Time for the full squad

The Rockies will conduct their first full-squad workout on Friday at Hi Corbett Field. For fans planning to be in the Tucson area, Tracy will bring all of the players to the Minor League conference room for his preseason talk at 10 a.m. The players will take the field sometime between 10:45 and 11, and practice until 1:30 or 1:45 p.m.

Pitcher will throw “live batting practice” to hitters, meaning they’re throwing at full speed but will have a screen in front of them to protect them from line drives. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca said the pitchers will be able to throw breaking and off-speed pitches, but he expects them to use about 85 percent fastballs.

Tracy is insisting that pitchers be more fastball-oriented. It’s not that they weren’t in the past. With Apodaca as pitching coach, there have been springs dedicated to commanding the pitch. But last season, Tracy saw some instances in which a fastball was needed but the hurler went with something else.