Rockies Acquire Jason Grilli, Jorge de la Rosa
The Rockies and Tigers made a swap today. The Rockies get 31 year-old pitcher Jason Grilli, while the Tigers receive 22 year-old pitcher Zach Simons.
Grilli has served as a mop-up man for the Tigers the past two years, eating bullpen innings at a mediocre ERA. The Rox may have been drawn to his typically decent groundball rates.
Simons appears to be a long shot to reach the bigs; he wasn't among the Rockies' top 30 prospects.
The Rox also completed their long-rumored deal for lefty Jorge de la Rosa. He'll jump right into the rotation. The 27 year-old is an interesting arm when healthy.


Seems like a well-thought, overall good idea.
A team with a mediocre bullpen subtracts another reliever.
I mean, I know Grili wasn't too good
but whose better?
Posted by: GoBoSox420 | April 30, 2008 at 05:03 PM
I don't care who we got. I am so glad that he is finally gone. I bet Kenny Rogers moves to the bullpen when Willis comes back, and Galaraga stays in the starting rotation.
Posted by: libertyball | April 30, 2008 at 05:20 PM
“Seems like a well-thought, overall good idea.
A team with a mediocre bullpen subtracts another reliever”
…Hahaha, my thoughts exactly! I guess he might have been out of options, at which point this would make a bit more since. But if not… well… silly KittyKats, what were they thinking?
Posted by: darkstar1661 | April 30, 2008 at 05:40 PM
Grilli is a long way from his days as a promising Giants prospect.
Posted by: Steve Soto | April 30, 2008 at 06:13 PM
This is the move the Tigers needed to make in order to free up a roster spot for Cruceta, since his 30 days in the minors are almost up. He has been tearing it up and needs to help this bullpen.
Besides, Miner and Grilli do the same thing and Miner has been far more reliable than Grilli.
Posted by: TigerFan54 | April 30, 2008 at 06:37 PM
Grilli makes sense for the Rockies given that Jimenez and Morales have been such disappointments and that Wells may end up in the rotation. The ground ball rate also helps, particularly in a men on situation, though it isn't as important at post-humidor Coors.
Posted by: AA | April 30, 2008 at 08:32 PM
Surprisingly, if you don't count Miner and his 15 ER in 15 IP, the guys currently in the Tigers pen have combined for 57 IP and only given up 10 runs, a 1.58 ERA.
I'm guessing Miner will go down when Willis is ready.
Posted by: thedrizzle79 | April 30, 2008 at 09:42 PM
Personally I am just glad that the Tigers are cleaing up the garbage in the bullpen. Getting Grilli out validates the trade on it's own. I hope his predictions is true and they boot a few more pennies. Time to see what Cruceta has got.
Posted by: Calriver | May 02, 2008 at 02:52 AM