Ringolsby: Competition fierce for those making pitch for the bullpen

Monday, January 30, 2006

The Colorado Rockies have built bullpen depth.

And it's not just at the big-league level.

Between waiver claims and big-league veterans signed to minor-league contracts with invitations to big-league spring training, the Rockies have nine pitchers coming to camp next month, and only two of them can opt out of the minor-league portion of their contracts if they don't make the big-league roster out of spring training.

Japanese right-hander Keiichi Yabu, who spent 11 years pitching in the Japanese major leagues before making his big-league debut in Oakland with the A's last year, can cut ties with the Rockies if he's not on the roster March 31, but the possibility remains that he could decide to take an assignment to Class AAA Colorado Springs.

Veteran left-hander Tom Martin also can become a free agent if he's not in the big leagues, but the date for his opt out isn't until June.

The potential depth at Class AAA Colorado Springs is significant in light of the number of pitchers the Rockies use during a season.

It's going to be a challenge for any of the nine to make the Opening Day roster.

The Rockies' rotation basically is set with Jason Jennings, Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis and Byung-Hyun Kim in four spots.

Zach Day and Sunny Kim are the candidates for the fifth job but could get a challenge from Josh Fogg if the Rockies work out the details on a contract for him.

Brian Fuentes will be the stopper, with right-handers Mike DeJean,

Jose Mesa and Scott Dohmann and left-hander Ray King virtually set to join the bullpen. The loser of the Day-Sunny Kim battle for the rotation and bullpen holdover David Cortes are likely for the two other bullpen spots.

But there will be challengers. Chin-hui Tsao is on a schedule that has him ready to return to action in June.

In the meantime, the Rockies claimed left-hander Jaime Cerda on waivers from Kansas City, released Randy Williams from the big-league roster and re-signed him to a minor- league deal, and brought in veterans Steve Colyer and Martin to provide left-handed competition.

From the right side, the Rockies return Jose Acevedo, who, like Williams, was released but then re-signed to a minor-league deal, along with Yabu, Nate Field, Bret Prinz and Miguel Asencio.

CLINT BARMES is anxious for spring training to start. After having his rookie season interrupted for three months spent on the disabled list because of a broken collarbone, the shortstop reports he is 100 percent healthy.

Barmes played in September for the Rockies, then spent a month with Escogido in the Dominican Republic to get some at-bats. Most of all, Barmes said, he believes he returned from the Dominican a better defensive shortstop.

"I slowed things down," he said. "I took a couple steps up from where I normally position myself. I felt like I had more time to make the routine throw."

Barmes got to spend time with former Rockies shortstop Neifi Perez, who is on the Escogido roster and took over at short when Barmes came back to the United States.

"Even before he was active, he was at the ballpark," Barmes said. "The people love him down there."

ALL INDICATIONS ARE both Rockies players on the preliminary Team USA roster - closer Fuentes and left fielder Matt Holliday - will play in the World Baseball Classic during March. Holliday is the only pure right-handed hitter among the outfielders on the Team USA roster.

Fuentes and Billy Wagner are the only left-handed relievers on Team USA, and given the emphasis the bullpen will have in the March tournament, it's unlikely team officials would decide to go with only one left-hander.

LEFT-HANDER JOSH KALINOWSKI, once a top prospect of the Rockies, was only 4-9 with a 6.94 earned-run average for Bridgeport (Conn.) in the independent Atlantic League last summer, but he found hope. The 29-year-old told the (Casper) Star-Tribune it was the first time he had thrown without pain since his shoulder surgery in April 2004.

Kalinowski said he would make an attempt at a comeback "if an opportunity comes where I can be with a couple teams that I've picked out." One of those teams is the Rockies, who drafted Kalinowski from Casper's Natrona County High School in 1995, then again from Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College in 1996.