Transactions Notes: 5/12/11 - 5/18/11

This was a frustrating week for gathering transactions notes. Between Asheville and Colorado Springs, three different transactions are still somewhat unclear. But I'll do my best to straighten the ship here.

5/12/11

No organizational transactions.

5/13/11

MLB:
- Ty Wigginton activated from the 15 Day Disabled List.
- Ian Stewart optioned to AAA Colorado Springs and placed on the Reserve List.

Stewart sees his second demotion of the season. He did not report to the Sky Sox right away, and remained on the Reserve List for a couple of days before reporting. His optional assignment had not become official during the first time down there, but it has by the point of writing this, meaning Stewart now has one option year left in the future.

AAA:
- Jordan Pacheco assigned to AAA Colorado Springs from the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Mike Paulk placed on the 7 Day Disabled List.

This is the second time this season that Paulk, who is actually doing quite well during his infrequent time active on the roster, has reached the disabled list this season. There are no official details on what nagging injury (or series of injuries) this may be, but he has not yet been reactivated to the team as of the time of this article. Pacheco was spending his time on the TIL due to a concussion, confirming that any suspicion that the time off may have been performance related was false. No corresponding move was needed for Ian Stewart today, as he was placed on the Reserve List rather than the active roster.

A:
- Josh Slaats assigned to A Asheville from the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Craig Bennigson activated from the 7 Day Disabled List.
- Transactions involving two of Ricardo Ferrer, Josh Hungerman, Taylor Reid and Rafael Suarez.

Normally when corresponding moves are not announced, looking over the week's box scores can narrow down who was removed from the roster pretty well, but because of all of the rainouts Asheville has had to deal with, there are more candidates than usual at this point. Slaats struggled earlier in the season at Asheville and was placed on the TIL in late April. Bennigson was one of the mystery corresponding moves last week. The six pitchers listed above are the only players on Asheville's roster not to have gotten into a game this past week, meaning any of them could theoretically be off the roster, though with Slaats being a starter and Bennigson a reliever, it would make the most sense if Ferrer (a starter) was one move, and the other were one of relievers Hungerman, Reid or Suarez, but that is never a guarantee.

UPDATE: Hungerman, Reid and Suarez all appeared in tonight's game, meaning at least one of them left the roster and has since returned.

The rest of the week follows after the jump.

5/14/11

AA:
- Aaron Cook assigned to AA Tulsa on a rehab assignment.
- Brian Rike activated from the 7 Day Disabled List and assigned to AA Tulsa.
- Bronson Sardinha assigned to A- Tri-City Dust Devils.

Aaron Cook begins his rehab assignment with the Drillers, where he will make 3-4 starts before being promoted to the Sky Sox to make one there, and there he will be evaluated for possible activation. Because players on rehab assignment do not take up a roster spot on a minor league team, no corresponding move was necessary, though the Drillers did make another move, a swap of outfielders.

Bronson Sardinha has been one of the more successful non-home grown minor leagues of the past couple of seasons for the Drillers, but it's clear the organization feels the Rockies' own Brian Rike is a better investment for the outfield spot at AA right now. Rike had spent his DL time unassigned to a team, meaning he was likely rehabbing in Extended Spring Training. Sardinha sits on the Dust Devils roster right now, likely waiting to know his future with the club.

Other:
- Jason Van Kooten released.

This may have happened earlier, but this move was reported on this particular date by Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies. Van Kooten is a home grown player (and also a Denver native) whose seven year starting contract expired after the 2010 season, which he spent with AA Tulsa. He re-signed with us, but was not given placement on a team and was assigned to Extended Spring Training. A utility player with both infield and outfield experience, there was no room for Van Kooten in either area with AAA or AA.

5/15/11

No organizational transactions.

5/16/11

AA:
- Joe Torres activated from the 7 Day Disabled List.
- Dustin Molleken placed on the 7 Day Disabled List.

Molleken has a sprained foot according to the official statement of the move. Torres has been on the 7 Day DL since May 3rd, and is presumably healthy and ready to go. Simple reliever swap.

5/17/11

AAA:
- Ian Stewart activated from the Reserve List.
- Andrew Johnston activated from the 7 Day Disabled List.
- Jeff Salazar assigned to AAA Colorado Springs from the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Brad Emaus placed on the 7 Day Disabled List.
- Andy Graham placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Jesus Colome released.

3 players join the roster, only 2 reported to leave creating another roster dilemma for the week. Stewart reported to AAA at last and was activated in time for the game, meaning a corresponding move did have to be made, but with only a couple of games played between then and now, not a lot of faces have been eliminated as candidates.. Johnston and Graham switch places in the AAA bullpen, though Graham has been used as a short-term spot starter recently, suggesting another move may be made soon to open room for another starter to join the rotation down there. Johnston began the season as AAA's official closer, though his struggles and injury may have led to a loss of that role.

Salazar spent quite a while on the TIL with no real room for him to play, but he gets his opportunity here with Emaus headed to the DL with an oblique strain.

UPDATE: The Sky Sox announced today that reliever Jesus Colome was released. The move happened on Tuesday. Colome was a late offseason MiLB free agent signing.

5/18/11

No organizational transactions.