Colorado Rockies Notes: Axford Out, Oberg Up

Apr 8, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher John Axford (66) celebrates with catcher Nick Hundley (4) after picking up a save to help the Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 in 10 innings at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

After dealing with his son’s rattlesnake bite near the end of Spring Training, it looks as though John Axford may need to spend more time away, as he’s left the Colorado Rockies for the time being to tend to his family.

News just broke that John Axford, one of the Colorado Rockies’ new relief acquisitions, has been placed on the family medical emergency list today.

The Rockies have called up Scott Oberg in his place.

From The Denver Post’s Nick Groke:

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We can’t be sure at this time whether the family medical emergency is related to the rattle snake bite that his two-year old son Jameson suffered a few weeks ago.

Last we had heard, Jameson was recovering well and was expected to pull through, even though the bites were deemed very serious at the time.

At one point, was in danger of having part of his leg amputated. Best wishes to Axford and his family on whatever is happening now.

UPDATE, 11:37 am MT:

So there we go; a clarification.

Baseball is important, but now that the team won’t go undefeated this season, well, I guess it’s OK to leave for a day or two. (Just kidding, family comes first. And it appears his son is doing well and just needs dad there for the transfer! See ya in a week, Ax.)

In his place, Scott Oberg has apparently been called up to Denver, per Groke and others:

Oberg was with the Rockies late in camp this spring before being optioned to the minor leagues, and was at one point thought to be competing for one of the last bullpen spots with Brooks Brown and Rafael Betancourt.

After faltering down the stretch in the spring, though, Betancourt and Brown grabbed the jobs.

Oberg has racked up saves in the minor leagues, but he also hadn’t thrown above AAA before this year, so the jump to Denver is a big one.

He was a 15th-round draft pick out of the University of Connecticut in 2012.

It’s interesting to see the Rockies went with Oberg, and not Tommy Kahnle or Jairo Diaz, two hard throwing right-handers with more big league experience than Oberg.

Nevertheless, here we are. A corresponding 40-man roster move still has to be made; Oberg is not on the 40-man roster and must be added with someone removed before he can make the active roster.

UPDATE, 12:05 pm MT:

Well, it might be a while until we see Charlie Culberson again.