Joe Beimel returns to Jim Tracy, signs with Rockies

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Old Dodgers never die, and left-handed relievers don’t even fade away.

Joe Beimel may have waited until March 22, but he finally landed with another team when he signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies.

Beimel, who turns 33 next month, had been left dangling on the free-agent market a long time for someone who had enjoyed fairly recent success.

Beimel had put together an unimpressive five-year career until he signed with the Dodgers prior to the 2006 season and turned his career around.

Then for the next three years, he became a surprisingly reliable left-handed relief specialist. At least that’s what he convinced Barry ‘Puffy’ Bonds (one for 16).

He was a fan favorite, but his 2006 season (2-1, 2.96 earned-run average in 62 games) came with its infamous ending -- cutting his hand on a glass in a New York bar on the eve of the playoff series.

Still, he appeared in 83 games the next season and in 2008 was 5-1 with a 2.02 ERA.

Despite an 11-4 record and 3.03 ERA in his three years with the Dodgers, last season they let him sign with the Washington Nationals for one year at $2 million. His career, however, did something of a U-turn.

Traded at midseason to the Rockies, he was a combined 1-6 with a 3.58 ERA. Then came his long off-season.

Still, he showed enough to Rockies Manager Jim Tracy that ultimately he was wanted back in Colorado. Left-handed relievers find a way to keep going.

--Steve Dilbeck