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Drew Pomeranz Joins Rockies

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WEDNESDAY: The Rockies announced that Pomeranz is officially theirs, and he'll start tonight for Double-A Tulsa.

TUESDAY: Southpaw Drew Pomeranz has officially joined the Rockies organization, according to this tweet from the pitcher.  He'll head to the Rockies' Double-A affiliate in Tulsa.  Pomeranz's inclusion as the headliner in the Indians' acquisition of Ubaldo Jimenez has been baseball's worst-kept secret since the trade deadline.  He had to wait until today to begin his Rockies career because drafted players cannot be traded until one full year after signing.

Pomeranz, 22, made three starts for the Indians' Double-A club prior to the trade and didn't miss a beat, posting strong numbers similar to those he had in 15 High-A starts.  Baseball America ranked him as the 14th best prospect in baseball in July, while ESPN's Keith Law had him 35th in his rankings that month.  Prior to the season Baseball America praised his plus fastball and curveball, but noted that he must "corral his control."

Rockies Sign Tyler Anderson

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The Rockies signed first rounder Tyler Anderson for $1.4MM, according to Zoodig (on Twitter). Legacy Sports Group represents the left-hander, who was the 20th overall selection in the June draft. Anderson, 21, was a Golden Spikes award semi-finalist for Oregon this year and made the Louisville Slugger All-American Second Team.

You can keep track of which top picks have signed with MLBTR's list.

Rockies Designate Gonzalez, Sign Romero

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The Rockies announced (on Twitter) that they have designated right-hander Edgar Gonzalez for assignment to create roster space for left-hander J.C. Romero, who will be available for tonight's game. The Rockies had been nearing a deal for Romero and have now completed one.

It's been a busy year for Romero, who started the season in Philadelphia. He posted a 3.86 ERA with more walks than strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings and the Phillies released him in June. He signed with the Nationals within a week but Washington released him before long and the Yankees picked him up, only to release him last week.

Gonzalez appeared in one game for Colorado, allowing five hits and a walk in two innings of work yesterday. The 28-year-old has spend most of the season as a starter at Triple-A and has a 4.70 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 115 innings for the Rays' and Rockies' top affiliates this year.

Quick Hits: Marquis, Aaron Hill, Ellis, Matsui

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Dan Uggla's incredible 33-game hitting streak came to an end today. The Braves' slugger batted an insane .377/.438/.762 over that stretch with 15 homers, good for an even 1.200 OPS. Remarkably though, he still falls 23 games short of Joe DiMaggio's immortal record. Here are your Sunday links:

  • After fracturing a fibula today, new Diamondbacks acquisition Jason Marquis will miss four to six weeks.  SI's Jon Heyman tweets that it sounds like the team's inclination is to replace Marquis internally.  The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro doesn't think the team will go with top draft pick Trevor Bauer for the rotation spot, but notes that it's not crazy to suggest it.  The 20-year-old Bauer tossed five scoreless innings today in his Double-A debut.
  • Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm, "We’re always open minded for Aaron [Hill] still being a long-term part of this team."  Anthopoulos notes that Hill has flashed his talent at times this year.  It's tough to picture the Jays picking up Hill's $8MM club option, but maybe they can work something out.
  • Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post tweets that he would be surprised if the Rockies don't re-sign second baseman Mark Ellis.  The 34-year-old had a .267/.304/.382 line in 139 plate appearances heading into tonight's action.
  • If Bob Melvin is managing the Athletics again in 2012, he wants them to bring Hideki Matsui back, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Matsui had just a .617 OPS in the season's first half, but has risen from the ashes to post a .410/.470/.630 slash line in 26 games since the All-Star Break.
  • Similarly, the Cubs and Carlos Pena both seem to be open to working out a new deal, writes Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com.  On a related note, ESPN's Buster Olney hears that "in some important corners of the Cubs' front office, there is concern about investing huge money in one player this winter."  In other words, the Cubs' brass might be wary of signing Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder to play first base.
  • Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wonders if the Pirates can follow the path to prominence that their division rivals, the Brewers, followed to escape a similar tradition of losing.
  • Olney tweets that in three days, Drew Pomeranz can officially become the player to be named later from last month's Ubaldo Jimenez trade with the Indians. Pomeranz is expected to report to the Rockies' Double-A affiliate in Tulsa.

Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.

NL West Notes: Bloomquist, Romero, Blake

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The tightest division race in the National League is happening out west, where the Diamondbacks have taken a two-game lead over the Giants on the strength of five straight wins. ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider link) likens Arizona to a No. 14 seed in an NCAA tournament, holding a lead late in the game and gaining confidence that they can pull off an upset. Here are this morning's notes from around the NL West:

  • The D'Backs didn't go out and acquire a replacement for Stephen Drew when he fractured his ankle, and Willie Bloomquist is making the decision look good, writes Olney. Since Drew's injury, Bloomquist is hitting .295/.349/.423 as the team's regular shortstop.
  • J.C. Romero tells Troy Renck of the Denver Post that his friend LaTroy Hawkins had good things to say about the Rockies' organization, which pushed the lefty toward Colorado. Romero will throw a bullpen and take a physical today, and could be added to the Rockies' roster if both go well.
  • Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times wonders what's next for the Dodgers' Casey Blake, who is "not the least interested in calling it a career" and "has no desire in going out on some injury-riddled, less-than-fulfilling season," according to Dilbeck.
  • The Athletics have called up two former members of NL West clubs, both of whom were involved in trades earlier this season, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Brandon Allen, formerly of the Diamondbacks, and Bruce Billings, acquired from the Rockies in the Mark Ellis deal, will join the A's for today's game.

NL West Notes: Romero, Dodgers, Giants, Padres

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Here's the latest from the NL West…

  • Lefty reliever J.C. Romero is with the Rockies today according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter), but he has not signed. Troy Renck of The Denver Post says (on Twitter) that Romero will see a doctor and throw a bullpen tomorrow, and if all goes well, he could be added to the roster as soon as Monday. The Yankees released Romero earlier this week.
  • Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times reports that the Dodgers are currently on pace to lose more than $42MM in annual revenue since 2009, their last playoff appearance. Shaikin also has a breakdown of some payments the team made in recent years, including more than $5K for Red Sox tickets.
  • A source told Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle that the Astros asked the Giants for one of their untouchable prospects "plus plus" in exchange for Hunter Pence before the trade deadline (Twitter link).
  • Tyler Kepner of The New York Times wrote about the Padres and their knack for finding relievers in uncommon places, including Josh Spence. The left-hander from Australia has a 1.61 ERA in 22 1/3 innings since being called up, and lefties have hit just .140/.159/.279 off him.
  • Despite a 38-56 record in their lasts 94 games, SI.com's Jon Heyman says (on Twitter) that the job of Rockies manager Jim Tracy is not in jeopardy.

Stark On Astros, Damon, Jimenez, Rockies

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There's now almost no chance that MLB will expand the playoffs by next year, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. It's far from a lock that the postseason will expand under baseball's upcoming collective bargaining agreement, despite heavy rumblings about expanded playoffs. The union views postseason changes as part of a series of related possible changes, which is why we won't necessarily see more playoff teams by 2012, according to Stark. Here are the rest of his rumors…

  • Incoming Astros owner Jim Crane has told commissioner Bud Selig privately that he wants to keep the Astros in the NL Central. However, MLB might look to move Houston to the AL West to even out baseball's divisions.
  • Johnny Damon cleared waivers and can now be dealt to any team, according to Stark. Rival teams say Damon didn't draw heavy trade interest last month.
  • Stark hears that the MRI the Indians took of Ubaldo Jimenez came back "remarkably clean."
  • Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, who has often been mentioned as a possible successor to Selig, isn't lobbying to become the next commissioner, according to a longtime associate. "If he did it, he'd do it out of loyalty to the game. But I wouldn't say he has a burning passion to do it."
  • The Rockies are saying they'd like to swap Ian Stewart for another player who could use a change of scenery. However, other clubs recognize that Stewart is a non-tender candidate, so his trade value is not high.
  • The Rockies could take a flyer on J.C. Romero, according to Stark.
  • One NL scout says Dontrelle Willis looks as good as he has in three or four years.

Quick Hits: Tigers, Phillies, Soriano

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Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin is starting to look like one of the top acquisitions of last offseason. He has a .279/.332/.408 line with seven homers and 29 stolen bases after today's game. Here are today's ilnks…

Rockies Intend To Keep Rafael Betancourt

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Rockies' setup man Rafael Betancourt picked up his first save of the season last night, filling in for a banged up Huston Street, and it sounds like he'll be around much longer if needed. ESPN's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter) that Colorado intends to keep Betancourt this month rather than move him in a waiver trade.

Betancourt, 36, owns a 3.61 ERA in 47 1/3 innings this season, but his peripheral stats are much more impressive: 10.6 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9. That's actually worse than last year, when he posted an identical 3.61 ERA, but with better strikeout (12.9 K/9) and walk (1.2 BB/9) numbers. Betancourt is under contract for $4MM next season with a $4.25MM mutual option for 2013 ($250K buyout).

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes identified Betancourt as one of several players on the Rockies that could be candidates for a waiver trade this month. Make sure you check out Closer News for all your fantasy bullpen needs.

Rockies Sign Kevin Millwood

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The Rockies have signed Kevin Millwood, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter). Millwood spent most of the season in Boston's minor league system, but the Red Sox released him yesterday.

Millwood has started 16 games for the minor league affiliates of the Yankees and Red Sox this year, posting a 4.32 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 89 2/3 innings. Those numbers resemble the Major League totals Millwood posted in 2009-10 (4.37 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9). Millwood, a 14 -year veteran, had started at least 21 MLB games every year since 1997 before this season.

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