Transactions Notes: 6/2/11 - 6/8/11

The Rockies began the week with four open 40 man slots and would end the week with all four filled, plus another 40 man roster swap.

6/2/11

MLB:
- Josh Roenicke claimed off waivers, optioned to Colorado Springs and placed on the Reserve List.
- Ryan Rohlinger claimed off waivers, optioned to Colorado Springs and placed on the Reserve List.

With four open 40 man slots to begin the week, the Rockies chose to pick up some waiver claims to start filling them up. Roenicke (from the Blue Jays) and Rohlinger (from the Giants) both have change over one year of MLB service, and are both in the middle of their final regular option year (each could qualify for a bonus but only if they miss a great deal of pro-time the rest of the year). Neither players fits specifically into our future plans, but could provide depth for the time being. Waiver claims are often the first players let go by teams when they need additional 40 man spots, so they may not even last the season with us. Both players were placed on the Reserve List so they would have time to relocate to their new home.

AAA:
- Ian Stewart activated from the 7 Day DL.
- Jeff Salazar placed on 7 Day DL.

Stewart had been on the DL since May 26th with a strained right hamstring. Salazar was sent to the DL with a sprained right ankle, and Stewart was reactivated. No corresponding moves were necessary for Roenicke and Rohlinger and both were placed on the Reserve List.

AA:
- Bronson Sardinha assigned to Tulsa Drillers from Tri-City Dust Devils.
- Brian Rike placed on 7 Day DL.

With a right knee contusion forcing a DL stint for Rike, the best available replacement was Sardinha, who lost his roster spot to Rike earlier in the season after playing most of the early season with the Drillers.

A+:
- Joseph Sanders placed on 7 Day DL.

Sanders was placed on the DL for a left foot contusion. Interestingly, the Nuts were not given a player to replace Sanders until later in the week, playing with a short roster for a few days.

6/3/11

MLB:
- Alfredo Amezaga outrighted to Colorado Springs Sky Sox and placed on the Reserve List.

Amezaga had been designated for assignment earlier in the week to make room for Chris Nelson on the 25 man roster. He cleared waivers and accepted outright assignment to the minors. Like the previous day's waiver claims, he was placed on the Reserve List to give him time to arrive.

June 4th through 8th after the jump

6/4/11

MLB:
- Rex Brothers purchased and recalled from Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
- Matt Daley placed on 15 Day DL.

Another 40 man spot filled with the purchase of Brothers. The prospect replaces Daley on the roster, who was struggling with shoulder pain and inflammation.

AAA:
- Alfredo Amezaga activated from Reserve List.
- Josh Roenicke activated from Reserve List.
- Radames Nazario placed on 7 Day DL.

Nazario did not get to spend much time active for the Sky Sox after being promoted from Extended Spring Training last week before hitting the DL with a calf strain. The move opened room for Amezaga to reclaim a roster spot with the team, and the promotion of Brothers to the majors allowed Roenicke to be activated as well.

A:
- Tyler Massey assigned to Asheville Tourists from Extended Spring Training.
- Josh Mueller assigned to Asheville Tourists from ???
- Rafael Suarez placed on 7 Day DL.
- Avery Barnes???

Massey had been struggling with injury and with performance before being sent back to Extended Spring Training earlier. The outfielder/first baseman is in the middle of his first season with Asheville. Mueller was, by my deduction, the player who left the Asheville roster when Erik Stavert was reactivated last week, but I cannot confirm where he went (DL, TIL, EST, etc.). The Tourists are carrying an extra pitcher with them as Brad McAtee confirmed last week, but they can't all be active at once, so they've been juggling them.

As for corresponding moves, I'm still working on figuring them out. If Massey replaced another position player as would make sense, then it is outfielder Avery Barnes, the only Tourists position player to not play since this date, but I've no confirmation. There are still a variety of pitchers that could have been replaced by Mueller.

Update: I have confirmed that one of these corresponding moves is reliever Rafael Suarez going on the 7 Day DL. The other still likely involves Barnes, but I cannot confirm.

6/5/11

No transactions.

6/6/11

MLB:
- Jose Lopez released.

After ten days of trying to trade Lopez, the Rockies were out of time and forced to release the player. We will be responsible for all of his remaining salary short of the minimum salary if he is signed by another team.

A+
- Mike Zuanich activated from 7 Day DL.

Zuanich replaces the roster spot vacated by Joseph Sanders on June 2nd. They seemed to survive just fine playing short a player.

A:
- Erik Stavert assigned to Asheville Tourists from ???
- Corresponding move.

The mystery pitcher juggling for Asheville continues. Stavert has been on and off the roster a lot lately, rarely though do I know where he goes. He was replaced by Tyler Matzek on the roster when he was demoted on June 1st, but as explained above, the Tourists are trying to keep everyone around to play on and off. This once again introduces another Asheville roster mystery, putting three on my place going into next week (though I'm still fairly sure Avery Barnes is the answer for Massey's corresponding move).

6/7/11

MLB:
- Charlie Blackmon purchased and recalled from Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
- Dexter Fowler placed on 15 Day DL.

Fowler hits the DL with an abdominal strain, and prospect Blackmon fills the final open 40 man spot. Pretty simp-le move here.

AAA:
- Ryan Rohlinger activated from Reserve List.
- Andy Graham activated from Temporarily Inactive List.
- Josh Muecke released.

With Blackmon's promotion, there was finally easy room on the roster for Rohlinger to be activated onto the active roster. Graham, who continued spot starting upon his return, had spent just over a week on the TIL. With Greg Reynolds about to rejoin the Sky Sox rotation, Muecke was no longer needed. This is actually the second time he has been released by the Rockies. He first signed with the team in the 2009-2010 offseason, but was released after Spring Training. He re-signed later in the season when AAA's starting depth was in trouble, and was given two extra months this year after re-signing for the same reason.

6/8/11

MLB:
- Aaron Cook activated from 60 Day DL.
- Jorge De La Rosa transferred to 60 Day DL.
- Greg Reynolds optioned to Colorado Springs Sky Sox and placed on the Reserve List.

With the 40 man now full, the Rockies moved De La Rosa to the 60 Day DL to return Cook to active duty. The active roster casualty was Greg Reynolds, with Clay Mortensen moving to the bullpen from the rotation. Reynolds is already in the middle of his bonus option year, and will be out of options going into 2012. No AAA corresponding move was necessary as Reynolds was placed on the Reserve List.

AA:
- Hector Gomez placed on 7 Day DL.
- Erik Wetzel assigned to Tulsa Drillers from Extended Spring Training.

No specific reason was given for Gomez going to the DL and I couldn't find anything through some research, but the DL is not an unfamiliar place for Gomez. Wetzel made the initial journey with the Drillers out of Spring Training, but was reassigned to EST after the Drillers played their exhibition games.

The Rockies also participated in the MLB Rule 4 Draft this past three days. For complete results of all 50 rounds, check out Rockies Roster. I'll also be posting the draftee signings here in these columns as well as on Rockies Roster. Rox Girl also usually sets up a draft signing diary somewhere on Purple Row as well, so keep an eye on each of those places.