TUCSON — Amid the empty lockers and vanishing nameplates sat center fielder Dexter Fowler. Another round of cuts Monday claimed outfielder Matt Murton, increasing the likelihood Fowler will break camp with the Rockies.
The bench mix will likely be decided Wednesday when the Rockies leave Tucson for two exhibition games in Las Vegas. With Ian Stewart and Jeff Baker sure to make the roster — if the latter is not traded — that leaves two spots among four candidates: Omar Quintanilla, Scott Podsednik, Daniel Ortmeier and Fowler.
“He’s still here,” manager Clint Hurdle repeated Monday afternoon when asked about Fowler’s status.
The question isn’t whether he’s good enough. Fowler is clearly one of the team’s best 25 players. The rub is whether it would be better for his development if he bypassed Triple-A.
“I haven’t thought about it, because it’s out of my control,” Fowler said. “I know that sounds crazy, but I haven’t.”
Still, Fowler realizes his dream is within arm’s reach. Two amazing weeks have transformed the perception of him from a kid who needed more minor-league seasoning to a blossoming talent that can’t be wasted at a community theatre.
Teammates have noticed, especially his defense. He made another running stab in left-center field Monday, effortlessly covering ground.
“It’s definitely a big jump, but at the same time he’s one of the rare guys that could make it,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said.
Ryan Spilborghs, who won camp MVP honors Monday and could lose playing time to Fowler, gushed: “I didn’t believe he could make it at first. But I told him: ‘You can play. You are ready.’ Defensively, he could be the best center fielder in the game, whether that’s next year or whenever.”
Addressing whether Fowler should be promoted to the big club from Double-A is a delicate issue within the organization. He’s 23 years old and the organization’s top position player prospect. The temptation to bring him up is powerful, because he could help right now, but should he struggle, it could be viewed as a mistake and harm his development.
There are two blueprints for promoting a top prospect: Make him a starter and let him work through his offensive problems, a plan employed with Tulowitzki in 2006, or ease the transition by playing him in favorable matchups, as Don Baylor did with Todd Helton in 1997. Baylor sat Helton against left-handers for a few months in favor of the right-handed-hitting Greg Colbrunn. Fowler is a natural right-handed hitter, so he could start against lefties.
“The biggest thing is that (Baylor) didn’t let me get too far down,” Helton said of his rookie season. “More than anything he talked to me, let me know I was OK, and that I was going to be OK.”
Fowler acknowledged that irregular at-bats would be the toughest adjustment to playing in the big leagues. He gained a great respect for pinch hitters and bench players last season after serving in that role with the Rockies during the final six weeks.
Tulowitzki was given a baptism by frying pan in 2006, rocketing from Double-A to the starting lineup, where he has remained, save for injuries, since.
“Guys get called up too early and it hurts them. You see that a lot,” Tulo-witzki said. “But from last year to this spring, he’s a totally different player. It would be better if he played every day. But maybe he gets spot starts, catches fire and who knows? Everyone can see the talent is there.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
