Ubaldo Jimenez just received a very nice raise from the Colorado Rockies as they two agreed on a four-year contract that will keep Jimenez in a Rockies uniform for quite a while. The contract is $10 million in guranteed money as well as club options in 2013 and 2014.

He will receive $750,000 in 2009, $1.25 million in 2010, $2.8 million in 2011 and $4.2 million in 2012. The club options are for $5.75 million in 2013 and $8 million in 2014. There is a $1 million buyout on the options

Rockies General Manager Dan O’Dowd had this to say:

“We like the type of kid he is,” Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd siad. “He’s got tremendous character and integrity. I think he’s bought into everything we’re all about.

I think he has a chance to be an ace with his ability, but he has some areas he needs to improve on before he’s able to do that.”

Congrats to the Rockies and Jimenez on getting a deal worked out!

It was a busy day on Wednesday for the Colorado Rockies as they signed five different players to minor league contracts. The two big names that most people will know are Scott Podsednik and Matt Belisle. The other three players that were signed to minor league deals were Dan Ortmeier, Edwin Bellorin, and Cedrick Bowers.

All the players are expected to be invited to spring training where they will compete for a major league roster spot.

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Jason Marquis is the newest member of the Colorado Rockies and he will be thrown right into the starting rotation when he comes to spring training. Marquis had played the last two seasons with the Chicago Cubs but was a back of the end starter for them and was often skipped over in his starts.

The Rockies sent the Cubs reliever Luis Vizcaino in exchange. The Cubs will also pay $875,000of Marquis’s contract. Marquis will be a free agent after the 2009 season. He went 11-9 with a 4.53 ERA last year for the Cubs.

Marquis also swings the bat very good as he has a career .206 average with 40 rbi’s. He can also hit the long ball which he did a couple of times for the Cubs.

Good move for the Rockies even though they improve the payroll by $5 million.

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