Corpas clears waivers, hopes to rejoin Rox
Righty reliever becomes free agent after six years with Colorado
DENVER -- Rockies right-handed relief pitcher Manny Corpas has cleared waivers and has opted for free agency, but he said Wednesday he would like to return. The move was one of three the team made to clear space on its 40-man Major League roster.
Corpas, 30, said the Rockies explained they waived him to help clear space on the roster for younger players to prevent them from being exposed to other teams via the Rule 5 Draft. Corpas had the option of accepting an outright to Triple-A Colorado Springs, but he decided on free agency, giving him a chance to sign a Major League contract with the team before next season.
Corpas said he would pitch in Venezuela for Margarita starting in November to stay in shape. It would give him the opportunity to catch the eye of another club, but his expressed priority is the Rockies.
"I like it here and I know a lot of people here, and I live in Denver and it'll be better for me to get ready for next year, but we'll see," said Corpas, who pitched for the team from 2006-10, then returned in 2013 and was a reliable 1-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 31 appearances.
Corpas is best known as the closer on the 2007 team, which made the Rockies' lone World Series appearance. After that, Corpas dealt with elbow problems that eventually cost him the 2011 season. He pitched for the Cubs in 2012 before returning to the Rockies.
Also, the Rangers claimed left-handed pitcher Edwar Cabrera, who missed the entire 2013 season with a shoulder injury, and the Rockies outrighted right-handed pitcher Jeff Manship to Colorado Springs.
Manship (0-5, 7.04 ERA in 11 games, including four starts) also has the ability to opt for free agency. Manship pitched for the Twins from 2009-12.
Cabrera, who turns 26 on Sunday, struck out a combined 121 at Double-A Tulsa and Colorado Springs in 2012 and went 0-2 with an 11.12 ERA in two Major League starts that year. But in 2013, he arrived at Spring Training with shoulder soreness and eventually had surgery.
The moves reduce the Rockies' roster to 37 players.