It was only a few days after he received the disappointing news and Josh Hall wasn't in the mood for a cross-country road trip.

He didn't have a choice. He had to go home.

Hall was among the final minor league cuts made by the Colorado Rockies at the end of spring training last month. With no spot in Double-A or Triple-A awaiting him, he and his family had to drive from Tucson, Ariz. to Lynchburg, Va.

They left on a Tuesday at around 6:30 a.m. and made it home Thursday at about 1:30 a.m. The distance was roughly 2,100 miles and Joshua Jr. made them memorable.

"It was great," Hall said sarcastically. "Especially with an 18-month-old screaming his head off."

While this travel tale might seem like enough to make one re-think a life in baseball, Hall remains as dedicated as ever.

Before he even got behind the wheel, he decided what road his career was going to take next. He was coming back to the Atlantic League to play in Lancaster.

Hall and catcher Jed Morris signed with the Barnstormers Monday. The team has 17 players under contract as it prepares for the start of spring training next week.

Hall, 28, made 13 starts for the Barnstormers and was their de facto ace for two months last season. The 6-2, 190-pound righthander went 6-3 with a 4.10 ERA before the Rockies scooped him up and put him in Triple-A.

Although getting released by the Rockies this spring was a setback, Hall wasn't caught by surprise. He was told he would have to earn a spot during camp and he felt like the team viewed him as an insurance policy in case someone else suffered an injury.

No one did, so he was gone.

Hall said it was easy to figure out what came next. He still feels that he can pitch and he needed a job to support his family.

Lancaster was the obvious destination.

The Barnstormers were a good remedy for Hall's career troubles last summer. He came here from the Washington Nationals after being knocked around for an 8.40 ERA in seven games at Double-A Harrisburg and regained his focus in indy ball.

"Last year when I got released, I wasn't pitching well at all," Hall said. "I wasn't doing well mentally as much as physically.

"At that point it was a matter of, 'Should I continue to do this? Am I wasting my time?' I made the right choice. I came to Lancaster and got my stuff back. This year it wasn't a performance thing. It was one of those deals in baseball that happens."

Hall will join lefty Zack Parker and former major leaguer Trey Hodges in the Barnstormers' starting rotation.

The righthander hopes another strong month or two will be enough to earn him another look from a major league organization.

"I know I can pitch," Hall said. " … My goal is still to get to the big leagues. The quickest way to the big leagues is through the Atlantic League, if you're not playing with an affiliated team."

Morris, 29, was released by the Oakland A's at the end of spring training. The eight-year veteran played for Double-A Midland last season, hitting .261 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 35 games.

The Barnstormers plan to use Morris and Adam Shorsher in a timeshare behind the plate. Morris bats left-handed, making him a good complement to the righty-swinging Shorsher.

Morris played for Barnstormers manager Von Hayes in Oakland's system at Single-A Modesto in 2004 and at Midland in 2006.

The Barnstormers still have some shopping ahead of them. They need two more starting pitchers and several relievers to complete their roster.

The team is expected to carry 23 or 24 players into the first game, which is against Newark at Clipper Magazine Stadium on April 23.

E-mail: jguarente@lnpnews.com