Ten Relievers The Colorado Rockies Should Look At In September

Jul 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher R. Brothers (49) delivers a pitch during the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field. The Rockies won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Rex Brothers

Yeah, I know, we all know about Rex Brothers. But the guy has a big league arm, he strikes out a lot of hitters, and despite being incredibly wild, I feel like the Colorado Rockies ought to give him another shot to figure out if he’s got anything left to offer in the big leagues.

Brothers has been completely unhittable, but also completely wild lately: 10.2 innings in his last ten games, allowing just 2 hits and yet 14 walks (!!) while striking out 21 (!!) and giving up just two runs in that period. WHAT?

On the season, he’s 5-1 with a 3.96 ERA and 3 saves at AAA Albuquerque, and he’s struck out 59 while walking 40 in 38.2 innings pitched, yet only allowed 24 hits.

That’s, like, an extreme example of being effectively wild, and perhaps too extreme for the big leagues, but why not see it first hand in September before deciding what to do about him this winter or in February?

Next: RHP B. Brown

May 30, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher B. Brown (51) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Colorado Rockies won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Brooks Brown

Whatever happened to Brooks Brown? An increasingly important cog in the Colorado Rockies’ pen early on this year, he went down with shoulder inflammation a few weeks ago, and after rehabbing in Albuquerque… the Rockies just kept him there.

Considering how badly the bullpen has been going in Denver, that’s sort of a weird decision. And considering that he’s thrown well enough in Albuquerque (12 games, 12 innings, 16 strikeouts against just three walks this year in the minors), there’s no reason not to recall Brown for September.

Next: LHP K. Roberts

Mar 1, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher K. Roberts poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Ken Roberts

We’ve just recently seen Kenny Roberts in the big leagues as a lefty specialist, so it’d probably make sense that he’d be back very soon for the Rockies to use down the stretch run in Denver.

Roberts has allowed a lot of hits in AAA this year (45 in 29.2 innings) but he’s walked just four compared to 24 strikeouts, and he’s already got nine big league games to his name and his 2015 option in effect. Thus, it’d be dumb for the Colorado Rockies not to recall him and use him as a lefty specialist this September.

Also, he was not the guy swearing the other day when cameras caught him swearing er, saying whatever he was saying after giving up a hit:

Next: RHP N. Gonzalez

Oct. 9, 2014; Mesa, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher N. Gonzalez plays for the Salt River Rafters against the Mesa Solar Sox during an Arizona Fall League game at Cubs Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Nelson Gonzalez

Nelson Gonzalez is relatively unknown in Colorado Rockies’ circles, but he shouldn’t be; he played in the Arizona Fall League for prospects last October (Trevor Story joined him, for example), and he has done very well in AAA Albuquerque’s bullpen this year.

In 36 games, he’s 4-4 with a 2.19 ERA, and in 61.2 innings, he’s allowed 52 hits and just 16 walks compared to 56 strikeouts. The Rockies sent him to the AFL for a reason in October; they should now find out what they have in Gonzalez this September after a successful season in the Pacific Coast League.

Next: RHP J. Diaz

September 14, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher J. Diaz (49) pitches the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Jairo Diaz

Jairo Diaz is another we-should-see-what-we-have type of September call-up, if only because the Rockies (theoretically) acquired him for a reason when they moved Josh Rutledge over the winter, so it might as well be time to see what it is with the flamethrower that the Rockies liked so much.

The downside? Well… he’s wild. Not like Rex Brothers wild, but nearly so; he’s walked 37 and hit four more in 54 innings while allowing six homers and going 3-5 with a 4.67 ERA.

Nevertheless, with the fastball Diaz has… he’d be an interesting addition to the Colorado Rockies’ big league bullpen if he can refine his stuff just a little bit.

Next: RHP S. Castro

Simon Castro

At this point, we start to get much less likely with the chances of calling the next few guys up, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make for compelling cases.

Simon Castro is one example of a guy the Rockies could easily make a move to recall, as he’s had a generally very nice season in Albuquerque coming out of the bullpen. In 36 games, he’s struck out 74 batters in 57 innings, allowing just 53 hits and 20 walks while going 5-5 with a 3.79 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.

He has big league experience (with the Chicago White Sox in 2014), and the 27-year old certainly could help a big league bullpen at least in short stints at some point; maybe the Colorado Rockies ought to take a chance on him in the big leagues and see what they’ve got in Castro.

Next: RHP M. Castro

Apr 4, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher M. Castro (51) throws the ball during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at the Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Miguel Castro

The other Castro — Miguel Castro — is a complete newcomer to the Rockies’ organization, after being traded over last month along with a few other prospects for Troy Tulowitzki.

In seven games in Albuquerque this month, he’s allowed just four hits and three unintentional walks, giving up just two runs while striking out six hitters for the Isotopes. All told in the minors in 2015, he’s struck out 34 hitters while walking 18 in 32.2 innings pitched.

He began the year as Toronto’s big league closer, and while that gig wouldn’t last, he has closer stuff, and he’s incredibly young (he won’t turn 21 until December). Because of that, and his closer-of-the-future potential, maybe the Colorado Rockies ought to see if he can start that journey in September.

Next: LHP A. Laffey

Jul 31, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher A. Laffey (34) pitches in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Laffey

This is a bit more unlikely, if only because there’s just not much of a role for Aaron Laffey in the big leagues right now; he’s a middle reliever of whom the Colorado Rockies have plenty, and even though he’s been up before this season, he’s 30 years old and likely doesn’t fit in to the Rockies’ long term plans.

But, he threw decently well in his three big league games earlier this year, and you never quite know what the Rockies need or what they may think they want to focus on for 2016.

Next: RHP J. Hoffman

Jeff Hoffman

Jeff Hoffman is likely a little too far away from the big leagues at this point — and he profiles as a starter in his big league career — but maybe there’s something to be said for bringing him up to get some relief innings this September, as crazy as it sounds.

Obviously, the Colorado Rockies would have to feel that he’s damn close to the big leagues to begin with, which may not be true considering he just came back from Tommy John surgery to make his professional debut earlier this season.

But considering how he’s thrown in 2015 (3.21 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 17 minor league starts this year), and his upper-90s stuff, maybe he gets a shot in very limited appearances this September as the Rockies see how far his development has come looking ahead to 2016.

Either way, expect him to start 2016 in AAA Albuquerque, and if things go well, to be next year’s version of Jon Gray.

[Screenshot via YouTube.]

Next: LHP K. Sitton

Kraig Sitton

Kraig Sitton is a minor league reliever who took something of a step back this year. An Arizona Fall League alum joining Story and Gonzalez, Sitton repeated AA this year after spending the entire season in Tulsa in 2014.

He’s done well, though, going 3-1 with a 2.37 ERA and 30 strikeouts against just 12 walks in 46.2 innings at New Britain.

Obviously, one of his biggest attributes is his handedness, and considering the Colorado Rockies have had such trouble with lefty relievers this year (Christian Friedrich, Boone Logan), perhaps there’s a future for him as well as Roberts to perform as functional and decent left-handed specialists in Denver.

Next: The Reality Of September Call-Ups

Jul 31, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher A. Laffey (34) fields a bunt attempt by St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher M. Wacha (not pictured) at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Reality

Obviously, the main reality here is that there’s no way the Colorado Rockies call up all ten of these guys; nevertheless, I’d love to see a handful of them in Denver this September as the club figures out who they might be able to add to the bullpen in 2016.

And considering how bad the bullpen has nearly almost always been for the Rockies, it’s never a bad thing to figure out who among this group is semi-legit and good enough to keep in AAA next year if they don’t make the big league club, effectively functioning as bullpen depth (like what Scott Oberg, Kenny Roberts, and Tommy Kahnle ended up doing for the Isotopes and then Rockies this year).

Who do you think will be in the Colorado Rockies’ pen this September when rosters expand?

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