While continuing to pursue right-hander Brian Lawrence, the Rockies landed their potential left-handed bat off the bench today.
Colorado signed veteran John Mabry, 36, to a one-year, minor-league deal. Mabry, who finished last season with the Chicago Cubs, is a career .398 hitter (49-for-123) at Coors Field, where he was the first player to hit for the cycle on May 18, 1996.
Mabry will compete for one of the final roster spots in spring training. His ability to play some outfield and how Alexis Gomez does this spring will influence the decision. If Gomez fails to unseat reserve outfielder Cory Sullivan, then Gomez will be considered for the pinch-hitting role.
The Rockies are still pushing to get Lawrence, whose preference is to pitch in Colorado, though he has received a higher offer from the Pirates. The Rockies could exercise patience with Lawrence, who’s not expected to be ready at the beginning of the season as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
The Rockies haven’t ruled out trading a back-end rotation candidate, and in fact, Josh Fogg was originally discussed in the deal for Rodrigo Lopez before Colorado pulled him back.
Footnotes
Matt Holliday, Jeremy Affeldt, Lopez, Sullivan and Fogg have not agreed to contracts. Today is the deadline for the sides to exchange arbitration numbers, with hearings scheduled in Arizona Feb. 1-15. None of the players is a candidate for a multi-year deal. Holliday figures to make the most, coming in around $4.2 million on a one-year contract.
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or at trenck@denverpost.com.
