Drew Pomeranz Sent Back To Minor Leagues

Drew Pomeranz will not start the season with the Colorado Rockies. He will start the season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

This does not mean his ceiling is lower. This does not mean it will soon be time for the Rockies to give up on him. This does not mean the Rockies lost the Ubaldo Jimenez trade.

OK fine, one last creepy studio picture before the season starts. Image: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Pomeranz is 24 years old. He made his Rockies debut at age 22, less than one year removed from being drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Indians. Are we really so anxious to pass definitive judgment on prospects? Has Pomeranz really gone from hot prospect to potential bust in that short a period of time?

No. The decision to start Pomeranz in the minor leagues is, at least in part, a concession to the fact that he was rushed into too big a role too early. I understand that a pitcher of his pedigree is expected to have an impact right away, but they asked too much of him. There is still plenty of time for Pomeranz to be a big time player at a very young age. Pomeranz joins the less-ballyhooed Tyler Chatwood on a short list of pitchers who were rushed to the big leagues by circumstance/injuries/hastened expectations. It’s time to take a breath and let them resume their development as prospects.

If nothing else this season (and seriously, it might be nothing else), we can at least thank Jon Garland for that.