According to the Denver Post, progress was made over the holidays on a multiyear deal for infielder Jamey Carroll.
Carroll is still two years away from free agency, but the Rockies have it in their heads that they need to lock him up after his career year. They should take a lesson from what happened with the Brewers and Brady Clark a season ago.
Carroll is expected to lead a Colorado bench that will also include Jeff Baker, Clint Barmes, the backup catcher and probably Cory Sullivan. The team is about to add another left-handed hitter, possibly Darin Erstad or John Mabry, which would seem to increase the chances of Barmes getting dealt. There's already no room for Luis Gonzalez.