Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Rockies prospect prepared to pass on Beijing

Instead, Fowler might get call to join big-league club

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 13, 2008 at 6:02 p.m.
Updated July 13, 2008 at 9:43 p.m.

Text size  
Dexter Fowler, Rockies' prospect and center fielder for Team USA in the Futures Game, makes a running catch of a ball hit by World Team player Ivan DeJesus in the third inning of Sunday's game at Yankee Stadium.

Photo by Kathy Willens © AP

Dexter Fowler, Rockies' prospect and center fielder for Team USA in the Futures Game, makes a running catch of a ball hit by World Team player Ivan DeJesus in the third inning of Sunday's game at Yankee Stadium.

Related Stories

More Colorado Rockies

More stories »

Good keeps getting better for Rockies outfield prospect Dexter Fowler.

Selected to play in the Futures Game on Sunday, Fowler is in line to be named to the U.S. Olympic team Wednesday, except for one thing - he might not be available to play.

"Being on the Olympic team would be a great honor, getting to represent my country," Fowler said.

The catch is, the Rockies might have other plans for Fowler, similar to four years ago, when they denied Canada permission to take Jeff Francis to Athens because they were going to call him up to the majors.

With the type of season Fowler has put together for Double-A Tulsa, a similar scenario is developing, particularly if the Rockies can trade Willy Taveras.

"That will work, too," Fowler said. "I'm not complaining. It's all good."

Fowler is enjoying his baseball life, which gave him the chance Sunday, along with Tulsa teammates Casey Weathers and Ryan Mattheus, to play at Yankee Stadium, which will be replaced after the season with a stadium being built beyond the left-field stands.

"You walk in and think about the Hall of Famers who sat foot on these grounds," said Fowler, 22. "Babe Ruth comes to mind right away. And Ernie Banks."

Banks? He was with the Cubs and that was before interleague play.

"He's here today," Fowler said. "I just met him."

And Fowler made an impression on Banks, who, after meeting Fowler during batting practice, sought him out in the Team USA clubhouse.

"He is a switch hitter," Banks said. "That's what I wanted to be. . . . You see those line drives he hits? He's got that Billy Williams swing. It's pretty."

Fowler had the options of basketball at Harvard and baseball at Miami when he came out of high school.

He opted to sign with the Rockies, who took a gamble on Fowler after he slipped through the early portion of the 2004 draft, selecting him in the 14th round, the 410th player overall.

But he wasn't the run-of-the-mill 14th-rounder. He was considered a top-50 pick that year, but with the options he had for college, teams shied away.

Rockies scouting director Bill Schmidt each year looks for someone after the 10th round whose signability is in question and selects him to be protection in case one of the top picks doesn't sign.

Schmidt signed his top picks that year, but in August, about the time Fowler started packing to head to Miami, the Rockies traded Larry Walker to St. Louis, and with the salary the Rockies saved, Schmidt was given what it took to get Fowler to agree to terms.

From his first day in rookie ball, Fowler began opening eyes with his speed, power, 6-foot-5, 190-pound build and eagerness to become a switch hitter.

And things have gotten better this year for Fowler, who is hitting .329 with 24 doubles, seven triples, nine home runs and 54 RBI along with defense that scouts believe makes him the game's elite center field prospect.

"At the beginning of the season, you could see the skills, but then, the last month and a half, he's just gone off," Weathers said. "You always saw the tools that makes people so high on him, but the last six weeks, it's been special to watch him evolve."

Comments

  • July 13, 2008

    7:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    warrengfunk7 writes:

    5-tool

  • July 13, 2008

    8:24 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    fastnloose writes:

    When he does this at the major league level,I'll be his biggest fan.In the mean time we have been led down this path more times than I care to remember.(it makes me cry when I think about it}.

  • July 14, 2008

    7:26 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hambone writes:

    This guy will hopefully uan Pierre type defensive coverage in center with a much better bat. I'm excited to see what he can do. Weathers also looks sick. He had a little trouble with command yesterday but he was bringing the heat and a 91 mph slider. See ya Fuentes!

  • July 14, 2008

    4:15 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    dgocoman writes:

    Let's not get too excited about Fowler, Weathers, et al. Let's not forget about Shealy, Tsao, etc. All of these guys were supposed to be perennial all-stars. I guess when we are 18 games below .500 at the ASG this is all we have to look forward to the rest of the year.