Rob Bradford of The Boston Herald has an update on the Julian Tavarez/Colorado Rockies trade rumor, reporting that the Rockies remain interested in the versatile sinkerballer, who has been seldom used by the Red Sox recently.

The rash of injuries and ineffectiveness of the Rockies pitching (starters and relievers) would seem to make Colorado’s interest in Tavarez even greater.  Tavarez can start or relieve, and seems accepting of either role.  Says the 34-year-old, “If you let me pick, I’ll say I want to start.  But to me, I’m the kind of guy who will do anything for my team. Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do it. Like now, after not pitching for (12) days (before last night), you ask me what I want to do and I’ll tell you, ‘I just want to pitch,’ even if it was in batting practice in a batting cage.”

As Bradford writes, Tavarez has had decent success in Colorado, going 11-5 with a 4.43 ERA with the Rox in 2000 and has the same ERA in 41 appearances overall at Coors Field.  Bradford also notes that Colorado general manager Dan O’Dowd was the former Cleveland Indians executive who scouted Tavarez and then helped sign him to a contract with the Tribe when he was a teenager in the Dominican Republic.

Filed under: Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies