No Neifi For the Rockies

The fate of Neifi Perez is something we don't have to concern ourselves with in Detroit anymore, but since I wrote a post about him on Tuesday, I thought I should follow up with the latest developments.  Reports of Neifi signing with the Colorado Rockies appear to have been greatly exaggerated.  

The Rox called a Mulligan on that particular transaction yesterday, deciding not to bring back their former Gold Glove-winning shortstop after all.  What's up with that?  Apparently, Colorado's braintrust realized that they already have plenty of middle infield help, and Neifi was unlikely to beat out guys like Clint Barmes.  

There's a little bit of disagreement as to whether or not the Rockies backed out of a deal with Neifi.  The team says a deal had never been made official, so there was nothing to renege upon.  The players association, however, received the contract on Monday.  But all that's a moot point.  Neifi's once again on the open market.

And that probably means Reds manager Dusty Baker is looking forward to an inevitable reunion.  Up in his Spring Training tower, maybe he's contemplating whose career aspirations he'll crush by bringing Neifi into Cincinnati's camp.  (Pardon the digression, but what's with the tower?  Is Dusty trying to see how the safeties react to his offense's play-action fake from up there?  Okay, he says it's so he can look at four fields at once.)

(Image courtesy of RobotMonkeyPirate!)