COLORADO SPRINGS — A perplexing part of Tom Runnells’ job as manager of the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox is dealing with continuing changes to his roster.
“It seemed as if I either added a player or lost a player each day last year,” Runnells said Tuesday. “I’ve learned not to get too attached to any player. Our roster could change by opening day.”
Say hello to veteran pitcher Josh Fogg, who hopes his time with Runnell’s team is a precursor to rejoining the Rockies.
When the Sky Sox begin their Pacific Coast League season Thursday at 6:05 p.m. against Las Vegas at Security Service Field, Runnells will have the 32-year-old right-hander in his rotation.
Fogg has pitched in 219 major-league games, going 62-67 with a 5.08 ERA. He was a major cog in the Rockies’ run to the World Series in 2007, winning 10 games.
After moving on to the Cincinnati Reds in 2008, Fogg rejoined the Rockies this year in spring training but was unable to secure a place on their roster. He explored other options with big-league teams but decided to join the Sky Sox.
“It usually takes eight, nine, 10 starters for a big-league team to get through a year,” Fogg said while attending a welcoming luncheon for the Sky Sox. “I’m hoping to be one of those eight, nine or 10 pitchers, and when I get up there, I can prove I still can pitch. If you expect five starters to be able to go out there and pitch all 162 games, you’re crazy.”
Fogg, who has five seasons with at least 10 wins in the majors, knows performance is the ultimate factor.
“Injuries happen, performance issues happen,” Fogg said. “There’s up and down movement in every organization. That’s my plan. When I signed back here it was to help this organization win.”
Fogg said there was interest from other teams looking for a starting pitcher.
“At the end of spring, I was pitching one inning at a time out of the bullpen,” Fogg said. “I wasn’t stretched out long enough to actually start. Now my job is to come out here and get to 100 pitches and get to where I can go out every fifth day and compete.”
Fogg said he doesn’t have an escape clause in his agreement with the Rockies.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
