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Merrill's year one of ups and downs

The former Jesuit and University of Tampa star goes from Class A to Triple A and back again.

By ANTHONY GAGLIANO
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 21, 2002

Ronnie Merrill had to wonder if things could get any worse.

A day after being demoted back to Class-A Salem from Triple-A Colorado Springs, Merrill went out in the first inning and took a ground ball off his hand. The shot broke his thumb and put him on the disabled list for five weeks.

"The first day back from Triple A to have a ground ball come up on me, it's been frustrating," Merrill said. "Then to have to sit and watch (for five weeks), that was no fun."

Merrill's career was certainly on a different path entering the 2002 season.

A standout at Jesuit who starred at the University of Tampa, Merrill was selected by the Tigers in the seventh round of the 2000 amateur draft.

The shortstop hit .311 with short-season Oneonta in 2000 before batting .314 at Class-A West Michigan. A second successful stop earned Merrill a promotion to Double-A Erie, where he hit .293 in 37 games.

Merrill had shoulder surgery last winter, but after two spring training games in minor-league camp, he got called up to play in a few big-league Cactus League games.

With the season days away, that's when Merrill's year got flipped upside down. Detroit traded Merrill and pitcher Victor Santos to the Rockies for reliever Jose Paniagua.

"I was shocked to get traded," Merrill said. "I figured I wasn't going to play my whole career with one team, but this was definitely a shock. I was happy in Detroit. The Rockies have been just as good, but I had to adjust to a whole new organization."

Not only was Merrill disappointed to change teams, but he wasn't moving up. He had expected to start the year in Double-A with Detroit, but Colorado sent him to its advanced Class-A team in Salem, Va.

Merrill took the decision in stride and let his play show he deserved a promotion. For the Avalanche, Merrill hit .286 in 36 games when he received some great news.

On May 16, Colorado agreed that Merrill deserved a promotion, but he wasn't going to Double-A Carolina. Instead, the organization had a hole to fill at shortstop on its Triple-A team in Colorado Springs. "I was very excited," Merrill said. "It was a great opportunity to show what I can do."

The Pacific Coast League proved to be a tough adjustment for Merrill. He appeared in 19 games for the Sky Sox and his batting average dipped to .190. The speed he showed at West Michigan (20 steals in 116 games) was nowhere to be found and he had as many strikeouts (12) as hits in 63 at-bats.

"They thought my defense was very good, and offensively, they told me some things I need to work on," Merrill said. "But definitely, the one thing I learned in Triple A is a shortstop has to field well.

"Offensively, I have to do the little things -- hit grounders and line drives. Do exactly what the team needs me to do. Get bunts down and move runners from second to third with no outs. I was just hitting the ball in the air too much (at Triple A)."

But when the Rockies moved someone down from the major leagues, they decided to ship Merrill back to Salem for more seasoning.

"At first, I was disappointed when they sent me here rather than Double A," Merrill said. "Yes, it's a setback, but I'm still confident. I don't see myself that far away, and I know I can play at Triple A."

The broken thumb put Merrill's drive to get back to Triple A on hold, but he's healthy now and ready to resume the journey toward the major leagues. Just exactly when that'll happen remains a mystery.

"That's very hard to predict," Merrill said. "It all depends upon the organization you're with. Hopefully, I'll get an invite to big-league camp next year and open the season in Triple A. And then, I'll be up (in the majors) sometime next year. That's my goal."

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