Clint Barmes, Jorge De La Rosa, and Taylor Buchholz Reach Deals with Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are reporting that the team has reached one-year agreements with SP Jorge De La Rosa, RP Taylor Buchholz, and 2B Clint Barmes, avoiding arbitration with the three players.

This comes just five days prior to the league's arbitration deadline.

It comes as no surprise to Rockies fans that the team had reached out to the three players, as they have been large contributors to the team in previous seasons.

The Rockies reached a one-year agreement with De La Rosa for a reported $5.6 million after the lefty led the league in strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher and led the club in wins. De La Rosa caught fire after his first 11 starts, in which he went 2-9. He won his next 14 straight games and achieved a record of 16-9.

Barmes was also no surprise, as he has been a solid fielder at second base. He has been with the club for six seasons at the major league level and was even a favorite to win rookie of the year until a broken collarbone benched him for months. Last season Barmes hit .245 with 23 home runs and 74 RBI.

If there was any surprise at all, it would have been from Buchholz, but not much of one. Taylor has proved that he can be one of the better relief pitchers in the league. He missed all of last year sidelined with an injury, but in 2008 Buchholz pitched in 66 games, had a record of 6-6, and had an ERA of 2.17. He has proved to be quite effective since being moved to the bullpen.

The club still needs to reach agreements with four other players that were offered arbitration, including closer Huston Street, who had 35 saves out of 37 chances, and relief pitcher Rafael Betancourt, who came over late in the season. In Betancourt's 32 games with the team, he had an ERA of less than two.

The club also needs to sign starting pitcher Jason Hammel and outfielder Ryan Spilborghs. Hammel was pivotal to the club with ace Aaron Cook on the disabled list, and Spilborghs often started in the outfield with the departure of Matt Holliday last season.