The Rockies have signed 30-year old lefty starter/reliever Eric Stults to a minor league deal. Stults didn’t pitch last season. He last pitched in 2009 with the Dodgers. Stults has pitched in 35 games (24 starts) in parts of four years in the majors and he is 8-10 with a 4.84 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Stults is someone the Rockies know well from his days with the Dodgers and he will get a chance to make the pitching staff next spring.

The Rockies have signed 28-year old righty swinging catcher Matt Pagnozzi to a minor league deal. Pagnozzi played in 15 games for the Cardinals last season and he was 14 of 39 (.359 avg, .892 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer and 10 RBIs. He has now played in 21 games in parts of two years in the majors and he is 14 of 42 (.333 avg, .844 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer and 10 RBIs. His major league performance so far is likely a mirage as he is a career .214 hitter (.586 OPS) in his 8 years in the minors covering 571 games.

26-year old righty starting pitcher Udaldo Jimenez finished 3rd in the voting for the N.L. Cy Young Award. Jimenez started 33 games for the Rockies last season and he was 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He has now pitched in 117 games (116 starts) in his first 5 years with the Rockies and he is 50-36 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him win a Cy Young or two in his career as he has outstanding stuff.

UPDATE: (12/1/2010) - Ubaldo Jimenez has also finished 23rd in the voting for the N.L. MVP Award.

The Rockies have dealt 31-year old righty swinging 2B/SS Clint Barmes to the Astros for 27-year old righty starter/reliever Felipe Paulino. Barmes played in 133 games for the Rockies last season and he was 91 of 387 (.235 avg, .656 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 8 homers, 50 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. In 8 years with the Rockies, Barmes played in 665 games in which he was 582 of 2,291 (.254 avg, .704 OPS) with 292 runs scored, 61 homers, 285 RBIs and 39 stolen bases. Paulino pitched in 19 games (14 starts) for the Astros last season and he was 1-9 with a 5.11 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. In parts of three years with the Astros, Paulino pitched in 47 games (34 starts) in which he was 6-21 with a 5.83 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Despite Paulino’s numbers he does have good stuff. He has a hard time with his control and dealing with lefty swinging batters so he might be better served pitching in relief. The Rockies will now be on the hunt for a 2B to replace Barmes in 2011.

The Rockies have released 27-year old righty reliever Manny Corpas. Corpas pitched in 56 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last season and he was 3-5 with 10 saves, a 4.62 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. He pitched in 280 games (0 starts) in parts of five years for the Rockies and he was 12-16 with 34 saves, a 3.93 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Corpas had Tommy John Surgery last September so his release comes a no surprise as he likely won pitch at all in 2011.