The Rockies announced a series of minor league signings Wednesday, most notably revealing a reunion with right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, a new deal with righty Tim Melville and an agreement with veteran lefty reliever Tim Collins. They’ll all be in Major League camp with the Rockies during Spring Training, as will several other veterans whose signings have been previously reported (e.g. Chris Owings, Drew Butera, Elias Diaz).
It’s been more than two years since the now-36-year-old Jimenez appeared on a Major League mound and nearly a decade since he last donned a Rockies uniform. From 2008-10, Jimenez was a bona fide top-of-the-rotation arm for the Rox, pitching to a combined 3.43 ERA (3.42 FIP) with 8.2 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9 in 638 1/3 innings in Colorado. Given the hitter-friendly nature of Coors Field, Jimenez’s park-adjusted production was 37 percent better than that of a league-average pitcher (by measure of ERA+). Colorado eventually traded him to the Indians for a prospect packaged headlined by Drew Pomeranz.
After a rough year and a half in Cleveland, Jimenez peaked at the perfect time, tossing 182 2/3 innings of 3.30 ERA ball in his walk year with the Indians. He set out into free agency and landed a four-year, $50MM contract that quickly proved to be a misstep for the O’s. Jimenez gave Baltimore one season of league-average innings (184 innings, 4.11 ERA, 100 ERA+ in 2015) but was otherwise one of the least-effective starters in MLB throughout his time there. He hasn’t appeared in the Majors since throwing his final pitch for the Orioles in 2017.
Melville, meanwhile, started seven games for the Rockies just this past season, tallying 33 1/3 frames of 4.86 ERA ball with a 24-to-14 K/BB ratio. The 30-year-old journeyman was signed out of the independent Atlantic League and wound up making a combined 24 starts between Triple-A and the Majors, although his minor league numbers were rather unsightly. In 96 1/3 innings with Triple-A Albuquerque, Melville limped to a 5.42 ERA and yielded an average of 2.2 homers per nine innings pitched.
Collins, also 30, pitched 8 2/3 innings with the Cubs and surrendered three runs on nine hits and three walks with four strikeouts in that short time. His work in Triple-A similarly left plenty to be desired, as he walked 19 batters and served up seven homers in just 31 innings.
It’s of course worth noting that both the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League in 2019 were a nightmare for pitchers, as Triple-A hitters teed off on the same juiced ball that led to the massive home run spike we witnessed in the Majors. Collins, in particular, had a sharp Triple-A track record prior to 2019 and was at one point a quality reliever with the Royals (2011-14) before multiple Tommy John surgeries slowed his career.
OH MY GOD! I THOUGHT UBALDO HAD DISAPPEARED!!!! I’M SO HAPPY!!!!
So is anyone who gets to hit off him
It’s against my programming to impersonate a diety.
wow! I thought Jimenez had retired.
This makes me happy and I can’t explain why
This is not a joke, but Bartolo Colon wants to continue to play. He should get at least a minor league contract or mlb contract.
I wish people would give up with the Bartolo Colon thing. He’s old, fat and he cheated. He’s done. He “wants” to play. Big whoop. I want to date a supermodel. We all get disappointed in life.
Jeez who pooped on ur sandwich? Ur telling me guys like Big Sexy aren’t great for the game of baseball? I get production hasn’t been great lately but he’s still a 1 of a kind guy who is entertaining to watch for the fans.
Jesus. Ubaldo.
is Ubaldo signing to retire w/ them?
Same as Arenado.
This was the first headline in a long time that actually made me lol
Jiménez had lost his fastball. Curious to see how he manages pitching in Colorado now without it.
I thought Jimenez retired.
Ubaldo, the Chris Davis of pitchers
Nah nobody comes close to looking Chris Davis lost on the baseball field.
always thought Ubaldo could do to return to COL, but its been a bit since he’s played now
I’m surprised, especially after he hit Tulo on purpose in Spring Training the year after the deal. But I guess time heals all wounds. Who knows, maybe Tulo and Matt Holliday come out of retirement and we can pretend it’s Rocktober 2007 again.
Another male pattern badness by the Rockies
Ubaldo is back in purple! If he’s got anything left in the tank (unlikely) this will be fun to watch.
That should make Arenado re-think his trade request.
He’s a left-handed pitcher now, so relatively little mileage on that arm.
Ubaldo was likely the last piece the Rockies needed to hit that 94 win mark this season…
I’m on the long list who thought Ubaldo was out of baseball.
Jeff Bridich, is going all in.
Ubaldo Jimenez: the only guy to get worse after leaving Coors Field
there are a bunch of hitters stats that would indicate otherwise.
We all knew what he meant… Why didn’t you?
Jason Jennings, Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis, Jorge de la Rosa, Tyler Chatwood.
That list is longer than you believe.
I remember when Ubaldo had 15 wins before the all star break with the Rockies. I think he finished the year with 18 wins, could be wrong.
2010. He threw a no hitter in Atlanta too
You’re thinking of Mike Hampton
Ubaldo Jimenez, that’s another name that I haven’t heard of in a longtime.
After signing Tim Collins, they are now trying to get Tom Collins.
What are they smoking in Colorado?
Cigarettes ?!?!
UBALDOMORE! Is what we called him for like 3 starts.
If just one of these signings actually does something good, I will be pleasantly surprised.
Can’t believe the Braves missed out on Ubaldo !!!
UBALDO! Miss you pitchin for the indians.
Why? He wasn’t good with them at all.
actually he was quite good in ’13 year they lost the wild card game to the rays. especially down the stretch in the 2nd half.
here comes the 94 win season!
Ubaldo is still alive????
The way I look at it the Rockies are not really even close to contention so Ubaldo is kinda like an innings eater or maybe to help teach the young pitching of Colorado at best he is an innings eater or a player-coach.
Tim Collins is short.
Tim Collins was the most entertaining single-A pitcher I’ve ever seen. He looked like a 13 year old bat boy and struck out everyone with a combo of 95 mph high fastballs and straight down curve balls coming out of a high leg kick delivery that looked like a kid pretending to be his hero in the mirror. He was awesome.
Ubaldo always had a special place in my heart after I drafted him in an APBA keeper league and he turned into a stud. I also netted Andre Ethier, Tulowitzki, Carlos Marmol, Alberto Callaspo, and Michael Bourn in the same draft. Hopefully he can find some magic.
Jiménez just made the Rockies 1st place in NL West
Technically they are currently in a 1st place tie in the NL West
Wow, Ubaldo is still around? I remember when he came up with Colorado and was one of the best in the NL for a couple years. Nice to see him getting another shot with them.
Sometimes it baffles me who gets a ST contract, and who sits at home all spring
2 has been signings. Am I reading this correctly it is the Rockies instead of Eppler and the Angels, oh wait minor league signings for low $$$. Eppler only pays the max for has beens.
Bridich to Arenado: “be careful what you wish for…you just might get it!”.
I thought Ubaldo Jimenez retired.
Guess I was wrong.
I thought he retired too
Go Cubs Go
Would you quit with the go cubs go thing on every post