The Rockies’ minor-league system is sizzling.
With the season ending Monday for most of the organization’s teams, five of the six clubs went into the weekend either with a postseason spot in hand or in contention to make the playoffs.
The playoffs are out of reach for only the Casper Ghosts.
Marc Gustafson, Rockies director of player development, says it’s going according to plan.
“A couple of years back, we changed our way of looking at what we wanted in player development,” Gustafson said. “We increased our interest in developing in a championship environment. We wanted our minor-league players to experience a playoff atmosphere as the season came to an end.”
Certainly the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and the Tulsa Drillers of the Double-A Texas League are experiencing playoff fever. They probably won’t know their playoff fates until the final game Monday night.
Modesto of the advanced Single-A California League has clinched a wild-card berth, and Asheville of the Single-A South Atlantic League clinched the second-half title Friday night to reach the playoffs. Tri-City of the short-season, Single-A Northwest League begins its playoff games Monday.
“We’re enjoying the chance to watch these players finish up on a high note,” Gustafson said. “I was talking to Stu Cole, our manager in Colorado Springs, and we agreed that it was nice to be going into the final games and playing for something. It sure beats players thinking about offseason jobs and their trip home.”
The Rockies’ farm system had some high points individually as well. Second baseman Eric Young Jr. added some fire to the Sky Sox with 118 runs, 141 hits and 58 stolen bases before being called up to the Rockies. Right-hander Samuel Deduno had won 12 games for Tulsa going into the final games in a strong comeback bid from Tommy John elbow surgery.
Closer Craig Baker kept Modesto in the race with 33 saves on the board with three games to go, and outfielder Charles Blackmon had a strong second half of the season. Catcher Jordan Pacheco was named most valuable player in the South Atlantic League, and Asheville manager Joe Mikulik was inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame.
Tri-City manager Fred Ocasio earned manager of the year honors in the Northwest League, and outfielder Scott Beerer and first baseman Mike Zuanich parlayed fast starts to assignments in Modesto and Asheville, respectively.
Pitcher Chris Balcom-Miller posted a 1.58 ERA, and first baseman Jared Clark hit 10 homers in 51 games for Casper.
Left-hander Christian Friedrich, a first-round draft pick in 2008, divided time between Asheville and Modesto, combining for 157 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings.
Tyler Matzak, the No. 1 draft selection this year, is throwing on the side in Casper but won’t pitch until the Fall Instructional League.
“We’re already thinking about 2010, and we have a lot to look forward to,” Gustafson said.
Minor-league spotlight
Matt Murton, OF, Sky Sox
When Colorado Springs needed a lift to keep from falling out of the lead in the Pacific North Division race, outfielder Matt Murton came to the rescue.
With the help of Murton’s hitting, the Sky Sox were able to hold on to a one-game lead entering Saturday’s game in their bid to make postseason play for the first time since 1997. The outcome won’t be known until Monday’s season end, but Murton’s three home runs and 11 RBIs during a 10-game stretch helped keep the Sky Sox in the race.
“It was a good time for Matt to have a good stretch because we weren’t scoring a lot of runs,” said Marc Gustafson, Rockies director of player development.
During the stretch, Murton hit .333 with 14 hits, a double, a triple and eight runs. His power surge came after a prolonged power outage. He hadn’t homered since June 21.
Murton came to the Rockies in a trade that sent infielder Corey Wimberly to Oakland. Murton also played in 22 games for the Rockies during the season, hitting .267.
“We had some depth at second base that allowed us to make the trade,” Gustafson said. “It turned out to be a good trade for both parties.”
Irv Moss, The Denver Post
Organizational leaders
(Through Thursday)
HITTING: (115 games) Matt Miller, Colorado Springs, 322; Mike McCoy, Colorado Springs, .309.
RUNS: McCoy, Colorado Springs, 98; Scott Robinson, Asheville, 93.
HITS: Charles Blackmon, Modesto, 165; Miller, Colorado Springs, 163.
DOUBLES: Jason Van Kooten, Modesto, 44; Miller, Colorado Springs, 37.
TRIPLES: Miller, Colorado Springs, 8; Van Kooten, Modesto, 7; Blackmon, Modesto, 7; Maikol Gonzalez, Modesto, 7; David Christensen, Asheville, 7.
HOME RUNS: Ryan Harvey, Tulsa, 21; Kiel Roling, Asheville, 20.
RBIs: Miller, Colorado Springs, 94; Jordan Pacheco, Asheville, 79.
STOLEN BASES: Scott Robinson, Asheville, 43; McCoy, Colorado Springs, 328.
PITCHING VICTORIES: Joey Williamson, Modesto/Tulsa, 13; Samuel Deduno, Tulsa, 12.
LOSSES: Keith Weiser, Tulsa, 14; Kenneth Durst, Modesto, 13.
SAVES: Craig Baker, Asheville, 33; Andrew Johnston, Tulsa, 31.
INNINGS: Cory Riordan, Modesto, 168 2/3; Brandon Durden, Modesto/Tulsa, 165.
WALKS: Deduno, Tulsa, 72; Dan Houston, Asheville, 60.
STRIKEOUTS: Christian Friedrich, Asheville/Modesto, 157; Riordan, Modesto, 134.
ERA: (starters) Chris Balcom-Miller, Casper, 1.58; Friedrich, Asheville/ Modesto, 2.35; (relievers) Charles Ruiz, Tri-City, 1.17; Matthew Reynolds, Modesto/Tulsa, 2.12.
