Colorado Rockies Invite 22 Non-Roster Players to Major League Spring Training

Colorado Rockies agree to terms with Scott Podsednik on a Minor League contract

02/05/2008, DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies announced today the club's non-roster players for this year's Major League Spring Training camp. The list of players includes 11 pitchers, four infielders, four outfielders and three catchers. Among the 22 non-roster invitees is outfielder Scott Podsednik, a pivotal player in the Chicago White Sox World Championship run in 2005.

Podsednik, 31, hit .243 with two home runs, 11 RBI and 12 stolen bases for Chicago last year in limited playing time due to a pair of stints on the disabled list. Prior to last season, he had recorded at least 40 stolen bases in four consecutive seasons, including a career-high 70 swipes in 2004. Since 2004, the former All-Star ranks fifth in the Majors with 181 stolen bases. The speedy outfielder hit .286 (14-for-49) with three triples, two home runs and six stolen bases in 12 postseason games for the White Sox in 2005. In Game 2 of the World Series vs. Houston, he hit a game-ending home run off Brad Lidge, the 14th walk-off home run in World Series history. In 657 games with Seattle (2001-02), Milwaukee (2003-04) and Chicago-NL (2005-07), Podsednik owns a .272 career average with 224 stolen bases. In 2003, he became only the 4th rookie since 1900 to hit .300 with 100 runs scored and 40 stolen bases.

Of the pitchers, seven were with the Rockies organization in 2007: Arias, Hynick, Clarke, McClellan, Reynolds, Thompson, and Weathers. Arias, Clarke, and McClellan each made their Major League debuts last season with the Rockies, and all three have participated in Major League Spring Training before. Hynick, Colorado's Minor League Player of the Year and California League Pitcher of the Year in 2007 will report to big league camp for the first time this February. Reynolds and Weathers are both former first-round picks by Colorado. This marks Reynolds' second invite to Major League camp. Weathers, the Rockies' first-round selection last June, will report to Spring Training with 14 games of professional experience. Thompson, a waiver claim last July, will report to Major League camp for the second time in his career.

Bowie, George, Koronka, and Zambrano all have Major League experience with other organizations. Bowie, who set career highs in wins, games, innings pitched and strikeouts last season, has appeared in 78 games during parts of five seasons since 1999. George, who last appeared in the big leagues in 2004, won nine games for the 2003 Royals and has a 14-20 record in 47 career games with Kansas City. The left-handed Koronka, who went 7-7 in his 2006 rookie season with the Rangers, has made 29 Major League appearances/28 starts. The 32-year-old Zambrano has made 100 career starts/187 appearances since his debut in 2001, recording a career-high 12 wins for the Devil Rays in 2003.

The Rockies' list of four non-roster infielders includes a pair of players with Major League time. Giles is a former All-Star second-baseman with 20 games of postseason experience, and he has five consecutive seasons with at least 19 doubles. Kata, who has spent time at all four infield positions in the majors, is a switch-hitter with a .242 career average in 792 games. Colonel and Nelson rank among the Colorado organization's top prospects.

Three of the non-roster outfielders are former Rockies draft picks. Barker has spent each of the last two seasons at Triple-A Colorado Springs while Fowler completed his third professional season at High-A Modesto last year. Gaetti, the son of 20-year Major League veteran Gary Gaetti, split last season between Double-A Tulsa and Colorado Springs.

Among the catchers, Rose, a veteran of 14 professional seasons, has played 27 games in the Majors with Oakland, Los Angeles-NL and St. Louis. He spent all of last year with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, where he hit .262 with seven home runs and 36 RBI. McKenry and Wilson were both drafted by the Rockies and will be attending their first big league camp.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Tucson on Friday, Feb. 15. The first full squad workout is slated for Saturday, Feb. 23.

Source: MLB

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