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De Los Santos could start Monday for Rockies

By Jack Etkin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 27, 2008 at 8:38 p.m.

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The Rockies, coming off a weekend sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, start a three-game series in Pittsburgh with Valerio De Los Santos on the mound against Ian Snell.

Video Video: The Rockies, coming off a weekend sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, start a three-game series in Pittsburgh with Valerio De Los Santos on the mound against Ian Snell. Watch »

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Manager Clint Hurdle said he wasn’t ready to announce Monday night’s starter at Pittsburgh after the Rockies completed their three-game sweep in Cincinnati.

He did say it won’t be anyone currently in the Rockies clubhouse, which comes as no surprise.

Jason Hirsh is lined up to pitch Monday is an internal candidate at Triple-A Colorado Springs. But a better bet might be left-hander Valerio De Los Santos, 35, who last pitched one week ago and has made two good starts recently, if the Rockies want a veteran to make a spot start and then likely make a quick turnaround to the minor leagues.

That’s something the Rockies would seem more inclined to do with an experienced pitcher, a journeyman at this point, like De Los Santos, than Hirsh, 26.

De Los Santos has 233 appearances in the big leagues and two starts, going 9-12 with a 4.54 ERA while pitching for Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Toronto and Florida. His last appearance in the big leagues was Aug. 11, 2005, with the Marlins.

De Los Santos pitched in Mexico last year, going 6-3 with a 4.40 ERA in 16 starts for Monterrey, and signed with the Rockies as a minor league free agent in the winter.

In 17 games, including two starts, with the Sky Sox, De Los Santos is 3-5 with a 4.92 ERA. His turn in the Sky Sox’s rotation was Saturday, but Josh Towers, who hasn’t pitched well at all lately, started and was shelled.

Why would the Rockies hold De Los Santos out of his start? And after Towers lasted two innings and surrendered 10 hits and 11 runs, the Sky Sox used three other pitchers and a position player, keeping De Los Santos out of the game. Hmm.

De Los Santos has no decisions and a 1.64 ERA in his past two starts, both very good outings. In those games, he pitched a combined 11 innings, allowing eight hits and two runs with two walks and 13 strikeouts, and in the process very possibly earning a trip to Pittsburgh and a chance to take the mound at PNC Park.