Alan Johnson is a true sleeper. He rather quietly has climbed through the Rockies’ farm system, reaching Triple-A this season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. His progress in five seasons in the organization is a pretty routine journey. For example, Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook, a second-round draft pick in 1997, reached Triple-A in his sixth professional season. Jeff Francis, the Rockies’ first-round pick in 2002, was on the Sky Sox pitching staff in three seasons.
Cook and Francis were watched closely to see if they would live up to their high-draft-choice resume.
But Johnson’s ascent has been anything but routine because he’s not a high draft pick. He signed in 2005 as a nondrafted free agent out of Mississippi State. But his eight victories in 12 decisions lead the Sky Sox pitching staff and have helped the team keep its division lead in the Pacific Coast League. The Sky Sox are trying to earn a playoff berth for the first time since 1997.
Marc Gustafson, the Rockies’ director of player development, called Johnson’s progress remarkable.
“He’s a grinder,” Gustafson said. “For a nondrafted player to find himself in Triple-A is commendable. He may not be one of our top-tier prospects, but over the last three or four years I’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in our organization that has more victories, innings and strikeouts. When his curveball is working, he’s as dependable as any of our top-tier prospects.”
Johnson has 41 victories since the start of the 2006 season, including 13 in 2006 at Single-A Asheville and a total of 16 at Single-A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa in 2007. He had 419 strikeouts going into this season, and has 54 more this year in 100 1/3 innings with the Sky Sox.
“The player development people always have been positive with me,” said Johnson, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-hander. “If they didn’t think I have a chance, I wouldn’t be in Triple-A. There always are going to be doubters, but why would I want to worry about people who say I’m going to fail?”
Johnson, 25, agreed he struggled last year in his first full season at Double-A, finishing with a 4-14 record and a 5.23 ERA. But he has handled the jump to Triple-A and figures he has another step in him.
“I was surprised when I wasn’t drafted out of college,” Johnson said. “I think I’m capable of making the next jump. When you’re playing in the minor leagues, you’re showcasing for the other major-league teams as well. I’m going to get my shot.”
Why Chacin?
When the Rockies called up Jhoulys Chacin last week from Double-A, there might have been initial surprise. Right-hander Esmil Rogers has taken the focus away from Chacin this season and moved up to Triple-A. Rogers was cruising along with nine victories in 12 decisions and was sporting a 3.06 ERA in his combined 18 starts at Double-A and Triple-A.
Chacin moved up to the Rockies’ bullpen with an 8-6 record and 3.14 ERA in 18 starts at Double-A.
But don’t forget that Chacin led all minor-league pitchers last season with 18 victories, establishing a Rockies minor-league season record.
Gustafson boiled it down to the field.
“He’s a strike thrower,” Gustafson said. “He throws strikes and he has mastered the ability to throw an effective changeup.”
Rogers is a converted shortstop and needs more innings to bring some of his pitches up to major-league quality.
Minor-league spotlight
Christian Colonel, 3B, Colorado Springs
Christian Colonel was back at it again last week.
He had impressed former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle enough during spring training that Hurdle dubbed him “duct tape” after Colonel played several positions.
But Colonel had been pushed to the background with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox as the focus shifted to Carlos Gonzalez, Eric Young Jr. and Matt Murton during the early season.
Then last week, Colonel, a fifth- round pick in the 2003 draft, showed his potential again. In two games against Las Vegas, Colonel raked out six hits (including three home runs), scored six runs and drove in six runs. During a 10-game span the past two weeks, he hit .310 to raise his season batting average to .259.
Colonel acknowledged he had a pretty quiet first half of the season. “It was fun because I hadn’t had one of those kind of games in a while,” Colonel said. “I was a triple away from hitting for the cycle, and I never thought I would get that close.”
“He grows on people the way he plays,” said Marc Gustafson, the Rockies’ director of player development. “He has some tools, and he can play third base, first base and the corner outfield positions. He even can get away with playing second base.” Irv Moss, The Denver Post
Organizational leaders
(Through Thursday)
HITTING: (85 games) Matt Miller, Colorado Springs, .333; Scott Robinson, Asheville, .323.
RUNS: Eric Young Jr., Colorado Springs, 82; Mike McCoy, Colorado Springs, 72.
HITS: Miller, Colorado Springs, 118; Charles Blackmon, Modesto, 113.
DOUBLES: Jason Van Kooten, Modesto, 29; Miller, Colorado Springs, 28.
TRIPLES: Blackmon, Modesto, 7; Maikol Gonzalez, Modesto, 7.
HOME RUNS: David Christensen, Asheville, 14; Ryan Harvey, Tulsa, 12.
RBIs: Miller, Colorado Springs, 69; Jordan Pacheco, Asheville, 59.
STOLEN BASES: Young, Colorado Springs, 50; Robinson, Asheville, 32.
PITCHING VICTORIES: Joey Williamson, Modesto/Tulsa, 10; Esmil Rogers, Tulsa/Colorado Springs, 9; Samuel Deduno, Tulsa, 9.
LOSSES: Kenneth Durst, Modesto, 10; Keith Weiser, Tulsa, 9.
SAVES: Craig Baker, Modesto, 28; Andrew Johnston, Tulsa, 25.
INNINGS: Cory Riordan, Modesto, 120 2/3; Rogers, Tulsa/Colorado Springs, 111 2/3.
WALKS: Durst, Modesto, 41; Dan Houston, Asheville, 38, Deduno, Tulsa, 38.
STRIKEOUTS: Christian Friedrich, Asheville/Modesto, 96; Rogers, Tulsa/ Colorado Springs, 90.
ERA: (starters) Friedrich, Asheville/ Modesto, 2.11; Deduno, Tulsa, 2.43; (relievers) Matthew Reynolds, Modesto, 1.29; Juan Nicasio, Asheville, 1.71.
