MEDIA CLIPS – March 31, 2016

Mark it down: Arenado primed for MVP season

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | March 31st, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- , the 2016 Most Valuable Player. Nice ring to it, right? So there it is, the MLB.com Bold Prediction from Rockies Land.

It makes a lot of sense to Rockies fans who last year watched Arenado, who turns 25 on April 16, hit 42 home runs to tie for the National League lead, drive in 130 runs to lead the Majors, and become the first NL third baseman to win Rawlings

Gold Glove Awards each of his first three seasons in the Majors. Also, The Fielding Bible and the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards named Arenado the Majors' best third baseman.

But last year, voters from the Writers' Association of America weren't hearing the Arenado case. The

Nationals' Bryce Harper, who also hit 42 homers, took all 30 votes. Arenado placed eighth in the voting.

Opening Day coverage

There’s no ignoring that Arenado's candidacy was hurt because the Rockies finished last in the NL West. But none of the top three vote-getters -- Harper, the D-backs' Paul Goldschmidt and the Reds' Joey Votto -- appeared in the playoffs.

Of course, there is a factor. Rockies hitters have been constantly downgraded because Coors Field's atmosphere is so friendly to hitters. This theory doesn't take into account that when the team leaves Colorado, it has a greater adjustment than other teams when they travel. Also, if Arenado was penalized for hitting .316 at home and .258 on the road, did he receive credit for hitting more homers away (22) than at home (20)?

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One otherworldly player overcame the forces working against Mile High City baseball to win NL MVP -- right fielder Larry

Walker in 1997. Walker led the league with 49 home runs and was tops in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS.

Additionally, he took his third career Gold Glove.

Can Arenado match Walker?

He can't match the speed that led to Walker's 33 steals in '97. But Arenado has dominated his position defensively at a level greater than Walker through his first three years. Keys will be improving his on-base percentage -- .328 in 2014, .323 last season -- and continuing the climb in slugging that went from .500 in 2014 to .575. Arenado also needs greater production against left-handed pitching -- a tall order in the NL West. He had a .778 OPS against lefties last year, as opposed to .931 against righties.

Practically no one is getting Arenado out this spring, as evidenced by his .566 batting average, 1.094 and .579 on-base percentage through 19 games. Granted, that goes away when the regular season opens Monday, but imagine if Arenado holds onto a chunk of that timing.

Does a similar year, with incremental-to-dramatic improvements -- and improvement from a team that has built lineup and bullpen depth but is keeping its fingers crossed when it comes to starting pitching -- equal an MVP season?

"That can only hurt me, thinking of those things," Arenado said. "Would it be awesome to win it? Of course. But I'm concerned about being as good as I can. My swing and everything -- I'm almost 100 percent comfortable and confident in what I'm going to bring. I just focus on winning and just helping the team out.

"I'm trying to be consistent, find ways to keep getting better. Last year was a special year. I don't know if I'll do that again.

But I know I can have a great year in a different way. I don't know if it's going to be 42 homers. I don't know if it's going to be 130 RBIs again. But I know there is a different way I can get better and be a good player."

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Motte will likely start season on disabled list McGee, Qualls, Castro are candidates to close out games

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies righty reliever Jason Motte is battling a right shoulder strain, and he will likely begin the regular season on the 15-day disabled list.

Motte experienced soreness during his most recent outing, a scoreless inning Thursday against the Mariners. An MRI revealed the injury.

"He's going to be down for a little bit," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "I don't see it being for a long time, but we've got him down for the time being."

Weiss had not revealed the identity of his closer, although Motte -- who signed a two-year, $10 million contract during the offseason -- figured to be part of the plan, if not the main closer. Motte earned 42 saves for the Cardinals in 2012 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in '13.

Last year, in a bounce-back season for the Cubs, Motte went 8-1 with a 3.91 ERA and six saves, though he was not on the postseason roster because of right shoulder fatigue. But he was throwing simulated games during the playoffs. He might have been activated had the Cubs made the World Series.

Motte was 0-1 with a 9.53 ERA in six outings. Four of the runs came in an outing against the Giants on

March 20.

Motte, 33, said the good news is the pain is in the back shoulder area, as opposed to the sub-scapular area (lower in the back shoulder) where last year's problem arose, and the strength of the rest of his arm is not affected. Motte is resting and will soon begin strengthening exercises. He said neither he nor the Rockies are placing a timetable on his return.

"I don't worry about much," Motte said. "Like I said with my elbow and the other thing, it'll work out the way it's supposed to."

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Lefty Jake McGee, who was even more effective against right-handed batters (.190 batting average against) than lefties

(.224) in 297 career appearances with the Rays (2010-15), could step in as closer. Righty Chad Qualls, who has 74 career saves, also could be in play.

Another candidate could be power right-hander , 21, who earned four early-season saves with the Blue Jays last season and joined the Rockies in the deal. Castro began his Spring Training with five straight scoreless outings, but in his two most recent outings before Wednesday, he gave up three runs, all on solo homers. He has given up six hits total, with eight against no walks.

Earlier in the spring, Weiss did not include Castro as a closer candidate. But Castro was considered a prime candidate for the roster, because he can provide some of the power the Rockies lost when Jairo Diaz needed to undergo

Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

Story wins Abby Greer Award

Rockies rookie , who will make his Major League debut Monday as the starting , was awarded the

13th annual Abby Greer Award as the Rockies' Spring Training Most Valuable Player (with an emphasis on players developed by the club). Story went into Wednesday's game against the Brewers with a 1.362 OPS. The award is named after Greer, who was 6 when she died in a tragic accident near Coors Field.

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De La Rosa disappointed in spring finale

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Rockies' Nolan Arenado and the Brewers' Scooter Gennett continued their big springs with homers Wednesday before Kirk Nieuwenhuis singled home a tiebreaking in the ninth inning for a 5-4 Milwaukee victory over a Colorado split squad.

Arenado, whose average sits at .566, poked a two-run shot in the sixth for his sixth homer of the spring, and Gennett's two-run shot in the second was his fourth spring homer. He went 2-for-4 to bring his average to .462.

Rockies Opening Day starter Jorge De La Rosa labored, giving up four runs on four hits -- including Gennett's homer -- in three innings. De La Rosa let out a frustrated scream when he walked Ramon Flores to force in a run in the third. De La

Rosa threw 68 pitches in his final tuneup for the regular season and finished Cactus League play with a 6.10 ERA.

"I wished I could have finished stronger than that," said De La Rosa, who will start Monday against the D-backs at Chase

Field in his second career opener. "I walked too many guys and gave up too many hits. I don't have the results that I want, but I have to work to get better."

• Cubs ride Lester's arm, bat in win over Rockies

Gennett has had success this spring against left-handed like De La Rosa.

"It wasn't a big sample of at-bats, but he certainly had some good at-bats against them," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "He probably had seven or eight plate appearances against lefties, but he started against some good pitchers, so I'm glad he got some results."

Gennett, a left-handed batter, has platooned most of the past two seasons. Could that change in 2016?

"That's a decision we're going to have to make," Counsell said. "We haven't made it yet. We've talked about it. He's not doing anything to hurt his case, that's for sure."

Brewers starter Ariel Pena, who is awaiting word on whether he'll receive the final bullpen spot, started and held the

Rockies to one run on three hits in three innings.

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Arenado's homer came during a three-run sixth, which also included Minor League Pat Valaika's RBI , against Brewers relief Blaine Boyer.

Brewers left-field prospect Brett Phillips kept the game tied in the eighth when he fielded Rockies prospect 's fly ball and threw out Tim Smalling at the plate.

• Phillips makes big play in first Cactus League game

Up next for Brewers: The Brewers packed up Maryvale Baseball Park on Wednesday and headed for Houston, where they will play exhibitions against the Astros on Thursday and Friday. is expected back in the lineup for

Thursday's 7:10 p.m. CT game against the Astros, with Jimmy Nelson on the mound. The game will air on MLB.TV, the

Brewers Radio Network and Gameday Audio.

Up next for Rockies: Lefty , the Rockies' top pick and the eighth overall Draft choice in 2014, will return to camp and start Thursday's game against the D-backs at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick at 1:10 p.m. MT on Gameday

Audio. Freeland, ranked as the Rockies' No. 8 prospect, struck out three and gave up one run in two innings against the

Reds before being reassigned to Minor League camp as a non-roster player. Righty Chad Bettis will start in a Minor

League game Thursday.

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Reynolds gets two hits in loss to Cubs

By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com | @CarrieMuskat | March 30th, 2016

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs expect 10 strikeouts from Jon Lester but the lefty added his first professional in a 10-0 victory Wednesday over the Rockies' split squad.

David Ross went 3-for-3 with three doubles and four RBIs, and Kyle Schwarber followed Lester's opposite-field blast with a shot of his own in the win.

Lester, who will start the Cubs' second regular-season game next Tuesday against the Angels, had never hit a home run in his professional career at any level -- Minor League, big leagues or Spring Training. He has four hits in 98 career regular-season at-bats.

Ross doubled to lead off the fourth against , and Lester then lined a 3-1 to left, which opened a 5-0 lead.

Lester came into the game with nine strikeouts over 12 innings in his three previous spring outings. He said he felt more consistent on the mound and was able to execute his pitches more effectively.

"I try not to read too much into Spring Training, whether it's good or bad," Lester said. "I would've liked to have gotten a couple more innings, but we had some long innings today and that's why they pulled me a little early.

"That's my big thing is making my starts and getting my innings -- that's all I really care about," he said. "The runs and all that stuff, I try not to pay attention to that [in spring]. The big thing for me is not a lot of walks, which is good. It means I'm staying in the zone consistently and getting early contact."

And the home run?

"I feel a lot more comfortable this year with everything going on," he said. "I feel I'm ahead of the curve a little bit as far as where I was last year picking up the bat." said Lester.

Rockies starter David Hale, who was optioned to -A Albuquerque last Friday, gave up three runs -- one earned -- on five hits and one walk over 2 2/3 innings. Mark Reynolds had two hits for the Rockies, raising his spring average to .341. 7

In Scottsdale, the Rockies split squad lost to the Brewers, 5-4.

Cubs up next: Ryan Williams, the Cubs' Minor League Pitcher of the Year last year, will start Thursday when the Cubs face the Mets at Cashman Field in Las Vegas for the first of two exhibition games. It will be a homecoming for Las Vegas native Kris Bryant. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT, and fans can watch the game live on MLB.TV, or listen to a live exclusive webcast on Cubs.com.

Rockies up next: Lefty Kyle Freeland, the Rockies' top pick and the eighth overall Draft choice in 2014, will return to camp and start Thursday's game against the D-backs at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick at 2:10 p.m. MT. Freeland, ranked as the Rockies' No. 8 prospect, struck out three and gave up one run in two innings against the Reds before being reassigned to Minor League camp as a non-roster player. Righty Chad Bettis will start in a Minor League game Thursday.

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Arenado tells tales from youth on Network show Rockies third baseman one of several players featured on ‘Play Ball’

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado was a good enough pitcher in youth ball that he threw a perfect game. He saved the ball, but not for himself. That's because baseball is a game for friends.

The story is part of a feature on Arenado that will be part of "Play Ball," a weekly MLB Network show geared toward youngsters, that will air in April. Harold Reynolds hosts the program with other MLB analysts, as players such as Arenado,

Padres outfielder Matt Kemp and Indians shortstop offer ideas on how kids can play baseball in its many forms.

Here's Arenado's story of his perfect game, which nearly wasn't. It went down to the last batter and an uncommon play by his right fielder.

"As a kid, you don't really think about those things, and I wasn't thinking about them, either," Arenado said. "But as the game went on, I kind of had a clue that no one was getting on base. Then, finally, the ball was hit to right field and I kind of put my head down, like, 'Oh, man. I blew it.'

"But then he threw him out [at first base] and I was going crazy, man. It was a crazy experience. That was fun."

But how Arenado handled the success spoke volumes. Arenado made sure the right fielder received the ball as a keepsake.

"He preserved it," Arenado said. "That was a huge thing, and it meant a lot to me. Obviously, people were always congratulating me. But if he doesn't throw that guy out, I'm not getting congratulated. So I owe him the credit.

"I care about people. I care about their feelings. I look out for them."

In the interview, Arenado and Reynolds discuss their favorite Arenado plays and the fact Arenado is named for the Hall of

Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. Arenado also talks about family Wiffle ball games that still occur -- Arenado, his brother, Giants

Minor League infielder Jonah Arenado, and his cousin, Rockies Minor League infielder Justin Fuentes, play against other family members, but the pro players have to bat left-handed. 9

The Wiffle ball contests are not some kind of baseball preparation, just "being around the game." But Arenado said, "I'll tell you what, I make a lot of barehand plays and in baseball I do that, too. I'd be lying if I said I'd try those things in a game if I hadn't already in Wiffle ball."

Arenado also details his stance, routine and swing and demonstrates "flips," with Reynolds flipping him balls.

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Legal case against Rockies’ Reyes dropped Shortstop still awaiting ruling on possible discipline from MLB

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A domestic-abuse case against Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes is being dropped because Reyes' wife is not cooperating, Kerry Glen, deputy prosecuting attorney for Maui, Hawaii, told The Associated Press on

Wednesday.

Reyes still faces a decision from Commissioner Rob Manfred, who is reviewing the case and could issue a decision under a joint MLB-MLB Players Association policy that could include a suspension. Reyes was on paid leave and on MLB's restricted list pending resolution of the case and has not been in Spring Training.

"He remains on administrative leave until the Commissioner completes his investigation and imposes any discipline," said

MLB in a statement.

An MLB official told MLB.com on Wednesday that there is no timetable on when Manfred would meet with Reyes under the policy's proceedings. The Rockies declined to comment.

Reyes had pleaded not guilty to abusing a family or household member and was scheduled to go to trial Monday, the day of the Rockies' season opener against the D-backs. The charge stemmed from an Oct. 31 arrest at a luxury hotel in Maui, after a hotel security guard reported on a 911 call that Reyes' wife had injuries to her leg and scratches on her back.

Reyes posted $1,000 bond and was released, and he was ordered to stay away from his wife for three days.

Meanwhile, with a clear opportunity to grab a Major League job to begin his career, rookie Trevor Story had a standout

Spring Training. Rockies manager Walt Weiss informed Story on Tuesday morning that he had earned the job and would start Opening Day against D-backs standout pitcher .

Where all this leaves Reyes is unclear.

Manfred has had two ruling opportunities under the policy, which was agreed to with the players' union last summer.

Manfred issued a 30-game suspension to Yankees relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman after a domestic case, even though local law enforcement elected not to press charges. Manfred issued no discipline to Dodgers outfielder after allegations that he was involved in a bar fight, citing a lack of evidence.

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Struggling Jorge De La Rosa says he’ll be ready for Rockies’ opener Left-hander sputtered in his final Cactus League game Wednesday vs Milwaukee

By Patrick Saunders / The Denver Post | @psaundersdp | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Left-hander Jorge De La Rosa insists he'll be ready for opening day, even if his spring training performance says otherwise.

The Rockies veteran sputtered in his final Cactus League start Wednesday, giving up four runs on four hits in three innings to the .

Most disconcerting were De La Rosa's four walks, including three in the third inning, when he walked Ramon Flores to force in a run. At that point, De La Rosa let loose a scream of frustration.

Asked if he was upset with himself or home-plate umpire Jordan Baker's strike zone, De La Rosa said: "I don't want to talk about it. I didn't pitch very good."

De La Rosa said he's healthy but knows he didn't perform well during the Cactus League season, posting a 6.10 ERA.

"I didn't have the results I wanted to, but I will work on the things I have to work on to get better," he said.

Such as?

"Everything," he said. "I was pitching terrible today. I have to get ready for my next start."

Bullpen race. Colorado's bullpen probably will be a revolving door early in the season, but two pitchers are going in opposite directions. Right-hander Miguel Castro pitched a clean inning against the , but in the split-squad game in Mesa, Scott Oberg was torched for seven runs on six hits in one-third of an inning. Two of the hits were homers, including one by Chicago starting pitcher Jon Lester. It was the first home run for Lester in any professional-level game.

Story of camp. Rookie Trevor Story, who will make his major-league debut Monday as the starting shortstop, was awarded the 13th annual Abby Greer Award as the Rockies' spring training MVP. The award usually goes to young players developed by the club.

Story is hitting .354 with a 1.280 on-base plus slugging (OPS) and has hit six home runs, tied withNolan Arenado for most on the team.

The award is named for Greer, who was 6 when she died in a tragic accident near Coors Field.

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The Arenado Show. Third baseman Arenado will be featured on "Play Ball," a weekly MLB Network show geared toward youngsters that is scheduled to air April 16. Harold Reynolds hosts the program, joining other MLB analysts.

In one segment, Arenado talks about family Wiffle Ball games that still go on back in Orange County, Calif.

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Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes will not stand trial for domestic abuse Reyes could still face a suspension by Major League Baseball

By Patrick Saunders / The Denver Post | @psaundersdp | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. —Shortstop Jose Reyes' playing status with the Rockies remains in limbo, but he will not stand trial on charges of domestic abuse.

According to The Associated Press, prosecutors in Maui, Hawaii, are moving to dismiss the charges. Deputy Prosecuting

Attorney Kerry Glen told The Associated Press that she's dropping the case because Reyes' wife isn't cooperating.

Reyes, however, could still face a suspension by Major League Baseball.

The Rockies declined to make an immediate comment on the situation. MLB released the following statement

Wednesday: "(Reyes) remains on administrative leave until the commissioner completes his investigation and imposes any discipline."

Last month, commissioner Rob Manfred said, "My expectation is, once that process plays out, we'll be in position to act quickly."

Reyes was scheduled to go to trial Monday, the same day the Rockies open the regular season at Arizona. Reyes had pleaded not guilty to abusing a family or household member.

Rookie Trevor Story was named the Rockies' starting shortstop by manager Walt Weiss on Tuesday.

Reyes' situation is somewhat similar to that of closer Aroldis Chapman. Though charges against

Chapman were eventual dropped, he was suspended 30 games by Major League Baseball this month for a domestic violence incident in October. Chapman did not appeal the decision.

Chapman, 28, was accused of choking his girlfriend, Cristina Barnea, during an argument at his home in Davie, Fla.

According to police, Chapman then smashed a window of a car in the home's garage, grabbed a handgun and fired eight rounds inside the garage. The Broward County District Attorney did not file charges, but MLB still handed down the 30- game suspension.

Reyes has not participated in spring training with the Rockies. When cleared to play, he probably would report to the

Rockies' Salt River Fields facility in Scottsdale for extended spring training.

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Reyes, who has $48 million left on his contract and is the Rockies' highest-paid player, was arrested Oct. 31 at the Wailea

Four Seasons Resort. According to a recording of a 911 call released by police, a hotel security guard reported his wife had injuries to her leg and scratches on her neck.

He was placed on paid leave under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy, pending completion of the criminal proceedings.

Under the agreement signed last August between MLB and the players' association, discipline is not dependent on a criminal conviction. Manfred may discipline for "just cause," the same standard used under the sport's collective bargaining agreement. Discipline can then be appealed to baseball's independent arbitrator.

The Rockies have had only limited contact with Reyes while he was suspended.

"The whole thing, soup to nuts, the whole thing, is held underneath this (MLB) policy," general manager said recently.

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Jason Motte has sore shoulder, will miss opener with Rockies Motte signed a two-year, $10 million deal during the off season

By Patrick Saunders / The Denver Post | @psaundersdp | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — A crack in the Rockies' rebuilt bullpen has appeared five days before the team's season opener.

Right-hander Jason Motte, the late-game reliever signed as a free agent to bolster a revamped bullpen, has a strained shoulder and will miss Monday's opener at Arizona. He will likely be placed on the 15-day disabled list. Motte, however, does not think the injury is serious.

"I had (the team) look at it and it's just a little shoulder strain and I need to give it a little rest and let it calm down," Motte said Wednesday. "I will strengthen it back up and get my arm to where it needs to be."

Motte said his shoulder didn't feel right after his last outing on March 24 against Seattle, during which Motte pitched a scoreless inning. He experienced soreness the following two days so he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging examination and it revealed the strain.

"He's got a little shoulder strain," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He's going to be down for a little bit. I don't see it being a long time."

Motte's injury makes left-hander Jake McGee the favorite to be the closer to open the season. McGee was acquired from

Tampa Bay during an offseason trade for outfielder Corey Dickerson.

Weiss is not ready to announce who his closer will be.

"I haven't talked to the bullpen about their roles yet," Weiss said. "I would rather talk to them first."

Motte, 33, signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Rockies. He was one of the favorites to land the closer's job before being injured even though he had an ugly 9.53 ERA over six spring-training appearances. His spring statistics were skewed by a poor performance March 20 against San Francisco when he was raked for four runs on four hits while getting just two outs.

Pitching for the Chicago Cubs last season, Motte went on the disabled list on Aug. 24 with a shoulder strain and missed the rest of the season. He did not pitch in the Cubs' postseason.

He said the discomfort he is feeling now is different, and less severe, than what he felt in August, noting that the current soreness is in the back of the shoulder, whereas last year the pain was under his shoulder blade. 16

He said strength and movement tests he's undergone the past few days convinced him the injury is not serious.

"It doesn't feel at all like last year, so that's one of the reasons why I'm not worried," he said. "It's nothing crazy."

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Colorado Rockies RHP prospect Ryan Castellani uses movement, deception to stay on track

By Bobby DeMuro / Purple Row | @BobbyDeMuro | March 31st, 2016

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- Watch starter Ryan Castellani (No. 19 PuRP) work for a few innings, and it becomes pretty evident he's not exactly like most other right-handed pitching prospects in the organization. As general manager Jeff Bridich loads up on , , , German Marquez, —hard-throwing, over the top power righties—Castellani stands out, as you can see by watching the video (above) of a few innings of his work during an intrasquad game.

That's not to say Castellani is a soft-tosser—far from it—but a three-quarters delivery with built-in deception to righties and a lot of arm-side run on his fastball certainly make Castellani a little unique among the classic "tall-and-fall" pitchers so plentiful in the organization. We've seen pitchers like this recently; Parker French is an interesting comp for Castellani and the two do a lot of similar things on the mound.

This approach has worked for the Arizona high school product, too; he'll turn 20 on Friday, and yet he's already knocking on the door at High-A Modesto in the . His sinking two-seam fastball, and how he uses it to set up his off speed pitches, has been a big reason why.

"By my sophomore year of high school, that was the only fastball that I had, and I didn’t really even consider it a pitch,"

Castellani says of his two-seamer after the above outing on the Rockies' back fields in Scottsdale. "I would just throw it down the middle and it would run a lot. That’s always been my number one pitch, I’ve always had success with it by just throwing it over the plate and letting it move. It’s never felt like a pitch that I’ve got to aim somewhere to come over the plate. It’s just come natural."

"Then last year with [Mark Brewer, the ' pitching coach], that was when I really got that extension-side four seam fastball," Castellani adds. "That’s the one that would stay on that side of the plate, and it wouldn’t go back over the middle, where before I would get in trouble trying to go away to right-handed hitters and it would come right back down the middle."

Last year with 'Brew,' as the players call him, was a formative time for Castellani. Statistically, he didn't stand out as much as teammates like Sam Howard, but the young righty took on Low-A as a teenager and acquitted himself very well in the

18 first full season of his professional career in a hitter's environment, starting 27 games and logging promising walk (2.3

BB/9) and (7.5 K/9) rates.

Maybe more than anything, it's refreshing to see Castellani's low walk rates (a) considering the competition last summer was three years his senior, and (b) considering the natural movement on his fastball could theoretically get unpredictable during moments of struggle inevitable for any teenager. That never really happened to the tall righty, and now he's focused on improving the consistent of that movement to his arm side, too.

"That was the biggest thing last year," Castellani says of developing arm-side quality, especially for his off-speed pitches.

"I would only throw changeups to lefties and sliders to righties, but realizing that a slider coming from the right side into a lefty can be a very beneficial and effective pitch, I’m more comfortable with that. Then, having that big two seam, one of the keys I’m really trying to work on right now is being able to throw that at [a lefty's] hip, and have it come back over the inside part of the plate, and not just have it run back to the middle sitting on a tee."

Speak to him for fifteen minutes and you quickly realize Castellani's baseball IQ is beyond his age. He seems to generally have a handle on the theories behind pitching, and specifically understands what it takes to make his own unique attributes successful. But, as he's quick to point out, he's not the only person in his development equation; just as Howard has done in conversations with Purple Row before, Castellani raves about his time with Brewer.

"He really knows how to explain things in a very clear way to help you understand what he’s trying to get across,"

Castellani gushes. "A lot of good metaphors and ways to help. Brew a really great guy. Very funny, easy to talk to, and he just knows so much about baseball."

"One of the biggest things Brewer would say is pick up home plate and move it," Castellani continues. "Going into a lefty

I’d move home plate to the left, try to throw the ball down the middle to that home plate, and it would be where I want it.

It’s simplifying my thinking, picking up a different visual target, and throwing a straight line to there. Brewer did a great job with that."

"Pitching can get very complicated," he muses. "But it gets very easy if you simplify things. It doesn’t need to be complicated."

That's quite the mature understanding for a man who turns 20 years old tomorrow.

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Jose Reyes’ domestic violence charge to be dropped, per report Because of an uncooperative witness, prosecutors are dropping the charges against Jose Reyes

By Ryan Schoppe / Purple Row | March 30th, 2016

The Associated Press is reporting that the charges against Jose Reyes are being dropped. Unfortunately, as is often the case in domestic violence cases, Reyes' wife is refusing to cooperate with the prosecutors which makes it extremely difficult to win a trial. Reyes trial date was set for April 4th, which was also opening day for the .

This does not mean that Reyes' won't be suspended, however, as MLB has already set precedent in the Aroldis Chapman case that a domestic violence incident can still result in a suspension even without the offending party being found guilty in a court of law.

Reyes has been on paid administrative leave since the beginning of Spring Training awaiting the outcome of his case, and

MLB has acknowledged that they were waiting for the outcome to be determined before handing down the suspension, so this will expedite that process now.

We will have more on Reyes' situation as it continues to unfold.

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Colorado Rockies reliever Jason Motte likely to miss Opening Day with shoulder injury Rockies have lost a bullpen option before the season even starts

By Ryan Schoppe / Purple Row | March 30th, 2016

For those paying close attention to such matters, Jason Motte has not pitched in a spring training game since March 24.

Now we know why. He is out an indefinite amount of time with a strained shoulder, according to a report by the Denver

Post's Patrick Saunders.

After signing a two-year deal with the Rockies this past offseason, Motte was expected to be a solid part of the Rockies bullpen this season. His spring ERA was high due to a couple of home runs allowed, but he had struck out four while walking none in 5⅔innings pitched. Now there's a decent chance he will start the season on the disabled list.

Shoulder injuries for pitchers can be extremely worrisome and in worst case scenarios can end a pitcher's career faster than any other type of injury. They sap velocity and are unable to be repaired as effectively as elbows are these days. As more details of the extent of Motte's injury are revealed we'll have a better idea if it's just a minor injury and if he'll be back to form sooner than not.

Motte's injury does open up a spot in the bullpen battle that was previously locked up and should make it easier for either

Scott Oberg and Miguel Castro to make the roster as well.

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Colorado Rockies minor league scouting video: Middle infielder Emerson Jimenez Rockies have lost a bullpen option before the season even starts

By Bobby DeMuro / Purple Row | @BobbyDeMuro | March 30th, 2016

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- Now entering his fifth year of , Emerson Jimenez ought to be more or less a known entity in the minds of the Colorado Rockies. Never will he hit for power, or average; any and all utility the organization can find in him centers on his defensive production and positional flexibility across the infield.

That is, of course, best exemplified by Jimenez's .245/.269/.320 slash line. Middle infielders need not be sluggers, and any power at those positions in many cases is a bonus, but impact players at higher levels of the minors and then the big leagues need to have a stronger career OPS than .589.

Nevertheless, I find it hard to discount Jimenez completely. He'll never be the Rockies' starting shortstop, but he does have time to grow into quality organizational depth. He only just turned 21 years old, spending his age-20 season last summer split between Low-A Asheville and High-A Modesto; in the California League, Jimenez slashed just

.216/.241/.307, but he was nearly three years younger than his average opponent. That age—and Jimenez's timetable through the minors—gives me hope that he's someone who can develop his game just enough in the next several years to eventually find himself on the margins of the conversation in 2018, or something, when he's still young.

Sure, maybe that's damning him with faint praise, but there are big league jobs to be had on those margins; Jonathan

Herrera has made a career of it (granted, he was a better hitter than Jimenez to the same point in his own minor league journey). Tony Wolters, Rafael Ynoa, and others are trying to make a career of it now. That role is valuable.

Jimenez has some things working in his favor here; he switch hits, which is always a nice asset to dream on for any

National League roster regarding bench flexibility. He's also smooth in the field. I haven't taken any infield video of drills or defensive work this spring, but it's been interesting to watch Jimenez's position group work on defending shifts; he's certainly talented with soft hands. Hell, MLB.com called him the best pure shortstop in the Rockies' organization as recently as last year. How well he does with that will go a long way in determining how far he can go in professional baseball.

At the plate, then, he needs to learn to do just enough as he develops. No, a .197/.219/.275 slash line—Jimenez's combined 2015 totals between Asheville and Modesto—is not enough. But the year before, as a 19-year-old in Asheville,

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Jimenez slashed .259/.276/.342. Nothing to write home about, but certainly combined with above-average defense it might be enough to keep him in the conversation moving forward.

The point is, I'm loath to write off a kid entering his age-21 season at what will likely be High-A Modesto when he's such a well-regarded defensive whiz. Emerson Jimenez needs to do more at the plate than be the automatic out he was in 2015, but assuming he's developed as he should have over the last year, perhaps his second crack at the California League will lead better results and a relatively brighter outlook by the end of this summer.

Check out his batting practice video, above, alongside a pair of at-bats the 21-year-old received in a recent intrasquad scrimmage at Rockies' spring training.

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Rockies’ immediate promotion of Trevor Story raises some concerns Have the Rockies managed to throw cold water on their best story of the spring?

By Matt Gross / Purple Row | March 30th, 2016

The Colorado Rockies announced yesterday that Trevor Story will be the Opening Day shortstop, and with it, told you one of two disappointing things:

1. They don't believe he'll ultimately be a player good enough to hold down for an extra year of control.

2. They're prioritizing three weeks in April of what's likely to be a lost 2016 season over a full year of control in 2022.

I'm not sure which is worse, but either way it puts a damper on the player I was most excited about this spring. Either the

Rockies don't believe in the kid as much as I do and expect him to struggle or flame out at some point, or the front office just isn't disciplined enough to pick the low-hanging fruit in front of them, which is exactly the type of thing they need to take advantage of if they're eventually going to compete with clubs who have access to greater resources and aren't operating at a built-in competitive disadvantage.

The frenzy of spring will try to spin this into a story of the club rewarding a young player who worked his tail off, has the right attitude, and can re-solidify a position that's been a strength for years, but unfortunately the system just doesn't work that way. The part about Story working his tail off and being awesome is certainly true, but the Rockies can't justify rewarding that type of production with an Opening Day roster spot if they're smart considering their likely position in the

2016 standings.

This isn't the Rockies' fault, and this isn't Trevor Story's fault, but the system is set up so that only a fool would call up a potentially great player at the start of a likely lost season while wasting a year of control down the road. This is not the way the Rays did business with , this is not the way the Cubs did business with Kris Bryant, and this is not the way the 2013 Rockies did business with Nolan Arenado. All of those teams I mentioned had a much better chance at playing meaningful baseball down the stretch entering those seasons than the 2016 Rockies do.

This is just so, so infuriating. Looking back, is there anyone who now gazes at 2013 and wishes the Rockies called up

Nolan Arenado three weeks earlier? Sure, it was obvious he was the best option at third base that spring, earned the job and was ready to face MLB pitching ( and Reid Brignac spent most of April at third base), but Dan O'Dowd and that Rockies front office did the smart thing and held Arenado down to start the season because they believed in him

24 long term. I'm sure he wasn't happy, but Arenado went to Colorado Springs for three weeks and posted a 1.059 OPS before being called up and everybody got over it. Thanks to that move, the Rockies now have control of Arenado's services through 2019 instead of through 2018. So I ask again, is there anybody now who would rather only have control of Arenado for three more years instead of four?

This is just the latest in a long line of disappointments this front office has handed their fans. I was really looking forward to a late-April Story call up. I expected him to rake in Albuquerque, come up after 25 games, and then be a quality shortstop I could be excited about for the foreseeable future. Now, this lost year of service time is going to be hanging over the heads of the more analytical fans all summer. Every home run, every great defensive play for a team 15 games under .500 will be played out against the backdrop of knowing he could have been doing it for an extra year down the road where the Rockies might actually be competitive.

All that was needed was an ounce of patience from Jeff Bridich and his staff. But, nope; they either don't believe Story is good enough to stick at the major league level in his first try (which would be more disappointing than infuriating) or they actually think they can compete with this team in this division. That second option is frightening since it would display a lack of self-awareness -- and would match most of what the club has done over the winter and throughout its history.

Of course, there are scenarios here where this could work out perfectly. Story could struggle just enough to get sent down for a month, make the adjustment, and then be a great player for the Rockies for years, but with this decision today, you now have to squint to see that scenario.

No matter the situation, you can always find best-case scenarios if you look hard enough. Sadly, the front office's job isn't to bet on best-case scenarios -- it's to weigh all the factors in play and make the best decision (usually a long-term one) possible for the club, and it appears that once again, this crew has failed to do so.

Jon Gray trying to stay patient with Rockies' season-opener out of reach - Nick Groke / Denver Post

Another extremely important piece of the Rockies’ future is going to start the year on the sideline, but Gray knows that he has to wait this thing out because having him healthy for the final 90 percent of the season is more important than rushing him back with an injury that's a major risk to reoccur.

The Top 175 MLB Prospects for 2016 - John Sickels / Minor League Ball

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As usual when it comes to these lists, the Rockies are well represented. Ten of the top 107 players on the list are from

Colorado's farm, which is extremely impressive (Trevor Story comes in 60th). Now the key is to develop these guys into quality MLB talent.

Playing short 'a dream come true' for Story - Thomas Harding / MLB.com

This is a really nice little piece from Harding about the moment Story was told he was going to make the major leagues.

It's just unfortunate for Rockies fans that it couldn't have come a few weeks later.

Ichiro Suzuki is joining a new club - Henry Druschel / Beyond the Box score

There's some fun facts in here about Ichiro being the oldest player in the game and how he ranks against other players who have been in the same position. Not surprisingly, there's plenty of Hall of Famers here.

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Colorado Rockies has top tier farm systems according to Baseball Prospectus Baseball Prospectus ranks the Rockies among the best farm systems in baseball.

By Eric Garcia McKinley / Purple Row | @garcia_mckinley | March 30th, 2016

The Rockies farm system is ranked among the best in baseball. This is becoming old news, but it is news nevertheless.

We know that the Rockies farm system is good. We've covered multiple top 100 prospect lists and farm system rankings that illustrate the point quite clearly. And yet, it's still exciting every time a new ranking pops up. Once again, ranked among the best organizations in baseball.

Baseball Prospectus places the Rockies' system third. This ranking is formatted slightly differently than other ones.

Instead of a straight ranking, they place the organizations into tiers so that like is grouped with like. They place the

Rockies in the top tier here, along with the Dodgers, ranked first, and the Braves, who rank second. It's a little like saying

Larry Walker, Carlos González, and Brad Hawpe are the best right fielders in Rockies history. They might be ranked 1-2-

3, but there's a clear top tier there.

As Jeffrey Paternostro and Wilson Karaman note in their write-up, the Dodgers, Braves, and Rockies have each "taken a different path to the top of the mountain." The Dodgers have invested heavily in the international market, while the Braves have re-stocked via trades. The Rockies are ranked highly because of high draft picks and a series of very strong drafts, which has given the system a lot of depth. They note that seven of the organization's top ten prospects are top 45 draft selections. Some of them, namely Jon Gray and possibly Jeff Hoffman, will graduate this year.

Some of the "next batch" of prospects are also draft products. They name Dom Nunez and Jordan Patterson among them. Not only that, but international finds Raimel Tapia , and "tooled up project Pedro Gonzalez" demonstrate that the Rockies have also found success outside of the draft.

The Rockies have received a lot of criticism, from those who follow the team closely but also from national writers, for not commencing a nuclear rebuild in the vein of the Astros or Cubs. This ignores the fact that they've been subtly rebuilding with strong drafts over the past several years. It's true that they've been able to do so by fielding poor teams, and it's also true that Rockies are doing things a little bit differently. Nuclear rebuilders don't sign the likes of Chad Qualls and Gerardo

Parra to multi-year deals.

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But "different' doesn't have to mean "bad"—or shortsighted, or inept, or any other common epithet. And again, having a top tier farm system doesn't guarantee success. Some of the Rockies prospects will fail. But the state of the organization can't but lead to legitimate excitement and optimism for what's to come in the next few years.

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MLB Rumor Central: Future of Jose Reyes in Colorado

By Doug Mittler / ESPN.com | March 30th, 2016

The future of Jose Reyes with the Colorado Rockies remains unclear even after news broke Wednesday that Maui prosecutors are moving to dismiss a domestic abuse charge against the suspended shortstop.

A source with knowledge of the case told ESPN's Pedro Gomez that just because the prosecutor's office won't press charges does not mean MLB will let the case drop. The source told Gomez that Reyes' situation is similar to that of

Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, where the Broward County District Attorney did not file charges but MLB still handed down a 30-game suspension.

Reyes likely faces a suspension and there is no guarantee of a job waiting for him when he returns. The Rockies have big plans for rookie Trevor Story, who had a standout spring training and was told Tuesday that he would be the Opening Day shortstop.

Reyes’ roots in Colorado also are not all that deep. The Rockies took on his salary last summer as part of the deal that sent Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto, and he soon was telling reporters he would welcome a trade out of Denver.

But Reyes is owed $56 million through the 2017, so finding him a new home would not be easy, assuming the Rockies are looking to deal. There is no team in glaring need of a shortstop, which is one the reasons free agent Ian

Desmondsigned with the Rangers as a .

When cleared to play, Reyes will likely report to the Rockies' extended spring training facility. This is a saga that may take a while to run its course.

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Lester strikes out 10, homers to lead Cubs over Rockies 10-0

By Associated Press / ESPN.com | March 30th, 2016

MESA, Ariz. -- Jon Lester struck out 10 in five innings and hit a two-run home run to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 10-0 win over a Colorado Rockies split squad on Wednesday.

Lester allowed only one hit and one walk to go along with the 10 strikeouts, which included striking out the side in the third and fourth innings.

"We got some good work in today," he said. "The cutter was good, which is good because it means I am staying on my line."

His homer off Scott Oberg highlighted a seven-run fourth inning in which the Cubs hammered out two doubles, both by David Ross, and Lester and Kyle Schwarber went back to back.

Rockies starter David Hale went 2 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits, three runs -- one earned -- walked one and struck out two.

"I thought he threw the ball well," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. "He had one of the better changeups I've seen from him. It could be a good weapon for him."

Ross had three doubles and four RBI to power an offense that had 17 hits, with at least one hit by every Cubs starter except center fielder Matt Szczur, who reached base twice.

Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds had two of Colorado's five hits.

STARTING TIME

Cubs: Lester will take the 10:1 strikeout ratio, but he was happier that he was throwing pitches where he wanted.

"We got to the point where we could execute the pitch we were trying to, to get the guy out," Lester said. "With that being said, I like first or second pitch outs. There weren't a lot of deep counts. I don't read into the strikeouts, but the execution of the pitch."

Rockies: Hale, who was optioned to Triple-A on March 25, had his spring delayed early on by a hamstring.

"We are trying to build him up right now," Weiss said.

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TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: Dexter Fowler (tightness in left side) missed his third straight game, but is expected to be OK for the regular season.

Rockies: Late-inning reliever Jason Motte (sore shoulder) has been shut down since March 24 and could start the year on the disabled list. He was battling Jake for the closer's job.

"I don't see it being a long time," Weiss said, "but he's down now for the time being."

BAEZ BUMMED

Cubs utility player Javier Baez will start the year on the disabled list. He bruised his thumb sliding into first base while trying to avoid a tag and hasn't played since March 20.

He needs to see some live pitching before joining the Cubs in time for the home opener on April 11.

"I'm not mad about it," Baez said. "I'm mad I'm losing my first opening day (in the majors). But I feel good. I hit two days in a row. When they come back, I'll be ready to play."

UP NEXT

Cubs: Chicago heads to Las Vegas for a two-game series beginning Thursday against the Mets, with prospect Ryan

Williams taking the mound against Paul Sewald.

Rockies: Colorado has a home game Thursday against the Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields with Kyle Freeland starting for the Rockies.

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Gennett homers off De La Rosa, Brewers down Rockies

By Associated Press / ESPN.com | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Scooter Gennett hit his fourth homer in eight games and singled against Jorge De La Rosa, helping the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-4 victory over a Colorado Rockies split-squad on Wednesday.

De La Rosa allowed four runs and four hits in three innings in his final tuneup before facing Arizona on opening day on

Monday. He walked four, one with the bases loaded.

"I pitched terrible today," De La Rosa said.

Not even facing a left-hander could slow Gennett in his return from a shoulder injury. The second baseman, who is a .124 career hitter against lefties, pulled a two-run homer to right in the second.

"It wasn't a big sample, but he certainly had some good at-bats against (lefties) this spring," Milwaukee manager Craig

Counsell said.

Colorado's Nolan Arenado also continued his impressive spring. The third baseman crushed a two-run shot to left off Blaine Boyer for his sixth homer. He is hitting .566.

Ariel Pena, trying to earn the final spot in Milwaukee's bullpen, started and allowed one run and three hits with two strikeouts in three innings.

STARTING TIME

Brewers: Pena, who made five starts for Milwaukee last season, walked one and threw 39 pitches.

Rockies: De La Rosa, who needed 68 pitches to get nine outs and had his ERA climb to 6.10, was asked what he needs to improve on before Monday.

"Everything," he said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: LF Ryan Braun, who played Tuesday after sitting out a week with soreness in his surgically repaired back, wasn't in the lineup. But Braun is expected to play the next two days in Houston.

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Rockies: Reliever Jason Motte has a shoulder strain that manager Walt Weiss says makes it "very possible" he'll miss the season-opening series against Arizona. "He'll be down for a little bit," Weiss said.

REYES REACTION

The Rockies declined comment on an Associated Press report that Hawaii prosecutors plan to drop domestic violence charges against shortstop Jose Reyes because his wife isn't cooperating.

Reyes has been on paid leave. Weiss said Tuesday that rookie Story would be the team's opening-day shortstop.

The next step is for Commissioner Rob Manfred to determine if there should be any discipline for Reyes under Major

League Baseball's new domestic violence policy. Reyes will remain on leave until that decision.

Reyes posted a meme to his Instagram account in Spanish that translates to, "The enemy wants me down but my God wants to see me above."

NO IPAD PRO

Don't expect to see Weiss holding an iPad in the dugout much during games, despite the deal announced by MLB that will give teams an advanced scouting app on the tablet.

"I don't really have time to be going through information during a game," Weiss said. "I've got a couple things that I go to, other than that, as a manager I've got to stay out in front of the game."

PHILLIPS GUN

Brewers prospect Brett Phillips showed off a strong arm in the eighth when he threw out Tim Smalling at the plate from right field.

TIME TO GO

It was the final game in Arizona for the Brewers, who will be play exhibitions in Houston and Biloxi, Mississippi, over the next three days before returning to Milwaukee for Monday's opener against San Francisco.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson starts Thursday at Houston. 33

Rockies: Prospect Kyle Freeland starts Thursday against Arizona. RHP Chad Bettis throws in a minor league game to avoid facing his Tuesday opponent.

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Prosecutors to drop charges against Rockies’ Jose Reyes

By ESPN.com News Services | March 30th, 2016

HONOLULU -- Maui prosecutors are moving to dismiss a domestic abuse charge against suspended Colorado

Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes because his wife isn't cooperating.

Deputy prosecuting attorney Kerry Glen said she expects to file documents Wednesday to drop the case. Reyes' wife won't talk to prosecutors or return to Maui, she said.

"The complaining witness, Mr. Reyes' wife, is what we call an uncooperative witness," Glen said. "At this point, I have no other avenue for prosecution."

Reyes was scheduled to go to trial April 4. He pleaded not guilty to abusing a family or household member. David Sereno, his Maui defense attorney, couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

A source with knowledge of the case told ESPN's Pedro Gomez that just because the prosecutor's office won't press charges does not mean MLB will let the case drop. The source told Gomez that Reyes' situation is similar to that of New

York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, where the Broward County District Attorney did not file charges but MLB still handed down a 30-game suspension.

A source told Gomez that Reyes will likely be suspended and that any punishment might not be handed down by the time the Rockies' season starts on Monday. Reyes has not had any spring training action and likely will report to the Rockies' facility in Scottsdale, Arizona for extended spring training, though a time frame for that is unknown.

MLB declined to comment on prosecutors' intent to drop the charge against him but said in a statement Reyes "remains on administrative leave until the commissioner completes his investigation and imposes any discipline." Rockies spokesman Warren Miller said the team had no immediate comment. The team is expected to wait until MLB decides on any discipline before addressing the issue.

Administrative leave is paid suspension, although Reyes will start accruing his $22 million salary Sunday, the day the MLB season opens. If the discipline becomes an unpaid suspension, he has the right to offset the time served against the penalty but must repay any salary he received during the paid suspension.

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The former shortstop was arrested Oct. 31 at the Wailea Four Seasons Resort. According to a recording of a 911 call released by police, a hotel security guard reported the woman had injuries to her leg and scratches on her neck.

The wife of Jose Reyes is not cooperating with prosecutors after Reyes pleaded not guilty to abusing a family or household member. AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File

Reyes was released after posting $1,000 bail and was ordered to stay away from his wife for three days.

Reyes' wife rebuffed requests for cooperation through a Maui attorney she hired, Glen said.

Glen will ask for the case to be dropped without prejudice, meaning she'll have about two years from the date of the alleged offense to refile charges if Reyes' wife eventually cooperates.

"For misdemeanor offenses, we cannot force an uncooperative witness to come back," Glen said.

He was placed on paid leave under Major League Baseball's new domestic violence policy pending completion of the criminal proceedings.

"Once that process plays out, I think we'll be in a position to have access to all the facts and be in a position to act quickly," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said earlier this month.

Reyes, who is owed $56 million through 2017, was acquired by the Rockies in the trade that sent Troy Tulowitzki to the .

A career .290 hitter, Reyes batted .259 with three home runs, 19 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 47 games with Colorado.

The Rockies finished 68-94, last in the National League West.

When Reyes returns to the Rockies this season, there's no guarantee he will be the team's starting shortstop.

Prospect Trevor Story was named the winner of the 2016 Abby Greer Award as the team's spring training MVP after batting .378 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in 45 at-bats entering Wednesday. Story, who hit 20 homers with 80 RBIs in two stops in the minors last season, was named the Rockies' Opening Day shortstop by manager Walt Weiss on

Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Rockies P Jason Motte’s shoulder may keep him out of opening series

By Associated Press | March 30th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Colorado Rockies reliever Jason Motte has a shoulder strain that manager Walt Weiss says makes it "very possible" he'll miss next week's season-opening series against Arizona.

The Rockies signed Motte away from the Chicago Cubs to a two-year, $10 million deal in December. He was competing with newly acquired Jake McGee for the closer's job.

Motte has a 9.53 ERA in six spring appearances and hasn't pitched since March 24. Weiss said Wednesday "he'll be down for a little bit" but it's not a long-term injury.

The 33-year-old Motte saved a NL-high 42 games with St. Louis in 2012.

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Criminal Charges Against Jose Reyes To Be Dropped

By Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors.com | March 30th, 2016

The criminal charges filed in Hawaii against Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes will be dropped, Jennifer Sinco Kelleher of the

Associated Press reports. The domestic abuse trial that had been schedule for Opening Day will not go forward, per the prosecuting attorney, because Reyes’s wife — the alleged victim — was not willing to cooperate in the case.

Of course, the termination of criminal proceedings does not mean that Reyes will necessarily avoid discipline from the league under its domestic violence policy. Commissioner Rob Manfred recently handed Yankees hurler Aroldis

Chapman a 30-game suspension despite the fact that — unlike Reyes — he was not arrested or charged in the incident in question. Chapman and the MLBPA also agreed not to appeal that ban, which some have suggested may have reduced its duration.

The charges stemmed from an incident on Halloween night last fall in which Reyes allegedly assaulted his wife in their hotel room. According to reports at the time, Reyes’s wife accused him at the time of grabbing her throat and pushing her into a sliding glass door. He was arrested as she was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Reyes has already been placed on paid administrative leave by the league pending the outcome of his case. He did not appear in Spring Training with the Rockies as a result. Now, Manfred faces the difficult matter of investigating and reaching a resolution on the matter with the regular season set to open in less than a week.

The Rockies, who acquired Reyes in last summer’s Troy Tulowitzki deal, owe the veteran shortstop $48MM over the next two years, including a buyout of a 2018 club option. Colorado would stand to avoid paying a pro-rated portion of that for whatever length of time, if any, Reyes is unavailable due to suspension. The Rockies seem set to utilize prospect Trevor

Story at shortstop in Reyes’s absence; needless to say, the future outlook for Reyes and the club remain unclear at this time.

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