Transactions Notes: 7/28/11 - 8/3/11

7/28/11

AAA:
- Andrew Johnston placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Eric Stults outrighted to AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

The teamn seems reluctant to release Johnston, despite his roster spot hanging on by a thread. This is the second time he has been sent to the inactive list for a prolonged period of time in the second half of this season. Stults had been designated off the 40 Man Roster. Without a previous outright or significant MLB service, he could not decline a return to AAA on his MiLB contract.

AA:
- James Cesario placed on the 7 Day Disabled List.
- Erik Wetzel activated from the 7 Day Disabled List.

Wetzel was suffering from ma broken nose. When I first heard of the injury, it sounded rather serious, but having never broken my nose, I guess I was wrong; he was only of out action for eight days. Cesario pulled an oblique during batting practice.

A-:
- Matt Argyropoulos assigned to A- Tri-City Dust Devils from RK Casper Ghosts.
- Jordan Ballard released.

The Dust Devils are still operating below their roster limit, so this wasn't a straight swap. Ballard, a corner infielder, was a 33rd round draft pick last year. He was having a particularly difficult time this season, and the team didn't see a future. Argyropoulos, who is a 2011 draft pick from the 27th round who completed college, was not putting up much of a line with Casper, but was chosen for promotion to replace Ballard as a bench corner infielder.

A+:
- Carlos Martinez placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Ching Lung Lo assigned to A+ Modesto Nuts from A- Tri-City Dust Devils.

Martinez has struggled in the role of utility infielder this year for Modesto. His deactivation was unusual to make room for a pitcher on the roster, but the two would swap spots again later in the week. Lo is in his eighth year with the Rockies organization, having re-signed as a MiLB Free Agent this past offseason. Injured for the first half of the year, the pitcher (who reached AAA last season) continues trying to work his way back up the ranks.

7/30/11

No transactions. Though the Ubaldo Jimenez trade was announced here, it didn't become official until the following day.

7/31/11

MLB:
- Ubaldo Jimenez traded to the Cleveland Indians.
- Alex White acquired from the Cleveland Indians.
- Edgmer Escalona recalled from AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

The Rockies only made one move at the trade deadline, sending Jimenez to Cleveland for pitching prospects. White was one of three players acquired immediately in the deal (the fourth, Drew Pomeranz, will arrive in mid August), but is the only one to have reached the MLB level. He did not replace Jimenez on the roster immediately, as White is currently on the 60 Day DL. Contrary to popular belief, he did not need to be activated from the DL to be traded. This leaves the 40 Man Roster at 38, with spots vacated by Jimenez and Stults yet to be filled. White was dealing with a finger ligament injury, and is ready to begin rehab.

Escalona replaces Jimenez on the 25 man roster, serving as long relief with Esmil Rogers headed to the rotation.

AAA:
- Jorge Cantu signed and assigned to AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

Replacing Escalona on the roster is MiLB free agent signing Jorge Cantu. A depth move, Cantu isn't likely to spend much time with the organization. He'll leave just like all MiLB free agents will at the end of the season. The team has had interest in Cantu for multiple seasons, but have never felt justified enough to acquire him. This is their chance to get a look. AAA had been carrying an extra reliever, so the position player for pitcher replacement restores the status quo.

AA:
- Christian Friedrich placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Josh Sullivan activated from the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Joseph Gardner acquired from Cleveland Indians and placed on the Reserve List.
- Matt McBride acquired from Cleveland Indians and placed on the Reserve List.

No need to worry about Friedrich; he was just making room on the roster for Sullivan, who needed to pitch the game. Sullivan is another player who has been hanging on with the organization by a thread. He'll be a MiLB Free Agent for the first time after this year ends, and the upcoming influx of AA pitching may cost him that further than just regular stints on the TIL.

Neither Gardner or McBride, acquired in the Jimenez deal, have been activated yet. Gardner will be under control through 2015, McBride through 2012.

8/1/11

AA:
- Jeffrey Squier assigned to A- Tri-City Dust Devils.
- Darin Holcomb activated from the 7 Day Disabled List.

Holcomb had sprained his knee about two weeks previous. With a shortage of middle infielders, Squier was called up from the Dust Devils in an extremely temporary fashion, so his return to Tri-City was expected. This swap would not last long, however.

A+:
- Ching Lung Lo placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Carlos Martinez activated from the Temporarily Inactive List.

They switch spots again. This restores the Nuts pitching/position ratio to normal, but leaves Lo's status up in the air.

8/2/11

AA:
- Darin Holcomb placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.
- Jeffrey Squier assigned to AA Tulsa Drillers from A- Tri-City Dust Devils.

I don't know the exact circumstances here, but such a quick reversal on that last set of moves implies that Holcomb was ultimately not deemed healthy enough in the previous game, or he re-aggravated the injury, though his movement to the TIL rather than the DL suggests that the team may be looking to activate him as soon as a few days from now, rather than a whole week. Hopefully Squier hadn't already relocated to Tri-City and only had to unpack his bags again.

A:
- Erik Stavert activated from the 7 Day Disabled List and assigned to A- Tri-City Dust Devils.

With such little room in the Asheville rotation right now, a healthy Stavert (whose injury details are unknown to me thanks to Asheville's practice of not publicly announcing roster moves) will pitch, at least for now, one level lower. No A- corresponding move was necessary, still below the roster limit.

8/3/11

MLB:
- Carlos Gonzalez assigned to AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox, on a rehab assignment.

No corresponding move as he does not count towards their roster limit. His first chance at a game was rained out, potentially extending his rehab.