, who was displaced when Michael Cuddyer signed as a free agent.
– Second baseman Russell Wilson, better known as Wisconsin’s Rose Bowl quarterback, told the New York Times that he intends to pursue professional football. Wilson, chosen 140th overall in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft, hit .228 at Class-A Asheville last year.
It’s the Seth Smith shopping season
With the addition of Michael Cuddyer to the outfield, the Rockies are hoping to trade left-handed hitting outfielder Seth Smith to fill other needs, which have been identified as pitching and second base. The club had lengthy talks with the Braves in hopes of landing infielder Martin Prado. However, any such deal would wend up being contingent on the Braves swinging another trade to fill the hole that Prado’s departure opened. The Braves appeared close to one at one point, but that’s no longer the case. That trail is now cold.
During the Winter Meetings, the Rockies had talks with the Mariners and those could be gaining new life, although it’s unclear how far along those talks are. During the Winter Meetings the Mariners appeared willing to trade infielder Chone Figgins, a onetime contributor to winning teams with the Angels who has struggled the last two years. That almost certainly would require the M’s to eat most or all of the two-year, $17 million remainder of the contract. The Rockies, the team that originally drafted Figgins, were lukewarm at that point.
Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported this week that the Mariners, Athletics, Mets, Braves and Rays are possibilities.
Blake reaches agreemernt with Rockies
Veteran third baseman and utility man Casey Blake has agreed to terms on a one-year contract, Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd announced Tuesday, during outfielder Michael Cuddyer’s introductory press conference at Coors Field.
Blake, 38, appeared in just 63 games for the Dodgers last season (.252, 4 HR, 26 RBIs) because of various injuries — a back problem, an elbow infection and a neck nerve issue that led to surgery. O’Dowd said Blake checked out medically, but the contract will not become official until Blake passes a physical. The physical is not likely to occur until after the holidays.
“We think we added a culture-changer, just like we added in Michael Cuddyer,” O’Dowd said.
The contract calls for a non-guaranteed base salary of $2 million, with another $1 million available in performance bonuses.
Over 13 seasons with the Blue Jays, Twins, Orioles, Indians and Dodgers, Blake has hit .264 with 167 home runs and 616 RBIs.
Cuddyer honors Killebrew with number choice
New Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer annoucned that he will wear No. 3 to honor a friend and former Twins great, the late Hall-of-Famer Harmon Killebrew. His introductory press conference at Coors Field starts soon.
Cuddyer wore No. 5 with the Twins, for whom he played 11 seasons.
“Strictly as a human being, he’s one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever come in contact with,” Cuddyer said. ”One of the first things I did was look at the roster, see if 3 was available and ask for it. I’m very happy to get it.”
Rox, Cuddyer reach three-year, $31.5 million agreement
The Rockies are putting the final touches on a three-year signing of outfielder Michael Cuddyer to a three-year, $31.5 million contract, a Major League source confirmed to MLB.com on Friday morning.
The right-handed hitting Cuddyer, 32, hit .284 with 20 home runs and 70 RBIs for the Twins last season. He has hit at least 20 homers three times in his career, including a career-high 32 in 2009. In 1,139 career games, all with the Twins, Cuddyer is a .272 hitter with 141 homers and 580 RBIs.
Cuddyer figures to fit in the lineup in left field, but also could move to first base on days Todd Helton is not in the lineup. The Rockies could use him in the No. 5 spot behind shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, or at No. 6 if the Rockies want the left-handed hitting Todd Helton to continue to bat behind Tulowitzki.
The Rockies also were looking to re-make the flavor of the clubhouse, after finishing 73-89 last season and not showing the toughness that had become a trademark of the club in recent seasons. The team has added a pair of veterans via free agency – catcher Ramon Hernandez for two years and $6.4 million, and Cuddyer.
The Rockies still aren’t likely to be done with building the 2012 roster. Left-handed hitting left fielder Seth Smith is the team’s main trading chip, who figures to be supplanted by Cuddyer, is the team’s main chip in attempts to deal to fill other holes. A key one is the need for a starting pitcher capable of 200 innings, with left-hander Jorge De La Rosa having to come back from Tommy John elbow surgery and out until sometime around June .
The Rockies rid themselves of $7 million in salary by dealing relief pitcher Huston Street to the Padres and further trimming the payroll of a projected $2.6 million when they sent arbitration-eligible third baseman Ian Stewart to the Cubs as part of a four-player trade, the Rockies achieved enough payroll relief to make an offer to an outfielder.
But signing Cuddyer means the Rockies will not be able to continue to pursue Hiroki Kuroda, a right-hander reportedly looking for a one-year deal in the $13 million range.
The Rockies began pursuing Cuddyer early in the free-agency period, but needed the market to fall into place. That occurred on Tuesday, when news surfaced that outfielder Josh Willingham moved toward accepting an offer from the Twins. The original thought Twins were not going to sign both players, but the Twins remained in the running.
According to reports, the Phillies and Mariners were still trying to sign Cuddyer as of Thursday.
Rockies talk to Cuddyer; Twins in the mix
Negotiations continued Thursday between the Rockies and free-agent outfielder Michael Cuddyer. The Mariners, Phillies and a somewhat unexpected suitor, the Twins, are also in the mix. It’s not clear how quickly the Rockies or anyone else can come to an agreement.
Cuddyer has spent his entire Major League career with the Twins, who made him a three-year offer. It was believed that the Twins were no longer a possibility when outfielder Josh Willingham signed for three years and $21 million. But multiple reports said the Twins had not dropped out of the running.
The Rockies’ prime focus is Cuddyer. The team has expressed interest in six-time All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran, but he is considered a longshot for the Rockies, mainly because of health concerns. Beltran has dealt with serious knee issues, including arthroscopic surgeries on both of them before the 2007 season and a further surgery on the right knee in 2010. The Mets had to be careful with his playing time early last season. Beltran put up strong numbers after being traded to the Giants for their lat-season run. However, the Giants have not signed him even though they have a need in the outfield.
Cody Ross remains a possibility to be signed to work in a tandem in left field with Seth Smith. If Cuddyer is signed, expect the Rockies to attempt to trade Smith to fill other holes.
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