It was probably surprising for Rockies fans to hear that Cubs reliever David Patton, who faced Colorado last week in Wrigley Field, was formerly property of the Rockies.
Maybe more surprising was that he jumped all the way from Class-A Modesto to Chicago’s major-league pitching staff. Patton was claimed by the Cubs last winter in baseball’s Rule 5 draft. Players picked in the Rule 5 draft must make their new team’s major-league roster or they automatically become free agents and can return to their former organization.
Patton, 24, was taken by the Rockies in the 12th round of the 2004 June draft out of Green River (Wash.) Community College. He was a starter for his first two years in the organization but was moved to the bullpen in 2006.
“We hated to lose him, but we didn’t see that quality major-league arm consistently while he was in our organization,” said Marc Gustafson, Rockies director of player development. “I’m a little bit surprised he pitched as well as he did in his first spring training in the major-league camp. We saw talent, but we couldn’t find a spot for him on our 40-man roster.”
Gustafson listed Patton, infielder Everth Cabrera, outfielder Matt Miller, infielder Christian Colonel and pitcher Matt Daley as players the Rockies were worried about losing in the Rule 5 draft. The San Diego Padres picked Cabrera. Miller, Colonel and Daley are in Triple-A with Colorado Springs.
Footnotes.
Right-hander Ryan Mattheus, who saved 17 games last season with Double-A Tulsa, has remained in Tucson for extended spring training because of an oblique strain. He is expected to join the Sky Sox in a few weeks. . . . Connor Graham, the 6-foot-7 right-hander who was 12-6 with a 2.26 ERA last season with Single-A Asheville, and right-hander Shane Lindsay, converted from a starter to the bullpen for this season, are off to good starts. Graham is 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA in moving up to Modesto in the Single-A California League. Lindsey has a victory and a save with a 3.60 ERA after moving up to Double-A Tulsa. . . . Eric Young Jr. is off and running in his move up to Triple-A and the Sky Sox. With 206 stolen bases over the past three seasons, Young has four steals this season. . . . Third baseman Darin Holcomb, after an MVP season in the South Atlantic League last year at Asheville, is finding the Texas League a different story. Holcomb is hitting .194 with a double and two RBIs in Tulsa. . . . Jhoulys Chacin, the 21-year-old right-hander from Venezuela, is 1-1 at Double-A competition in Tulsa with eight strikeouts and two walks. . . . Left-hander Christian Friedrich, the Rockies’ No. 1 draft pick last June, won his first start at Asheville, allowing no runs in six innings with nine strikeouts and two walks.
MINOR LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT ON…
RHP Matt Daley, Sky Sox
Daley took the advice he heard from Rockies assistant general manager Bill Geivett in spring training. The right-handed reliever for Colorado Springs said Geivett stressed the importance of getting off to a fast start. Daley, 26, has allowed one earned run in 5 2/3 innings, while striking out 11 and walking one.
“I’ve always been told that early on, when the weather is cold, pitchers have the advantage if they throw strikes,” Daley said. “The most important thing is attacking the hitters with quality strikes in the zone.”
