Prospects of a good team at Triple-A Colorado Springs next season can’t come too soon for Sky Sox faithful.
They could say it’s about time. The Rockies’ player development people already have said that they didn’t have a good team at the Triple-A level to start the season. A slow start was followed by a slow rest of the season, with the only condolence being that the record never hit 20 games below .500. But the Rockies’ top affiliate did hit 17 games under, and the Sky Sox were never a factor in the Pacific Coast League race. The Sky Sox were 64-76 going into the final three games of the season.
A bright spot was the always-positive attitude of manager Tom Runnells and coaches Alan Cockrell and Chuck Kniffin. But positive attitudes couldn’t hide the fact that the Rockies didn’t do well by their Triple-A team.
Runnells stayed behind his team Saturday when the subject of next season was brought up. The Rockies’ best minor-league team by far is the Tulsa Drillers of the Double-A Texas League, and if there’s normal progression, the Sky Sox should gain several of those Tulsa players and be a good team in 2007.
“I haven’t looked ahead to next year,” said Runnells, who will join the Rockies’ staff for the final month of the season. “We have players who potentially are going up to the big leagues to help. My concentration still is on this year.”
Runnells took a minute to look ahead, saying it was “wonderful” that a group of the Tulsa players could be in Colorado Springs – unless, Runnells added, “they jump me and go straight to the big leagues.”
It was just last week that the Rockies promoted prize shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from Tulsa to the big leagues, without a stop in Triple-A.
“As a manager, you work with the hand you’re dealt,” Runnells said. “It’s not like I can go out and hand-choose certain players. I’m happy to work with whoever they send here. My job is to make them as good as I possibly can make them.”
Runnells looks at the Rockies as an organization with a good number of talented prospects, and he supports the plan of general manager Dan O’Dowd and manager Clint Hurdle to build the big-league team from within.
Runnells expects a busy time after the Sky Sox season ends after Monday’s game. First on the agenda will be the players who move up to help the Rockies in September after the 25-man roster limit is lifted.
There isn’t a prediction, but he thinks outfielder Jeff Baker deserves a chance. Baker has driven in more than 100 runs. Runnells wasn’t as sure about pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who leads the organization with 14 victories, including five in Triple-A.
“There’s a lot more there,” Runnells said of Jimenez. “I’ve seen him when he has been really good and I’ve seen him when he hasn’t been that good. He has to keep inching up every time he goes out there.
“There are a lot of big decisions to be made this winter in this organization. I love working for it. If this is where they want me, I’d be more than happy to be back again.”
Tulowitzki hasn’t forgotten what he left behind in Tulsa.
“That team is loaded,” Tulowitzki said. “The most impressive player is Joe Koshansky. He’s a great hitter, and his numbers show it.”
The Tulsa first baseman’s 108 RBIs going into the weekend were tied for the most in minor-league baseball. Tulsa outfielder Seth Smith’s 45 doubles rank in a tie for second.
Several Rockies minor-league players have taken their place among statistical leaders.
Asheville second baseman Eric Young Jr. leads the minor leagues in stolen bases with 86, but he also leads caught stealing at 31.
Modesto pitchers Samuel Deduno and Franklin Morales lead in several pitching categories, although not all positive. Morales is tied for second in strikeouts with 17, but leads in balks with 10. Deduno leads in wild pitches with 32 and hit batsmen with 21.
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
