Ten Oaks return from 2003 team
April 4, 2004 - California League (CalL1)
Visalia Rawhide News Release
VISALIA â The Colorado Rockies have released the Visalia Oaks 2004 opening day roster. Ten players who appeared in games during Visalia's 2003 campaign will return, meaning there will be 15 new faces on the team when the Oaks host San Jose to begin the season on Thursday. Of the pitchers in the projected starting rotation, only one â Ben Crockett â played for the Oaks last season. There is one former big leaguer on the roster â pitcher Brent Billingsley.
Below is a complete breakdown of the roster as it will be on Bank of the Sierra Opening Night:
Pitchers:
Jentry Beckstead has played for each of the Rockies three affiliates âbelow' Visalia over each of the last three seasons. (Casper, Tri City and Asheville). He picked up a save in the South Atlantic League All Star Game last June in Lexington, Kentucky. Jentry led the league with 63 appearances, 29 saves and 54 games finished. He delivered a 1.21 ERA in 2002 for the Short-Season Single-A Tri City Dust Devils.
Brent Billingsley is a former Major League pitcher and California native who was recently signed by the Rockies. In 1999, Billingsley made eight appearances for the Florida Marlins. He pitched in only four games last season for the Reading Phillies of the Double-A Eastern League. Prior to that, Billingsley played in the Expos and Marlins organizations and has pitched 70 times at the Triple-A level.
Rich Cartier worked out of the bullpen throughout the 2002 season for Tri City and was a reliever last season for Asheville until May 11. He ended up making 20 starts for the Tourists and finished 12-5 with a 4.11 ERA. Cartier is expected to be in the Oaks' starting rotation.
Darren Clarke ranked second in the South Atlantic League last season in innings pitched with 157.1 for Asheville. He had a career-best 107 strikeouts for the Tourists and chalked-up his first complete game last May 30. Clarke will likely be in the Oaks starting rotation.
Mike Cosgrove is a well-traveled relief pitcher who played the last three seasons in independent leagues, most recently for St. Paul of the Northern League. He was originally drafted by Minnesota in 1997 and spent four seasons in the Twins organization. Cosgrove is a Southern California native, but played collegiate baseball at the University of Tennessee.
Ben Crockett joined the Oaks in the second half of last season and helped Visalia on its drive to the post season. The Harvard graduate went 2-3 in five regular season starts for the Oaks, but posted 12 victories overall, including his time with Low-A Asheville of the South Atlantic League. Crockett also led the Rockies organization with 183.2 innings pitched last season, which placed him fifth in the Minor Leagues. He is expected to be in the Oaks starting rotation once again this season.
Buddy Gallagher was drafted as a reliever in 2001, worked in Salem's (Carolina League) starting rotation in 2002 and went back to the bullpen last season. He pitched only 16 innings last year for Tri City and Asheville combined.
Ubaldo Jimenez made a splash in his Visalia debut by pitching the Oaks to a regular season ending victory last Labor Day that clinched the Northern Division's second-half title. Prior to his promotion to Visalia, the now-20-year-old made 27 starts for Asheville and went 10-6 with a 3.46 ERA. This year, Jimenez has been named by Baseball America as the number four prospect in the Rockies' organization.
Doug Johnson led the South Atlantic League in innings pitched last season with 167.1. The New Hampshire native was a fifth round draft choice of the Rockies two summers ago and went 12-8 over 28 starts for Asheville last season. He will probably be in the Oaks starting rotation.
Isaac Pavlik spent all of last season in the Oaks bullpen and is likely to be used as a reliever once again this season. He played for Seton Hall University and holds the Big East tournament record with four saves. In 2002, Pavlik was voted a Northwest League All Star after leading Tri City with a 1.13 ERA.
Chris Young was a reliever for Asheville last season and led the team with 59 appearances, which was the second highest total in the South Atlantic League. In 2002, he led all Rockies Minor Leaguers who qualified for a league ERA title with a 2.34 ERA.
Catchers
Alvin Colina has spent each of the last two seasons with Asheville. Last year, he led the team with 70 starts behind the plate and threw out 32-percent of would-be base stealers. He played in the South Atlantic League All Star Game in 2002 and was the 2000 end of season All Star catcher in the Arizona Rookie League.
Kevin Reinking is the only position player on the opening day roster with Double-A experience. He played against the Oaks in 2003 and went a combined 0-6 for Lake Elsinore in two games at Recreation Park. As a member of the San Diego Padres farm system, Reinking was promoted on June 7 to Double-A Mobile of the Southern League during the first half of the season. He also played one game for the BayBears in 2002.
Infielders
Jeff Baker enters this season following an injury-riddled 2003 in which he played only 70 games, but led the team with a .289 average. He had successful wrist surgery last September. As a member of the Rockies' 40-man roster, Baker figures to be the everyday third baseman for Visalia. He was born in Germany. The Baker family has lived in nine different cities around the world, thanks to Jeff's dad, Larry who played baseball for the Army.
Doug Bernier was platooned at shortstop with Hector Tena for the Oaks in 2003. He finished fifth in the California League with 64 walks last season after leading the Northwest League with 58 walks in 2002.
Nick Gretz played for Asheville last season and in 2002. He was on the South Atlantic League All Star team two years ago when he batted .318 for the Tourists. Gretz finished second on the team with 15 home runs in 2003.
K. J. Hendricks After spending the 2003 regular season with Asheville, K. J. joined the Oaks for the post season and led the Cal League with three stolen bases for the playoffs and batted .357. He and Doug Bernier are the only switch hitters on the opening day roster.
Bryan Peck started 2003 with the Oaks but left in May to have surgery on his right shoulder. He played in the 2002 Major League Hall of Fame Game and went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI. Peck, a former catcher, played primarily at first base in 2003.
Dan Street appeared in only 45 games last season, but hit a combined .339 with Tri City and Asheville. Street is a second year player and grandson of former New York Giant, Bob Samia.
Hector Tena returns for his second year in an Oaks uniform. Last season, Hector appeared in most Visalia games as the shortstop. He also had the opportunity last season to play with his cousin, Major League infielder Juan Uribe who was sent to the Visalia by the Rockies for a rehabilitation assignment.
Outfielders
Sean Barker is a Bakersfield native who played all of last season in Visalia. He was the Colorado Rockies player of the month last July when he hit .380 with 5 home runs and 17 RBI. Barker earned the California League's player of the week award for July 7-13 by batting .440 with 8 RBI.
Jason Frome played almost as many games for Visalia last season as he did for Asheville (35 compared to 36). He batted .474 with 2 homers and 6 RBI June 13-19 and was named the South Atlantic League's player of the week.
Bernie Gonzalez had a stellar season with Asheville in 2003. He led the South Atlantic League with 38 doubles. He also finished in the top five in the league in RBI (81/2nd), extra base hits (53/3rd) and total bases (222/5th). Gonzalez was a South Atlantic League player of the week in July, the Rockies' Minor League player of the month for April, the Topps Minor League Player of the Month for May and played on the South Atlantic League All Star Team.
Jeff Salazar was named the Colorado Rockies Organizational Player of the Year for 2003. He played in Asheville until a promotion to Visalia on the second-to-last day of the season. Salazar was also named a Single-A All Star by Baseball America and Topps. He led all of Minor League Baseball with 110 runs scored and led the South Atlantic League with 29 home runs and 98 RBI.
Ryan Spilborghs is beginning his third season as a professional and played all of last year for Asheville where he was third on the team in average (.281) and home runs (15). He was a seventh round pick in the June 2002 draft.
Fresh Off the Plane: The Oaks arrived in Visalia Sunday and will practice at Recreation Park Monday at 10 a.m. A meet the team lunch is schedule for Tuesday at Cask N Cleaver at 3627 South Mooney Boulevard in Visalia. A media session will be held at Cask N Cleaver at 11:30 a.m. The luncheon begins at noon. Tuesday's workout will be at 6 p.m. On Wednesday, practice is scheduled for 4 p.m.
California League Stories from April 4, 2004
- Ten Oaks return from 2003 team - Visalia Rawhide
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
