A 67.50 ERA in two-thirds of an inning over two appearances by a pitcher aren’t numbers that are soothing to player development people.
But those are the figures that Marc Gustafson is looking at from Casey Weathers after two appearances for Modesto in the advanced-level Single-A California League.
“I think (Weathers) was overthrowing a bit because of moving up in the level of competition,” Gustafson said. “You expect some speed bumps in terms of results when you’re in a rehabilitation situation. If those speed bumps are because of health, you would have to be worried. But that’s not the case here.”
Weathers, a first-round draft pick by the Rockies in 2007, is starting back on his pro career after Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He missed last season but had gotten off to a good start with Tri-City of the short-season Single-A Northwest League.
In 11 2/3 innings during 10 appearances with the Dust Devils, Weathers allowed two hits and no earned runs. His performance signaled a move up the ladder to Modesto with hopes of getting him to Double-A Tulsa before the season ends. He was in Tulsa in 2008.
In the two appearances for Modesto, Weathers allowed four hits and five earned runs, issued four walks and didn’t record a strikeout. In Tri-City he had 21 strikeouts and five walks.
“I’m just trying to put those two appearances behind me,” Weathers said. “With a change in levels of competition, sometimes you can put added pressure on yourself. I wasn’t able to command the fastball, and things snowballed with the walks. I was pitching from behind in the count.”
Weathers says his arm is fine and his recovery from surgery is nearly complete.
“I’m able to trust my arm and pitch without worries,” he said. “I’m dealing with a little pain, but I’m not going to use that as an excuse. I’m doing everything they’re asking of me.”
Weathers joined Tri-City along with starting pitchers Parker Frazier and Josh Sullivan. Frazier and Sullivan also were coming off Tommy John surgery.
Sullivan is 1-2, 6.23 ERA, and Frazier is 1-3, 7.52. Both have had their ups and downs, Sullivan lasting two and four innings in his last two starts, and Frazier going five innings in each of his last two.
Gustafson plans to step up the action. Frazier and Sullivan will join Weathers on the Modesto pitching staff this week.
“We want them to have a strong finish to the season and to stay healthy,” Gustafson said. “Then, let’s look at next year.”
Miller time.
Outfielder Matt Miller continues to be a hitting machine for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. His career hit totals in Triple-A reached 326, tying him for 10th with catcher Ben Petrick on the Sky Sox’s all-time list. In a 10-game span going into the weekend, Miller hit .385 and raised his batting average to .334, best in the system.
Minor-league spotlight
Wilin Rosario, C, Tulsa
For the most part, the numbers put up by catcher Rosario in his first three seasons in the Rockies’ farm system didn’t support the claims that he was among the top prospects in the organization.
But the numbers are starting to match the talk for the 21-year-old Dominican, who made the Double-A All-Star Game for the Tulsa Drillers, who play in the Texas League.
In a 10-game span, Rosario hit .341, but the big numbers were five home runs, including a two-homer game, and 12 RBIs. The surge boosted Rosario’s batting average for the season to .279, with 13 home runs, second most among players in the farm system. Jared Clark at Asheville leads with 14.
“He’s (Rosario) having a solid season at both ends of the game: hitting and catching,” said Marc Gustafson, Rockies director of player development. “It’s nice to see him putting up the numbers to verify the talk. The numbers solidify his status as a prospect.”
Tulsa manager Ron Gideon explained that his young catcher is doing a better job of sorting out the best pitches to hit.
“Earlier in the season, he was missing a lot of fastballs,” Gideon said. “He’s not wasting the fastballs he’s seeing in the second half of our season.”
Rosario began his climb in the Rockies’ system in Casper in 2007 and hit .209. He repeated in Casper the following year and hit .316, with 12 home runs. Last year at Modesto, he hit .266 with four homers.
Organizational leaders (Through Thursday)
HITTING (at least 78 games): Matt Miller, Colorado Springs, .334; Jordan Pacheco, Modesto, .331.
RUNS: Miller, Colorado Springs, 67; Thomas Field, Modesto, 60.
HITS: Miller, Colorado Springs, 110; Pacheco, Modesto, 110.
DOUBLES: Travis Metcalf, Colorado Springs, 26; Eliezer Mesa, Asheville, 24.
TRIPLES: James Cesario, Modesto, 10; Mesa, Asheville, 9.
HOME RUNS: Jared Clark, Asheville, 14; Wilin Rosario, Tulsa, 13.
RBIs: Pacheco, Modesto, 64; Miller, Colorado Springs, 54; Field, Modesto, 54.
STOLEN BASES: Scott Robinson, Modesto, 20; Mesa, Asheville, 20.
PITCHING VICTORIES: Alan Johnson, Colorado Springs, 8; Juan Nicasio, Modesto, 8.
LOSSES: Chaz Roe, Colorado Springs, 9; Brandon Durden, Tulsa/Colorado Springs, 9.
SAVES: Adam Jorgenson, Modesto, 20; Sheng-An Kuo, Asheville, 11.
INNINGS: Nicasio, Modesto, 111 1/3; Ethan Hollingsworth, Modesto, 109 2/3.
WALKS: Rob Scahill, Modesto, 39; Dan Houston, Modesto, 38.
STRIKEOUTS: Nicasio, Modesto, 106; Hollingsworth, Modesto, 106.
ERA: Starters — Tyler Matzek, Asheville, 2.50; Daniel Perkins, Asheville, 3.29. Relievers — Scott Rice, Tulsa, 0.96; Jorgenson, Modesto, 1.85.
