RockieBill
10-20-2001, 10:47 AM
As expected, the Colorado Rockies began to massage their roster Thursday, outrighting pitchers Bobby Chouinard and Tim Christman along with catcher Adam Melhuse.
The move makes sense because the Rockies want to protect prospects like Colin Young, Cam Esslinger and Rene Reyes, who need to be added to the 40-man roster in order to avoid being exposed in the Rule V Draft this winter.
Before undergoing major surgery on his right labrum and a frayed rotator cuff two weeks ago, Chouinard bounced between the disabled list and Triple-A Colorado Springs, while compiling an 8.22 ERA in 72/3 innings with the Rockies this season. In all likelihood, the right-hander would not be able to return before late-June at the earliest.
Losing Melhuse, who played in 71 games with the Rockies this season, leaves Colorado with three catchers -- Ben Petrick, Sal Fasano and Gary Bennett.
While Petrick remains a bit of a question mark as the primary backstop, General Manager Dan O'Dowd said that the club is "still high on" the 24-year-old backstop and that budget concerns will likely preclude them from going after veterans such as Florida's Charles Johnson or Atlanta's Javy Lopez.
"I seriously doubt that would happen," said O'Dowd, whose team will likely hold onto either Fasano or Bennett as a backup to Petrick. "That doesn't fit in our (financial) framework."
Even after Thursday's moves, Colorado still has some tough roster decisions to make, given that some recognizable names are on the 60-day disabled list, including outfielders Mark Little, Todd Hollandsworth and pitcher Brian Bohanon.
The move makes sense because the Rockies want to protect prospects like Colin Young, Cam Esslinger and Rene Reyes, who need to be added to the 40-man roster in order to avoid being exposed in the Rule V Draft this winter.
Before undergoing major surgery on his right labrum and a frayed rotator cuff two weeks ago, Chouinard bounced between the disabled list and Triple-A Colorado Springs, while compiling an 8.22 ERA in 72/3 innings with the Rockies this season. In all likelihood, the right-hander would not be able to return before late-June at the earliest.
Losing Melhuse, who played in 71 games with the Rockies this season, leaves Colorado with three catchers -- Ben Petrick, Sal Fasano and Gary Bennett.
While Petrick remains a bit of a question mark as the primary backstop, General Manager Dan O'Dowd said that the club is "still high on" the 24-year-old backstop and that budget concerns will likely preclude them from going after veterans such as Florida's Charles Johnson or Atlanta's Javy Lopez.
"I seriously doubt that would happen," said O'Dowd, whose team will likely hold onto either Fasano or Bennett as a backup to Petrick. "That doesn't fit in our (financial) framework."
Even after Thursday's moves, Colorado still has some tough roster decisions to make, given that some recognizable names are on the 60-day disabled list, including outfielders Mark Little, Todd Hollandsworth and pitcher Brian Bohanon.