Rockies' farm quietly demands respect

Colorado doesn't generally get a great deal of recognition when it comes to its Minor League system when compared to the likes of Arizona, Boston or either team in Los Angeles. But it's about time the Rockies should.

Let's just take a look at what the system has produced and what it's expected to produce over the next year or two and it's easy to see why the folks in Denver should get a great deal of credit. Troy Tulowitzki is going to be an impact player this season for Colorado and the same is expected of catcher Chris Iannetta.

Jeff Francis has become an anchor in the rotation and while Jason Hirsh is not a Colorado draft pick, he did come to the Rockies in a deal for someone (Jason Jennings) who was. The horizon is also littered with pitchers who the Rockies expect a lot from, none more so than last year's top pick Greg Reynolds.

Slugger Joe Koshansky is a heartbeat away and will someday fill Todd Helton's considerable shoes at first base. Outfielder Jeff Baker has begun to make an impression while Dexter Fowler and Chris Frey aren't too far behind.

The accolades haven't always come Colorado's way but that's starting to change. Here's a closer look at why that is.

Climbing the Ladder

Triple-A Colorado Springs

Josh Newman, LHP
Newman was a 19th-round pick out of Ohio State in 2004 and has successfully transitioned from a starter in college to a reliever in the pros. He spent last season in Double-A Tulsa where he went 9-5 with a 3.16 ERA in 62 relief appearances. He fanned 77 in 77 innings while walking 24 and holding the opposition to a .204 batting average. Newman had a 0.79 ERA in 11 1/3 Arizona Fall League innings.

"He's done nothing but get guys out," Colorado's director of player development Marc Gustafson said. "He's got a deceptive delivery, an outstanding changeup and is a competitive guy. He pitched well in the Fall League to finish off 2006 so he's a guy who's on our radar. He may not be a spotlight guy or a hard thrower but he's just continued to get guys out."

Seth Smith, OF
Smith has been nothing if not steady since the Rockies grabbed him out of Mississippi State in the second round of the 2004 draft. He's gotten better each season, hitting .294 last year at Tulsa with 15 homers and 71 RBIs. That he connected for 15 homers in the Texas League could translate to 20-25 in Colorado Springs or Denver. Smith, who was Eli Manning's backup quarterback at Mississippi, doesn't have tremendous speed, but he is able to make all the plays in center field with relative ease. He committed five errors in 210 total chances in '06.

2006 Organizational Record
LEVEL AAA AA A (Adv) A SS R	LEAGUE PCL TEX CAL SAL NWL PIO	TEAM Colorado Springs Tulsa Modesto Asheville Tri-City Casper TOTAL:	W 66 75 66 74 38 27 346	L 77 64 74 63 38 49 365	PCT .462 .540 .471 .540 .500 .355 .487

"He's really put himself in a nice position to compete for the center field spot in Colorado Springs," Gustafson said. "He's really starting to come into his own. He's had a great swing since Day One. We always had a feeling he was going to hit, but he's been able to play offense and defense well. He's athletic, has a strong arm and covers a lot of ground, and where we play, that's important. He's working on both sides of the ball, doing work not only in the batting cage but defensively as well."

Others to watch: 1B Joe Koshansky connected for 31 homers and 109 RBIs last season in Tulsa. He also hit .284 and is the heir apparent to Todd Helton. He'll stay in Colorado Springs for most of, if not the entire season, though, to get the necessary polish. ... 3B Ian Stewart had an inconsistent season at Tulsa, finishing with a .268 average, 10 homers and 71 RBIs. His batting average in May, August and September was a combined .199 while his average in April, June and July was .309. He does have legit power, though, as evidenced by his 41 doubles. For now his future remains at third, but with Garrett Atkins emerging in Denver, it wouldn't be a shock to see Stewart moved. ... RHP Juan Morillo got a four-inning taste of the big leagues last year but spent the rest of his time in Tulsa going 12-8 with a 4.62 ERA. He's got a high-90s fastball that, when he cranks it up, sometimes costs him some accuracy (his 80 walks topped the Texas League). Still, he's expected to anchor the rotation in Colorado Springs.
Video: Stewart chats with Ed Randall

Double-A Tulsa

Samuel Deduno, RHP
Deduno has been used exclusively as a starter since arriving from the Dominican Republic. While he has blossomed into a reliable strikeout pitcher, he has control issues that tend to get him in trouble. He walked a Cal League-high 92 batters last year at Modesto and uncorked 34 wild pitches. But his 167 strikeouts (second on the circuit) in 146 1/3 innings are an attention-grabber, as is the fact that he allowed only three home runs in the Cal League.

"Samuel Deduno is a guy that I feel real good about," Gustafson said. "He has all the stuff. He's got the whole package, he just needs to be consistent. He's got a good fastball and a curve. He just needs to stay within himself and not try to do too much. The real beauty is that I think he can be durable. He made what, 25-26 starts last year and he battled. The Cal League isn't an easy league in which to pitch. But he was out there trying to get better and he did."

Jonathan Herrera, SS
The 22-year-old had a sparkling season in Modesto, hitting .310 with 77 RBIs. He also stole 34 bases while collecting 58 walks, three shy of doubling his career high. He had some issues to deal with in 2005 -- he was suspended for violating MLB drug policy -- but he has clearly rebounded and has worked hard on improving his image and standing in the organization. Herrera was one of seven Cal League shortstops to collect at least 20 errors.

"He's starting to receive some recognition this year in Major League Spring Training," Gustafson said. "We challenged him at the end of the 2005 season to take care of the ball more consistently, to make the routine play at shortstop. We also wanted him to get on base and told him his percentage had to improve. And he took all of his game and improved every facet. The nice thing about what Jonathan has done is that he's focusing on everyday at-bats knowing [Troy Tulowitzki] is there. But the key is not worrying and just going out to play."

Others to watch: RHP Greg Reynolds, last year's top pick, was 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 11 starts at Modesto. Gustafson and the Rockies were so pleased with how he handled the Cal League that he'll get the chance to tackle the Texas League, at least at the outset of the season. "We have level-to-level criteria that we want players to handle, and Greg took care of those things in Modesto," Gustafson said. ... OF Chris Frey is marvelous defensively, a polished CF according to Gustafson. He hit .281 with 54 RBIs at Modesto. ... 2B Corey Wimberly has been dynamic at the plate and on the bases since the Rockies took him in the sixth round in '05. He's hit .350 in 154 games, including a .325 mark in 342 at-bats for Modesto. He's also stolen 86 bases, 50 of which came last year.

Class A Advanced Modesto

Andrew Johnston, RHP
Johnston has a 2.07 ERA and 43 saves in 75 appearances over two seasons. There's not much more you can say about his effectiveness than that. But from a makeup standpoint, he's proven to be tough as well. His mom passed away last spring after a battle with cancer and that cost Johnston some time with Asheville at the beginning of the year. But he came back strong. He won't strike out many -- 23 in 44 1/3 innings -- but he won't walk many either. He's issued only 12 walks in two seasons, five coming last year. He had a 0.93 ERA with 14 strikeouts without issuing a walk in 19 1/3 innings in the Hawaiian Winter League.

"He's a young man who dealt with a lot of adversity at this time last year," Gustafson said. "But he came back to extended Spring and worked. He's a late-inning guy with a good sinker who throws grounder after grounder and attacks the strike zone. He could move quickly and be in Tulsa by the end of the year. He went to Hawaii over the winter and finished off a great season and was the talk of the island."

Eric Young, Jr., 2B
If there's anyone in the Rockies' system who is faster than Wimberly, it's probably Young, who swiped 87 bases last year in the South Atlantic League. He has 126 thefts in 214 Minor League games, but he's not all about stealing. Young, whose dad was the original second baseman for Colorado, hit .295 last year and drew 67 walks. His on-base percentage was .391, meaning he'll be one scary top-of-the-order guy.

"He's an overachiever," Gustafson said. "You might watch him take grounders and say his hands are a little stiff, that he can't play second base. But as you watch him, he grows on you. He's like his dad in that way because he figures it out. He's the first one to the park everyday and he continues to impress from that standpoint. EY is going to put the ball in play, too. We just have to teach him when, where and how now."

Others to watch: OF Dexter Fowler is another speed merchant, having swiped 43 bases while hitting .296 last year at Asheville. His on-base percentage was a tic below that of Young and Wimberly, but he's no less impressive once he gets on base. He has to do a better job of picking his spots, though, as he's been caught stealing 23 times. But he's certainly a bright, quick learner -- he turned down a chance to go to Harvard -- and should have no trouble tearing up the Cal League this year. ... SS Chris Nelson will make the jump to Modesto after spending two seasons in Asheville. He hit .260 with 11 homers and 76 RBIs last year. He's still learning defensively. ... OF Cole Garner had a nice season in Asheville, hitting .302 with 19 homers, 88 RBIs and 35 stolen bases.
Video: Nelson cranks a single in Hawaii

Class A Asheville

Chaz Roe, RHP
There's a very good chance the former supplemental first-round pick (2005) will be back in the Sally League to start the season. He went 7-4 with a 4.06 ERA in 19 starts, striking out 80 in 100 innings. But the opposition hit .273 against him and there were some flaws in his delivery that led to inconsistency at times. Much of that has to do with his height (6-foot-5). But he spent part of the winter in Denver working on his delivery and if he does end up in Asheville, it probably won't be for long.

"He was inconsistent last year and we want Chaz to be able to handle a level," Gustafson said. "We don't want to rush him if he's not ready. We could be looking at him as a repeat guy and that's okay for a young guy who came out of high school. It's not where you start, and if he's finishing up at Modesto that's fine. One area that we're looking for improvement is in his delivery. We have to clean that up a little. He tends to come across his body and cuts it off at times. It's important to finish up with good extension on a downhill plane and pound the zone. He worked on that in winter development and was awesome, but that was down in the tunnels in Coors Field."

Hector Gomez, SS
Gomez turned 19 earlier this month, but plays much older. He split last year between Tri-City and Casper, combining to hit .312. While he could exhibit a bit more patience at the plate (11 walks in 247 at-bats) he doesn't strike out all that much (50) for a youngster. He made eight errors in 113 chances at Casper.

"He's really good," Gustafson said. "An All-Star player. What he brings everyday is just excitement. He's got arm strength, bat speed and range."

Others to watch: IF Daniel Mayora hit .304 with 30 RBIs at Tri-City, spending most of his time at shortstop. He had five homers and has some pop going the opposite way to right-center. ... CF Anthony Jackson also saw some time at second base in Tri-City and had a bit of an up-and-down season in the leadoff spot. He hit .246 and fanned 55 times in 252 at-bats. He drew only 18 walks and that needs to improve, but he did steal 18 bases and grounded into only one double play. ... OF Jay Cox helped North Carolina win the College World Series and then went to Casper where he hit .242 with two homers and 20 RBIs in 149 at-bats.

Under the Radar

Brandon Hynick, RHP
Hynick went 4-3 with a 2.41 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) while splitting time between Casper and Tri-City. He's been a bit of an underdog all along, having come from Birmingham-Southern College in the sixth round last June. He struck out 70 and walked only eight in 64 Pioneer League innings. He's got a decent low 90s fastball and a good curveball that he will likely take with him to Modesto.

"We felt he didn't get enough recognition," Gustafson said. "He dominated at Casper and then again at Tri-City, but he didn't get recognition all along. It could be because of his location [Birmingham-Southern], but that's what our scouts do. They don't leave any stone unturned. We beat the bushes but that could be why he hasn't been recognized because of where he was."

Mike Gallo, LHP
Gallo has pitched in 160 games over the last four seasons with Houston and pitched for the Italian team in the World Baseball Classic last spring. But he signed a Minor League deal with Colorado in December and is looking to secure a spot in the big-league bullpen. If not, he'll be in the Pacific Coast League.

"We're looking to rejuvenate him and maybe a change of scenery will do that," Gustafson said. "He's been throwing the ball very well in camp. If he doesn't figure in the mix after Spring Training, then he'll be in Colorado Springs and could be there for [Rockies manager] Clint [Hurdle] if there's a need. This is a guy who was in the World Series not too long ago and just had a bad year [6.06 ERA in 23 games for Houston] last year."

2006 Draft Recap

Third-round southpaw Keith Weiser had a 3.79 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) in the Northwest League. He fanned 53 and walked only eight in 57 innings. ... Fifth-round SS Helder Velazquez was one of the youngest players in the Minors last year, playing the entire season in the Pioneer League as a 17-year-old. But the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy product had a fine showing, hitting .255 in 157 at-bats with two homers and 19 RBIs. He committed six errors in 95 chances. ... Matt Repec, a 27th-round second baseman out of Winthrop University didn't fare as well in the Northwest League despite having a few years on Velazquez. He hit .229 in 231 games for Tri-City that included a season-ending 4-for-28 skid. He had 10 errors in 151 chances on the field. ... Ninth-rounder Will Harris, a righty out of Louisiana State University, didn't have enough innings to qualify for the ERA race in the Northwest but he was brilliant nonetheless, pitching to a 1.16 ERA in 31 innings. He saved six games, struck out 42 and walked only nine. ... C Michael McKenry, a seventh-rounder out of Middle Tennessee State University, had a rough time in the Northwest League, hitting .216 in 245 at-bats. He was also second among league backstops with six errors. He was, however, tied for third in the league with teammate Ramon Rodriguez, throwing out 45 percent of runners attempting to steal. The duo combined to make the Dust Devils the toughest to steal against in the league with 43 percent of runners getting caught. ... Austin Rauch, a 12th-round catcher, also struggled at the plate for Casper of the Pioneer League. He hit .216 in 102 at-bats, striking out 36 times. While he committed only two errors, he only caught six of the 34 runners attempting to steal. ... Rauch's struggles at the plate were partly overlooked because second-round OF Dave Christensen had his own problems at the plate, hitting .198 with 93 strikeouts in 207 at-bats for Casper.

Predictions

Organizational Player of the Year -- 3B Ian Stewart

This may seem like a bit of a gamble after seeing how he struggled last year in Tulsa. But being in Colorado Springs, knowing that Denver is so close, both literally and figuratively, should serve as motivation. And if that's not enough, he'll be looking to prove that the seasons he had in '04 and '05 were more of an indication of his talent than what he showed last year.

Organizational Pitcher of the Year -- RHP Greg Reynolds

The Stanford product is more than a little polished and could have easily been the top pick in the entire draft last year. The Texas League will provide a challenge for the right-hander but he already has enough talent and experience to dominate at the Double-A level.

Quotable

"We cannot become complacent," Gustafson said. "We truly believe we've gotten better. But we have to continue that and continue to provide [quality] players when we're called upon."