SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A strong spring from David Dahl will not earn him a spot on the Rockies' Opening Day roster, but it sure made a good impression for when an opening does come.
The Rockies optioned Dahl to Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday. Dahl, 22, had a .274 batting average -- a major comeback from an 0-for-15 start -- and team-highs in home runs (five) and RBIs (18). Also sent to Minor League camp were two non-roster players, catcher Anthony Bemboom and right-handed relief pitcher Austin House.
The plan is to give Dahl, who didn't appear in the Majors last year due to a series of injuries that began during Spring Training, daily playing time rather than the small snippets that are available in an outfield that has three veterans in the last year of their contracts -- Gerardo Parra, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez.