"Kevin Slowey reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro this week but never pitched for the Rockies at 5,280 feet. The right-hander was shipped to the Cleveland Indians on Friday in exchange for reliever Zach Putnam without ever throwing a pitch for Colorado.

With Slowey gone, the Rockies turned their attention to adding another second baseman. They talked with the Red Sox about Marco Scutaro, but the deal fizzled given the Rockies' lack of financial flexibility and Boston's reluctance to part with the veteran without another everyday shortstop option. The Rockies remain strongly interested in the Mets' Justin Turner, who is a more attainable target.

As it stands, Chris Nelson, D.J. Le- Mahieu and Jonathan Herrera will compete for the second base job in spring training.

Slowey, acquired from Minnesota in December, became expendable when the Rockies landed pitchers Guillermo Moscoso and Josh Outman from Oakland earlier this week.

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd declined to discuss if Slowey's departure is related to the pursuit of a second baseman, sayingonly that he liked the deal with Cleveland.

"It just again falls into that category of (adding) young, power, controllable arms," O'Dowd said."