In catcher Yorvit Torrealba, the Rockies are confident they have snared a top-defensive catcher. So they wasted little time agreeing to a new deal with him Wednesday, thus avoiding salary arbitration
The 27-year-old catcher agreed to a one-year deal worth $850,000 that includes $150,000 in incentives. Torrealba will compete for the starting job with Danny Ardoin during spring training.
“I don’t think you have ever seen a team with have an opportunity to have two defensive catchers like we are going to have, with those skills,” manager Clint Hurdle said recently. “In Colorado, I don’t think that’s ever happened.”
Meanwhile, the Rockies are waiting for an arbitrator to make a decision regarding the contract for pitcher Sunny Kim. Kim submitted a figure of $800,000, with the Rockies countering at $600,000. A decision is expected in the next two days.
Speier injured, out
Pitcher Ryan Speier will miss the entire 2006 season after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder. Speier injured the shoulder playing basketball about six weeks ago.
“This is an unfortunate injury for Ryan,” general manager Dan O’Dowd said. “The nature of the injury is such that he is expected to miss the entire 2006 season.”
Speier, 26, was a member of the Rockies’ opening-day roster in 2005 and went 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 22 major league appearances. He was hoping to make a good enough impression during spring training to rejoin the Rockies this season.
Footnotes
The Arizona Diamondbacks have joined the Josh Fogg sweepstakes. That means that three teams – the Rockies, Giants and Diamondbacks – are pursuing the free-agent pitcher. The Rockies have offered Fogg a guaranteed contract, but have made it clear that he would have to compete for the fifth starter’s job against Kim and Zach Day, or come out of the bullpen. Fogg went 6-11 with a 5.05 ERA for Pittsburgh last season.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459.
