The Rockies accept concluded their 21-year amalgamation with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and switched their Triple-A amalgamation to the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Isotopes appear Wednesday afternoon.
The Rockies will additionally about-face their Double-A affiliation, demography over the New Britain (Conn.) Rock Cats of the Eastern League, that club announced. The Rockies accept been commutual with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers back 2004. The Los Angeles Dodgers are now accepted to accomplice with the Drillers.
Partnerships amid major-league and bush teams are usually based on two-year contracts. The Rockies and Isotopes accept agreed to a four-year deal.
The Rockies' Triple-A club will move into Isotopes Park, congenital from the old Albuquerque Sports Amphitheater at a amount of $25 actor and completed in 2003. Colorado Springs' Security Service Field was congenital in 1988 for the amount of $3.7 million.
"The Rockies are a chic alignment and are a accustomed geographic fit for us," Isotopes admiral Ken Young said. "We accept accepted them for several years and anticipate actually awful of the bodies with whom we will be working. Denver is a abbreviate flight or a quick drive from Albuquerque, and our admirers will calmly be able to biking to see our major-league club. The Rockies will accept a big attendance in Albuquerque and we attending advanced to allowance them authorize their cast in this market."
There are a cardinal of affidavit why the Rockies are breaking abroad from Colorado Springs. Rockies buying has declared its admiration to comedy in a added avant-garde ballpark, and Albuquerque Sports Amphitheater fits that bill.
Rockies admiral additionally accept been afflicted by the buying in Albuquerque and played exhibition amateur there in 2005 and 2010.
"We are captivated to coalesce our accord with the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Albuquerque association and their baseball fans," Rockies chief administrator of amateur development Jeff Bridich said Wednesday at a account appointment in Albuquerque. "From a development perspective, we are aflame that our players will alternation and comedy in a capital ability that is managed by a accumulation of capital bodies who are committed to accouterment a abundant acquaintance for our players."
The Rockies are the third major-league associate in Isotopes history, afterwards the Florida Marlins (2003-08) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2009-14).
At 6,531 feet, Security Service Field is the accomplished able baseball esplanade in North America, and casting there is a challenge. Throw in the capricious apprehension and the sometimes acrid bounce weather, and it is a actual difficult abode to perform.
Some Rockies pitchers, however, accept that casting in Colorado Springs is a acceptable training arena for Coors Field, which sits at 5,280 feet.
"I anticipate casting at Colorado Springs is actually an advantage for us," said right-handed amateur Christian Bergman, who has pitched for both the Rockies and Sky Sox this season. "We comedy bisected our amateur at distance and added teams appear in and accept to adjust. I anticipate that's adamantine for them.
"Yes, your breaking brawl doesn't breach as abundant in Colorado Springs, but I've abstruse to accomplish adjustments for that. So, absolutely, casting at (Colorado Springs) helps you get accessible for casting actuality in Denver. You apperceive what you accept to adapt for. For me, it's my curveball. I've abstruse how to accomplish it able here."
Albuquerque, however, at an acclivity of 5,312 feet, is actual commensurable to Coors Field.
Reliever Rob Scahill, who's spent best of the division at Triple-A and played a four-game alternation at Albuquerque, said he brand the ballpark there.
"It's got a big outfield and there is a lot of arena to cover, but as far as the facilities, I like it, I admired the stadium," Scahill said. "The ability is activity to be an upgrade, that's for sure.
"But I do anticipate you charge to angle at Colorado Springs to attempt actuality in Denver. If you can angle at 1,000 anxiety college and be successful, again you can accomplish in Denver. So I anticipate it's beneficial."
The accessible acumen of affective players amid Denver and Colorado Springs additionally has been a benefit. If the Sky Sox were arena in Colorado Springs, players could be alleged up bound to accompany the Rockies in Denver.
"We will accept to accomplish some adjustments as far as accepting players here," administrator Walt Weiss said. "But they're still abutting abundant (in Albuquerque) to accomplish it work. It's not like the players are on the East Coast or something. Colorado Springs is convenient. You can accomplish a backward (roster) move, but I still anticipate you can do that at Albuquerque."
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or twitter.com/psaundersdp