Transactions Notes 6/23/11 - 6/29/11

Not a lot happened this week in terms of transactions, but there were still some pretty significant changes in the organization. Most of what happened was the result of mid-level organizational promotions.

One quick note: a lot of Rockies draft picks have signed that haven't officially been added to rosters, or even been officially confirmed as signees at this point. So if you're wondering why I didn't mention them in here, it's because I don't know their exact sign dates and probably won't until at least some quantum of actual information is made public.

6/23/11

AA:
- Bronson Sardinha placed on Temporarily Inactive List.
- Mike Zuanich assigned to Tulsa Drillers from Modesto Nuts.

Zuanich represents what is likely to be the first true promotion of the 2011 season (we've seen Alan DeRatt promoted to Tulsa, but it was only temporary as they worked to plug the hole in their pitching staff and he was later returned to Modesto). Ben Paulsen remains the primary Tulsa first baseman, letting Zuanich get some work in the outfield in addition to 1B/DH. He had put together one of the best offensive lines in the organization this season (if not the best). He began 2010 in Asheville, but was quickly promoted to Modesto.

Sardinha has been effective in his time with the Rockies, but as was the case when Brian Rike was first activated from the DL earlier in the year, Sardinha is clearly on the bottom of the Tulsa totem pole, especially since Warren Schaeffer has already been sitting on the TIL long-term. This may see the end of the two-time MiLB free agent signee in a Rockies org uniform, unless someone gets hurt.

A+:
- Jared Clark activated from the Reserve List (7 Day DL?).

The official transaction implies that Clark was activated from the DL, but I'd heard that he was activated from there when he joined the Nuts two weeks ago, joining the team's Reserve List. Either way, the result here is still the same: Clark was finally activated with a roster spot available from Zuanich's promotion. Clark attracted a lot of attention with a solid year in Asheville last year. He's sharing time at 1B/DH with Kiel Roling.

More after the jump.

6/24/11

AA:
- Dan Houston assigned to Tulsa Drillers from Modesto Nuts and placed on the Reserve List.

The official move of Houston from Modesto's roster to Tulsa's occurred here, though Modesto didn't add anybody and Tulsa didn't remove anybody until later on in the week. The second A+ to AA promotion of the week.

 

6/25/11

AA:
- Alan DeRatt assigned to Modesto Nuts from Tulsa Drillers.
- Dan Houston activated from the Reserve List.

Houston was activated to start the game. DeRatt filled Houston's old spot on the Modesto roster, where DeRatt himself was a week and change ago.

A+:
- Nick Schnaitmann placed on the Temporarily Inactive List.

No roster move was necessary, but the Nuts needed to clear a roster spot for yet another promotion happening the following day in Edwar Cabrera. Schnaitmann has spent several days on the TIL this year, and has also been inconsistently flipped around between starting and long relief for the Nuts.

 

6/26/11

A+:
- Edwar Cabrera assigned to Modesto Nuts from Asheville Tourists.

After spending three years in short-season play, the 23 year old Cabrera needed to advance quickly. With success in half a year at A-level play under Cabrera's belt and a fresh new rotation spot open at Modesto, the move made sense for all involved. No corresponding move was necessary as they made it in advance the previous day with Schnaitmann to the TIL.

 

6/27/11

A:
- Josh Slaats assigned to Asheville Tourists (activated from Reserve List)?

Slaats was ultimately the long-term playing time casualty when Asheville was juggling all of those pitchers earlier in the year. I believe he was placed on the Reserve List about a week into June after his last start, but Asheville always seems to be the hardest team for me to get information about, and I can't confirm, but it makes sense. Either way, Slaats returned to the active roster to fill Cabrera's rotation spot and all is well in the world again., as I am once again caught back up with Asheville's roster.

 

6/28/11

A-:
- Clint Tilford released.
- William Rankin assigned to Casper Ghosts from Tri-City Dust Devils.

Tilford struggled in two innings with the Dust Devils, and the team was quick to pull the trigger. Some of those aforementioned draft signees that I can't officially report yet are going to be filling up this roster, and the team clearly considered them more valuable than Tilford. Rankin himself is a 2011 draftee who was originally assigned to Tri-City, but as they begin to reshuffle the roster for more new draftees, they chose to relocate Rankin to the less crowded Casper roster. Rankin did not get into a game with the Dust Devils, and made his professional debut with Casper on the 29th. The Dust Devils roster currently has 28 active players (after a few more players left on June 29th bound for Asheville) with three more on the disabled list. The active roster limit at the Short Season A level is 35 players.

Other:
- Josh Fields released.

Fields was placed on the TIL last week in preparation for his eventual dismissal to allow him to play in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. He performed very well in his time here and was even considered by many to be next in line after Ty Wigginton for a shot at the Rockies 3B job. That said, the same situation saw the team have a commitment to Ian Stewart's playing time in AAA, and that made it difficult for Fields to find regular play time. They were playing him in the outfield a bit when Cole Garner, Mike Paulk and Jeff Salazar were all on the DL, but with Paul and Garner returning plus Dexter Fowler joining the team, it became even more difficult. He will be joining the Yomiuri Giants, who currently do not have any other former Rockies organizational folks on their roster so far as I can tell.

 

6/29/11

AA:
- Beau Seabury assigned to Modesto Nuts from Tulsa Drillers and activated from the 7 Day Disabled List.

Seabury has spent the entire season so far on the disabled list. Modesto catcher Dallas Tarleton has been dealing with injury for over a week now, but the team had managed to get by with just Jose Gonzalez at catcher for that time. That plan came to an end when the team was forced to play a double header on the 29th, and Seabury made the most sense. He had been on Tulsa's roster since its initial formation in April, but Modesto is the highest he has played (he spent all of 2010 with the Nuts).

A+:
- Dallas Tarleton placed on the 7 Day Disabled List.

The corresponding move for the activation of Seabury. The Nuts seemed to be hoping that Tarleton would heal from whatever injury he has (I couldn't find anything about it) before needing to replace him on the roster, but didn't feel he was ready to catch a game for the double header.

A:
- Dominic Altobelli assigned to Asheville Tourists from Tri-City Dust Devils.
- Stephen Head assigned to Asheville Tourists from Tri-City Dust Devils.
- Russell Wilson left Asheville to play football for Wisconsin.
- Tyler Matzek left Asheville to consult with former coaches in California.

I do not know specifically what moves were made regarding Wilson and Matzek, but I would assume that Matzek was put on the TIL, which is standard for players leaving for extended periods of time. To be clear, neither player was released, they're just sitting on one of various absence lists right now.

Taking their spots were two more Dust Devils players. Head, in case you somehow hadn't caught the story from one of the many writers here on Purple Row since his signing way back in March, is a former position player that converted to pitching in the independent leagues last year. The Rockies represent his first attempt at a professional re-imagining. He appeared relatively effective in a small sample of six innings pitched with the Dust Devils, and because he's running out of time to make this work (he's 27), the promotion makes sense once again for both parties.

Altobelli is a 2B/3B who was originally slated to repeat a year at Tri-City this season. The departure of Wilson opens up a chance for him to split time with Joey Wong at second base for potentially the rest of the season. In four games with the Dust Devils so far this year, he was 5 for 15 with a double and a home run.