The Twins claimed reliever Josh Roenicke and infielder Thomas Field off of waivers from the Rockies, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (Twitter links). Neither player has become arbitration eligible yet.
Roenicke made 63 relief appearances for the Rockies this past season, completing 88 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old posted a career-best 3.25 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 4.4 BB/9 and a 50.2% ground ball rate with Colorado. His average fastball checks in at 92.3 mph and he generated swinging strikes with 8.8% of his offerings.
Field, 25, appeared in two games with the Rockies this past season. He spent most of the year at Triple-A, where he posted a .246/.315/.400 batting line in 494 plate appearances as the team's primary shortstop.
Renck on Roenicke.
My head hurts.
You would think a team as pitching starved as the Rockies would keep every decent arm that they have. Releasing Roenicke doesn’t make since to me either.
I watched Tommy Field play middle infield with the Drillers in 2011 every single day. He is a very hard worker defensively and I think he benefited from the hitter-friendly Cal and Texas Leagues. But a second baseman in statistical decline three years in a row, when the Rockies are flooded with up-and-coming middle infield talents and super utility players, there’s just no room for him. I hope he can relaunch his career and break into the MLB equation with Minnesota. Best of luck to him.
Great players to strengthen the team. I can foresee Field getting in quite a few games.