hanging in the balance

With the Colorado Rockies reportedly closing in on signing free agent outfielder Michael Cuddyer while also showing interest in Carlos Beltran and Cody Ross, Seth Smith’s future with the club seemingly hangs in the balance. The former Ole Miss and Hillcrest Christian star could remain with the Rockies as a left-handed platoon player or a pinch hitter. Or, if the outfield picture gets too crowded, he could be dealt for a starting pitcher, which has been rumored for some time. Smith would appear to have some trade value. He had a good year in 2011, hitting .284 with 15 home runs and 59 RBIs, and he’s a good athlete in the outfield. But struggles against lefty pitching is a major flaw in his game. Smith, a second-round draft pick in 2004, has been with Colorado his entire career and was a rookie on the 2007 World Series roster. But player movement is just a fact of life in the big leagues these days.
P.S. A Matt Esquivel sighting: The former Mississippi Braves slugger, whose 2007 single-season homer record was broken this year by Ernesto Mejia, is playing for Navojoa in Mexico’s winter league. Esquivel, who turns 29 on Saturday, is hitting .211 with two homers in 19 at-bats; he homered Thursday. He has spent the last few seasons in the independent Atlantic League and hit .328 with 15 homers for Long Island in 2011.