Rockies re-sign Rafael Betancourt, Omar Quintanilla

The Colorado Rockies have signed free agents Rafael Betancourt and Omar Quintanilla, presumably to minor league deals, according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy.

Betancourt, who will be 40 in April, pitched in the Rockies organization last season but did not receive a call to the big league club. The veteran right-hander posted a 4.66 ERA in 19⅓ for rookie-level Grand Junction and Triple-A Colorado Springs. Betancourt recorded poor strikeout and walk rates, which stunted his progress toward returning from the Tommy John surgery he underwent approximately a year and a half ago.

Despite that, the Rockies will give another chance to a guy who was/is perhaps the best pitcher in franchise history (minimum 100 innings). Betancourt owns a 68 ERA- and 59 FIP- with 29.2 percent strikeout and 4.7 percent walk rates in 236⅓ innings spanning 264 appearances for Colorado from 2009 through 2013.

Quintanilla, 33, returns to the organization following a five-year exile. He's a .220/.287/.295 hitter and is two wins below replacement for his major league career, which has spanned parts of eight seasons.

There's no official word on this, but it's likely that both players will receive spring training invitations.

Minor league depth, folks. Minor league depth. Remind yourselves of that early and often.

Links

Colorado Rockies: Top 10 prospects - MLB - ESPN
Keith Law's organizational top 10:

1. Jonathan Gray, RHP
2. David Dahl, OF
3. Eddie Butler, RHP
4. Ryan McMahon, 3B
5. Raimel Tapia, OF
6. Kyle Freeland, LHP
7. Forrest Wall, 2B
8. Tom Murphy, C
9. Rosell Herrera, SS
10. Dom Nunez, C

Law likes the system, despite the "lack of publicity." Colorado should benefit from "a lot of cheap, young, high-upside talent" making its way to the big leagues during the next three years or so.

Prospect Anderson needs more time for elbow to heal | rockies.com
Tyler Anderson likely won't be ready for the start of the season, writes the wonderful Thomas Harding. Let's hope this isn't another seemingly minor thing that ends up costing a player the entire season, kind of like what we previously saw with Chad Bettis, Edwar Cabrera and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone else.

The good news is that, well, there's good news surrounding the health status of Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, Eddie Butler, Jhoulys Chacin (again, more on this soon, I promise jeez), Boone Logan, Wilin Rosario and, to a much lesser extent, Yohan Flande.