Top Rockies pick Reynolds trying to get a grasp on career with Sky Sox

The Rockies paid Greg Reynolds a lot of money to throw a baseball - they must have figured he would do it a little more frequently.

Reynolds, who has struggled through a mix of injuries and ineffectiveness since going to Colorado as the No. 2 draft pick in 2006, threw for the first time in five weeks on Monday before the Sky Sox game against Portland was suspended by rain after 41/2 innings with the Beavers leading 7-6. Reynolds did some light tossing from as far as 60 feet.

Inflammation in his scapula - diagnosed as bursitis - sidelined Reynolds after his opening night start for the Sky Sox. He hasn't stepped on a field since.

"It was something that started bothering me in spring training and I skipped my last start there," Reynolds said. "Then I threw opening night and it came right back. It's frustrating."

The situation must be frustrating for the Rockies, as well, who handed the 6-foot7 righty a $3.25 million bonus after selecting him out of Stanford.

Some of the picks taken after him include Evan Longoria (No. 3), Clayton Kershaw (No. 7) and Tim Lincecum (No. 10).

But that speaks as much to the inexact science of projecting baseball talent as it does anything Reynolds has done. Afterall, fellow top 10 picks Brad Lincoln (No. 4), Andrew Stubbs (No. 8) and William Rowell (No. 9) have yet to reach the majors.

Injuries haven't helped. Reynolds had shoulder surgery in 2007 and he's in danger of 2009 being a virtual washout. The only estimate he could put on his return is five or six weeks, and that brings him back with about three weeks remaining in the minor-league season.

Shutting him down for the season could be worth considering.

"Not in my eyes," he said. "I'm sure the trainers and doctors and everybody talked about it. But I don't think this injury is career threatening enough to do that. It's not serious so much as just a nagging type thing. I should at least be able to get some work in, and that's really what it's all about is just getting some work and innings in."

At 23, Reynolds has a long way to go before he can be dismissed as a bust, but the highest pick in club history isn't off to a good start. He has just two wins in 13 major-league starts to go with an 8.13 ERA and more walks (26) than strikeouts (22) in 62 innings.

"Now I've got to get lengthened back out, build up my arm strength and basically start over," he said. "Right now it feels just like I'm starting to throw at the beginning of spring training."

Given his track record as a pro and the potential he possesses, maybe a total restart isn't such a bad thing..