Rockies call up eight Sky Sox

Published on September 4, 2006 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox News Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - After today's season finale, the Rockies announced that they would call up eight Sky Sox players for the remainder of the 2006 Major League season. Right-handers Nate Field, Denny Bautista, and Ubaldo Jimenez, left-handers Mike Venafro and Justin Hampson, catcher JD Closser and outfielders Jeff Baker and Jeff Salazar will all be joining the Rockies in the next few days.

Field lead the PCL with 25 saves this season as he posted a 3-3 record with a 4.74 ERA in 49 appearances with the Sky Sox. The Overland Park, Kansas native was signed to a minor league contract Novemeber 30of 2005 and will be making his fourth trip to the Majors. He has a career 3-4 record with a 4.98 ERA and three saves in 74 Major League games all with Kansas City. Field was named to the PCL mid All-Star team as well as the All-PCL team at years end as the best reliever in the league.

Bautista was acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Royals just before the July 31trade deadline this year along with Jeremy Affeldt for Ryan Shealy and Scott Dohmann. With the Sky Sox, Bautista has posted a 1-4 record a 4.50 ERA in six starts. He has struck out 35 batters in 36 innings of work.

Jimenez stormed through the Rockies minor league system this year going 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 13 starts for Double-A Tulsa and 5-2 with a 5.06 ERA with the Sox. Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2001, Jimenez has struck out 527 batters in 545 innings in his minor league career.

th Venafro was signed a free agent on July 20of the season and in 20 appearances has gone 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA. He has appeared in 300 Major League games with Texas, Oakland, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles and as a career record of 14-10 with a 4.11 ERA.

Hampson is one of the best stories on the Sky Sox this year. After losing a PCL-leading 13 games in 2005, Hampson returned to the PCL in 2006 and was outstanding. Splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen, he went 8-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 31 appearances (13 starts). His eight wins tied for the Sox season high and his ERA ranked him ranked in the PCL.

Closser began the season with the Sox and split time between the Rockies and Sky Sox all season. In 70 games with Colorado Springs, the catcher hit .298 with eight homers and 30 RBI.

Baker was the offensive leader of the Sky Sox all season long. In 128 games, the rightfielder hit .305 and led the team in homers (20), hits (147), doubles (30), RBI (108), games played (130) and at-bats (482). He was also named to the All-PCL team at the end of the year as one of the best outfielders in the league.

Salazar began the season on the disabled list with an injured elbow but joined the Sox midway through the season and hit .265 with nine homers and 39 RBI in 85 games. The centerfielder made just five errors this season and made many outstanding defensive plays throughout the year.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 4, 2006


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