Tsao activated, Lopez put on waivers
The Colorado Rockies looked to bring structure to their bullpen on Tuesday.
Chin-hui Tsao was activated from the disabled list and immediately installed as the closer.
Left-handed Javier Lopez was technically optioned to Class AAA Colorado Springs, but all indications are he has come to the end of his career with the Rockies.
The Rockies placed Lopez on waivers and told him to wait in Denver until the waiver period expires Thursday afternoon to see if another team expresses interest and a deal can be made. If not, Lopez will join Class AAA Colorado on Friday.
Lopez expressed displeasure with his opportunity in Colorado, but the Rockies did not think he had shown improvement in his ability to get out right-handed hitters.
Manager Clint Hurdle has stressed that with a pitching staff that calls Coors Field home it is difficult to "have the luxury of a left-handed specialist."
Lopez had appeared in only three games this year, but he gave up five runs in two innings and also allowed two inherited runners to score. Of more concern to the Rockies is that after right-handers hit .350 against him last season, they were 5-for-9 against Lopez so far this year. As a rookie in 2003, Lopez allowed right-handed hitters only a .266 average.
SETTING UP: Hurdle said having Tsao available to work the ninth inning will allow the rest of the bullpen to fall into place. Hurdle said left-hander Brian Fuentes and right-hander Byung-Hyun Kim will handle the seventh- and eighth-inning duties depending on how the opposing lineup stacks up. Rookie Ryan Speier will "fit anywhere in there," Hurdle said.
Right-hander Scott Dohmann and left-hander Bobby Seay will get the earlier work, along with 20-year-old Marcos Carvajal, a winter draft pick.
Tsao has battled assorted injuries in his career, most recently right shoulder tightness that developed the day after he was announced as the closer during spring training.
"Tsao will not work three days in a row," Hurdle said.
General manager Dan O'Dowd said there are alternatives at Colorado Springs with last week's acquisition of Jose Acevedo from Cincinnati for Allan Simpson and the signing of veteran right-hander Jay Witasick to a minor-league contract.
"We have a better bullpen now than we did at the start of spring," O'Dowd said.
The Colorado Rockies looked to bring structure to their bullpen on Tuesday.
Chin-hui Tsao was activated from the disabled list and immediately installed as the closer.
Left-handed Javier Lopez was technically optioned to Class AAA Colorado Springs, but all indications are he has come to the end of his career with the Rockies.
The Rockies placed Lopez on waivers and told him to wait in Denver until the waiver period expires Thursday afternoon to see if another team expresses interest and a deal can be made. If not, Lopez will join Class AAA Colorado on Friday.
Lopez expressed displeasure with his opportunity in Colorado, but the Rockies did not think he had shown improvement in his ability to get out right-handed hitters.
Manager Clint Hurdle has stressed that with a pitching staff that calls Coors Field home it is difficult to "have the luxury of a left-handed specialist."
Lopez had appeared in only three games this year, but he gave up five runs in two innings and also allowed two inherited runners to score. Of more concern to the Rockies is that after right-handers hit .350 against him last season, they were 5-for-9 against Lopez so far this year. As a rookie in 2003, Lopez allowed right-handed hitters only a .266 average.
SETTING UP: Hurdle said having Tsao available to work the ninth inning will allow the rest of the bullpen to fall into place. Hurdle said left-hander Brian Fuentes and right-hander Byung-Hyun Kim will handle the seventh- and eighth-inning duties depending on how the opposing lineup stacks up. Rookie Ryan Speier will "fit anywhere in there," Hurdle said.
Right-hander Scott Dohmann and left-hander Bobby Seay will get the earlier work, along with 20-year-old Marcos Carvajal, a winter draft pick.
Tsao has battled assorted injuries in his career, most recently right shoulder tightness that developed the day after he was announced as the closer during spring training.
"Tsao will not work three days in a row," Hurdle said.
General manager Dan O'Dowd said there are alternatives at Colorado Springs with last week's acquisition of Jose Acevedo from Cincinnati for Allan Simpson and the signing of veteran right-hander Jay Witasick to a minor-league contract.
"We have a better bullpen now than we did at the start of spring," O'Dowd said.
