Fewer transactions this week than previous, but still plenty to discuss. Let's get to it, shall we?
4/21/11
AAA:
- Willy Taveras placed on Temporarily Inactive List.
- Mike Paulk assigned to AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox from Extended Spring Training.
Taveras had left the previous game with an injury. Presumably unsure of how long he'd be out, the organization opted for a stint on the inactive list instead of the disabled list, much like what was done with Eric Young Jr. earlier in the year. It seems, however, that Taveras' injury was more serious than that and the disabled list would have been an acceptable option, as Taveras has not yet been activated a week later. His replacement was Mike Paul;k who spent most of last year with the Sky Sox as a 1B/OF backup. It wouldn't take long before Paulk would sustain an injury of his own, however, keeping the revolving door at AAA rolling along.
A+:
- Kaimi Mead released.
- Kurt Yacko assigned to A+ Modesto Nuts from Extended Spring Training.
The first minor league release of the regular season, Mead was having a rough time with the Nuts, including 2 home runs and 8 walks given up in his 7.2 innings pitched. Mead had been signed as a minor league free agent this offseason after spending 2010 playing baseball in Hawaii. Yacko was originally ticketed to Modesto on the opening day roster, but was sent back to extended Spring at the last minute. It seems they were finally happy enough with where he was to get him back onto a roster, and Mead was not considered in any way part of future plans.
Next six days after the jump.
4/22/11
AA:
- Chris Malone Traded to Toronto Blue Jays for Brad Emaus.
- Brad Emaus placed on Reserve List (AAA).
- Daniel Turpen assigned to AA Tulsa Drillers from Extended Spring Training.
When we played the Mets earlier in the season, we saw the Mets Rule 5 pick Brad Emaus on their roster. Since then, they designated Emaus for assignment, and then returned him to Toronto. The Blue Jays then placed him on the trade market, and we bit with an offer of Chris Malone and another player to be named later or cash. Malone left the organization last offseason as a minor league free agent, but re-signed with us. Another player may end up being involved in the trade later on as the player to be named later.
Emaus was assigned to the AAA Reserve List. The reserve list is a hidden second roster that the minor leagues use to keep players off of the official roster while traveling with a team. We've already seen pitchers Greg Reynolds and Alan Johnson assigned to it this year after being optioned down so a corresponding move wouldn't have to be made right away. As of today, Emaus has yet to be activated, but it should be any day now unless something is wrong with him that we don't know about.
Speaking of Rule 5 picks, the other one we acquired this season, Daniel Turpen (who we got from the Red Sox organization for Mike McKenry), replaced Malone's spot in the Drillers bullpen.
4/23/11
AAA:
- Alan Johnson activated from the Reserve List and assigned to AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
- Josh Muecke assigned to A- Tri-City Dust Devils from AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
Johnson, finally in line to make his first start since his MLB appearance, was activated and without a more permanent move to make, Muecke was sent back off-roster until he was needed again, which would be later in the week.
AA:
- Sean Jarrett assigned to AA Tulsa Drillers from Extended Spring Training.
- Josh Sullivan assigned to A- Tri-City Dust Devils from AA Tulsa Drillers.
This is Jarrett's second stint with the Drillers this season; he was on their opening day roster, but was sent back to extended Spring when Josh Sullivan was ready to make his first start. The two swap roster spaces once again here, with Sullivan in the now traditional "Sent to the Dust Devils until we need you" holding pattern that has befallen some of the less important starting pitchers in the minors this season.
4/24/11
No organizational transactions. This doesn't happen very often!
4/25/11
A:
- Albert Campos activated from the 7 Day Disabled List.
- Josh Slaats placed on Temporarily Inactive List.
Another starting pitcher swap. Slaats has been struggling mightily so far this season. As Andrew Fisher pointed out in today's Pebble Report, he's "Slaated" (har har har) to make a start for the Tourists today. He is eligible to come off the inactive list, or they could use somebody else. We'll see how permanent this unassignment is. The good news is that prospect Albert Campos only missed one start on the DL.
4/26/11
AAA:
- Cole Garner activated from the Temporarily Inactive List and assigned to AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
- Josh Muecke assigned to AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox from A- Tri-City Dust Devils.
- Matt Macri placed on Temporarily Inactive List.
- Mike Paulk placed on 7 Day Disabled List.
Garner had been placed on the inactive list last week, also with an injury that wasn't determined to be necessarily DL worthy. The swap was easy with Mike Paulk headed to the DL himself, but with Josh Muecke on his way back to make the start, a second move was required. They chose Matt Macri to spend some time inactive.
A+:
- Daniel Perkins assigned to A+ Modesto Nuts from A- Tri-City Dust Devils.
- Nicholas Schnaitmann placed on Temporarily Inactive List.
You may recall that Perkins was up with the Sky Sox last week while Greg Reynolds, Alan Johnson and Clay Mortensen were all out of commission to make starts while shifting around to and from the MLB club. Schnaitmann is off to a terrible start for Modesto, allowing 21 earned runs in just under 15 innings pitched over four starts. A+ is a more reasonable home level for Daniel Perkins, so this assignment could actually be long term if they decide that Perkins is better suited to be starting for the Nuts than Schnaitmann. But temporarily inactive list assignments are usually, as the name implies, just temporary. Schnaitmann could be given more chances.
4/27/11
AA:
- Joey Williamson assigned to AA Tulsa Drillers from Extended Spring Training.
- Casey Weathers placed on Temporarily Inactive List.
With a Tulsa double header to be played, the Drillers added Williamson to their roster to make a spot start. I'd written about Williamson in multiple rockpiles back when I wrote those earlier in the year. He retired before the 2010 season, but has since returned. He was a candidate to join the Modesto Nuts out of Spring Training, but did not make the opening day roster.
You can add Casey Weathers to the list of Rockies pitching prospects that are struggling out of the gate. He is another candidate for an extended leave from a pro roster if necessary.
Unknown Date
A-:
- Geno Espineli released.
Matt Eddy of Baseball America once again saves the day by giving us a transaction that went unreported by the organization itself. After reassigning Espineli out of the Sky Sox bullpen last week, the team chose to release him at some point during this past week (Eddy's blogs to not have specific dates for the transactions). The transaction is listed on Rockies Roster as today (the 28th), but this is not the official date of release, and I only put it here as it was the day we learned of it. Espineli was another MiLB free agent signing, this time out of the Giants system (where he saw brief MLB time in 2008). He had only thrown 2 and a third innings for the Sky Sox, but had given up 8 earned runs in that time.
That about covers it. See you next week!