The Colorado Rockies sent two catchers to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for two right-handed pitchers on Friday. Colorado also added two free agents later in the day, including one of their relievers from 2014.
On Friday afternoon the Rockies announced they had acquired right-handed pitchers David Hale and Gus Schlosser from the Braves in exchange for catchers Jose Briceno and Chris O'Dowd. The 27-year-old Hale is 5-5 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 47 games over the past two seasons while the 26-year-old Schlosser got his first MLB action in 2014 and finished 0-1 with a 7.64 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 15 games (17.2 innings).
The 21-year-old Briceno, who spent all of 2014 with Class-A Asheville and slashed .283/.336/.476 with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs in 84 games, will join the Braves' farm system. O'Dowd, the son of former Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd, will join him as well. The 24-year-old spent 2014 between Advanced Class-A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa and batted .271/.335/.385 with five home runs, 48 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
Colorado also re-signed reliever Rafael Betancourt and inked utility infielder Omar Quintanilla to minor-league contracts, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The 39-year-old Betancourt missed half of 2014 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery that he underwent the previous season, but spent that half of the year in the minors. In 2012 and 2013, the right-hander earned a total of 47 saves and maintained a 3.23 ERA in 92 games.
The 33-year-old Quintanilla began his career with the Rockies and spent five seasons with the team, but was optioned to Triple-A in 2011 and was then suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He's spent the last four seasons with the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets and owns a stat line of .220/.287/.295 with 118 runs scored, eight home runs and 74 RBIs in 402 career games.
With these additions, the Rockies hope to fill some holes and improve from their horrid 2014 campaign that ended with a last place finish in the NL West thanks to a 66-96 record.
