Colorado Rockies Demote Eddie Butler, Recall Kyle Parker

May 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher E. Butler (31) pitches the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies have demoted starting pitcher Eddie Butler to AAA Albuquerque, recalling Kyle Parker in his place as a reserve outfielder after a good hitting streak in the minors.

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The Colorado Rockies announced this afternoon that they have demoted Eddie Butler to AAA Albuquerque, opting to recall outfielder Kyle Parker from the Isotopes after hitting well the past few weeks and earning a shot at a reserve outfield spot with the big club.

Butler’s demotion comes as something of a surprise, considering he wasn’t pitching that badly (this club still has Kyle Kendrick in the starting rotation, after all), but nevertheless Butler had failed to miss bats and change speeds effectively enough in the big leagues recently.

Couple that with the fact that the combination of Chad Bettis, Chris Rusin, and David Hale have been throwing incredibly well, and Butler’s spot in the rotation was — at least for the time — pulled out from under him.

Butler had some strong words — not about his demotion, but about where the team is going and how he can help once he returns to Denver later this year, telling Nick Groke of the Denver Post:

"“They’re were talking to me about wanting me back up here to make a push for the playoffs. ‘Once you get that figured out, you’ll be the first guy in the rotation to get back up here.’ I need to work on some consistency with my off-speed. I need to get guys off my fastball.”"

A push for the playoffs?!

The Rockies may be a little bit better than their 26-30 record, but a push for the playoffs, if spoken internally, is a relief. Sure, it may not be likely in a division with the Dodgers, Giants, and Padres, but at least the club is thinking in those terms to put the best club on the field and try to win now… right?

Either way, Rusin, Hale, and Bettis will be in the rotation for the foreseeable future, and prospect Butler joins prospect Jon Gray in Albuquerque to develop into big league starters like the Rockies are hoping.

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