Results tagged ‘ Charlie Blackmon ’
Carlos Torres to get the call for Rockies; Blackmon to Triple-A DL
Right-handed pitcher Carlos Torres, who pitched for the White Sox in 2009 and 2010 and spent last season in Japan and has made five starts at Triple-A Colorado Springs, will join the Rockies on Friday for the weekend series with the Braves at Coors Field.
Torres, 29, who was 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA in 13 games including six starts with the White Sox, takes the roster spot of right-handed pitcher Jhoulys Chacin, who was sent down to Colorado Springs on Wednesday.
Torres is 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in five starts for the Sky Sox. He has 25 strikeouts against 11 walks, with five of those walks coming in his first outing of the season.
The Sky Sox had scheduled him to start Friday night’s game at Sacramento.
Last season, Torres went 1-2 with a 6.26 ERA in six starts for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.
For now the Rockies plan to use Torres as a long man out of the bullpen. It’s not clear who will start Monday night, which would have been Chacin’s next turn.
The Sky Sox replaced Torres with Brandon Hynick, a onetime prospect who threw a perfect game for the Sky Sox in 2009. Hynick was traded to the White Sox in late 2009 for right-handed pitcher Jose Contreras. Hynick rejoined the Rockies’ organization after being released by the Reds this spring, and has been pitching at the Rockies’ extended spring training.
In another move, left-handed hitting outfield prospect Charlie Blackmon was placed on the Colorado Springs seven-day disabled list with turf toe in his right big toe. It was the same injury that helped short-circuit his chances of making the Rockies during Spring Training.
Blackmon is hitting .203 with one home run and five RBIs in 17 games since being activated.
Tulo feels stiffness during BP but expects to be ready for Opening Day; Blackmon also takes BP
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki wore a tight, white sleeve on his left elbow while taking swings in the batting cage and reported improvement in his sore left elbow.
But Tulowitzki, hit on the elbow by a pitch from former teammate Ubaldo Jimenez on Sunday, said he will play in Wednesday’s Spring Training finale against the Mariners at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. More importantly he expects to be ready for Friday night’s opener against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
“Today felt good,” Tulowitzki said. “Tomorrow I’m pretty sure I’m in there. I’ll give it a go, and hopefully all signs point to being fine.”
The ball came off Tulowitzki’s bat with authority.
“I didn’t feel any pain,” he said. “It’s obviously a little tight, so the amount of extension I’m getting isn’t as much as it normally is. But with another two day, three days of treatment I should have full motion.”
Tulowitzki will protect the elbow with padding.
Another injured Rockies player, outfielder Charlie Blackmon, whose chance to compete for an Opening Day roster spot was scuttled by a right big toe injury, took batting practice Monday as well.
Blackmon has been running, but not at full intensity. Blackmon, who hit .255 in his 27-game debut with the Rockies last season before a broken foot ended his year, had a strong start to the spring. However, he dropped to .233, then was hurt. It opened the door for Tyler Colvin to earn that left-handed bench spot. Colvin carried a .385 average with three home runs and 18 RBIs into Tuesday’s game.
“It’s very frustrating,” Blackmon said. “Everybody is excited to start playing some real games that count, and I’m just going to stay here and finish up my spring.”
Blackmon hoped to play some games at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick later this week. He’ll play at Triple-A Colorado Springs and hope to earn a promotion to the Rockies.
“I think [the swing] will come back in a couple of days and I’ll feel like I did three weeks ago,” he said.
Big day for Rockies’ Moscoso in Tucson
The Rockies and Padres are gearing up for a Spring Training exhibition at Kino Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. — the place known as Tucson Electric Park back when the Rockies played there. This is the game that was called off because of bad weather a few days ago. This is big for Tucson, which lost all of its teams a couple of years ago. The fans should have a chance to see many members of the Triple-A Tucson Padres.
It’s even bigger for Rockies right-hander Guillermo Moscoso, who is fighting for a spot on the Rockies’ pitching staff and trending upward.
Moscoso, 28, obtained along with lefty Josh Outman from the Athletics for outfielder Seth Smith during the offseason, struggled in his frist two Cactus League appearances. He gave up four runs on five hits and two walks against the Cubs in his first appearance, and one run but four hits and a walk against the White Sox the next time he pitched. Granted, he was more concerned with putting pitches over the plate than anything else, but trying to make the team and possibly the starting rotation calls for more than that.
But Moscoso delievered in his last outing, throwing three scoreless innings against the Reds, striking out three and holding them to one hit and no walks. It looks as if rotation spots will go to Jeremy Guthrie, Jhoulys Chacin, Drew Pomeranz and, it seems likely, Juan Nicasio, who is making a dramatic return from a broken neck. Moscoso appears to be battling power pitcher Tyler Chatwood and 49-year-old lefty Jamie Moyer. A righty, Alex White, is in the mix; White will pitch in Tucson today. Outman was affected by the weather earlier in he week and needs to rebuild his stamina, so he might be more in line for a bullpen job.
Moscoso can work out of the rotation and the bullpen. If he continues to gain steam, he gives the Rockies a versatile arm.
Here is the lineup for the Rockies today in Tucson:
Eric Young Jr., CF
Jonathan Herrera, SS
Jordan Pacheco, C
Chad Tracy, 1B
Tyler Colvin, RF
Chris Nelson, 3B
Charlie Blackmon, LF
DJ LeMahieu, 2B
Guillermo Moscoso, RHP
Don’f forget, the Rockies will face the Giants at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick tonight, with Moyer pitching. Guthrie will pitch in a nighttime Minor League game at the complex.
A cold, rainy Sunday for the Rockies
Bad weather is playing havoc with the Cactus League today. The Rockies and Padres decided last night to postpone their scheduled game in Tucson, Ariz., until Thursday. But the Rockies still plan a game at Peoria, Ariz., against the Mariners, weather permitting.
Right-hander Tyler Chatwood will work against the Mariners, weather permitting, with lefty Josh Outman and righty Esmil Rogers scheduled to work in relief.
In an interesting lineup twist, Tyler Colvin, who has been impressive in his quest for a backup outfield job, will play first base. The versatility can help him. With the field expected to be wet, none of the Rockies’ regulars will be in the lineup.
Eric Young Jr., CF
Charlie Blackmon, RF
Jordan Pacheco, C
Tim Wheeler, LF
Chris Nelson, DH
Tyler Colvin, 1B
Nolan Arenado, 3B
Brendan Harris, SS
DJ LeMahieu, 2B
Multiple injury updates, lineups for Rockies-Dodgers
– After hitting and taking groundball Friday, Rockies third baseman Casey Blake — who must prove he is healthy after neck surgery last year to hold onto a starting job — planned a full workout on Saturday with hopes of playing Sunday. Saturday will be the sixth straight day Blake has missed five days because of soreness in the trapezius muscle.
– Left-handed pitcher Jamie Moyer was “virtually pain-free,” according to Rockies head athletic trainer Keith Dugger, when he threw a bullpen session on Saturday morning. Moyer planed a long day of strengthening, flexibility and treatment after the session. Moyer had been scratched from a Minor League start on Friday.
– Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, who left Thursday’s start with a blister on his right index finger, said Saturday morning he was about to throw a 30-35-pitch bullpen session. Chacin left his start Thursday with the ailment after throwing 44 pitches in three innings. He said he does not expect to have any problem making his next scheduled start, on Tuesday against the Padres at Peoria, Ariz.
– Chris Nelson, competing to step into the void at third base if Blake can’t answer the bell, will start Saturday against the Dodgers at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Other players in the lineup needing big performances to make the squad are outfielders Eric Young Jr. and Andrew Brown, and catcher Wil Nieves.
– Rockies righty Drew Pomeranz threw 35-40 bullpen pitches Friday, will throw again on Sunday, and will start in a game on Wednesday. Pomeranz left his last start with right glute tightness.
ROCKIESS LINEUP
ROCKIES RELIEF PITCHING
DODGERS LINEUP
Dee Gordon, SS
Mark Ellis, 2B
Andre Ethier, RF
Adam Kennedy, 1B
Juan Uribe, 3B
Tony Gwynn Jr., CF
A.J. Ellis, C
Cory Sullivan, LF
Nathan Eovaldi, RHP
DODGERS RELIEF PITCHING
Alberto Castillo, LHP
Fernando Nieve, RHP
Will Savage, RHP
Ryan Tucker, RHP
Logan Bawcom, RHP
Brent Leach, LHP
Nicasio to pitch against Athletics; Smith not making trip
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Rockies right-hander Juan Nicasio, coming back from a broken neck that he suffered last year, gets his first Cactus League outing today against the Athletics at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Nicasio threw two impressive innings in an intrasquad game on Sunday. Listen free to an exclusive webcast.
Nicasio has insisted all along he has no fear of balls coming back to him. He suffered the frightening injury last Aug. 5, when a line drive from the Nationals’ Ian Desmond struck him in the temple.
Interestingly, the Athletics have agreed to forego the designated hitter, so Nicasio will also have to bat.
For the second time this spring, the Rockies are starting Charlie Blackmon in the leadoff spot. Blackmon, batting for the fourth outfield spot, homered off the Giants’ Tim Lincecum on Wednesday. Also, catching prospect Wilin Rosario will start.
The Athletics are not bringing former Rockies outfielder Seth Smith, who was sent to Oakland during the offseason for pitchers Guillermo Moscoso and Josh Outman.
Here are the lineups:
ROCKIES BATTING ORDER
Charlie Blackmon, CF
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Carlos Gonzalez, LF
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Casey Blake, 3B
Wilin Rosario, C
Juan Nicasio, P
ROCKIES SCHEDULED RELIEVERS
Tyler Chatwood, RHP
Edwar Cabrera, LHP
Rafael Betancourt, RHP
Stephen Dodson, RHP
ATHLETICS BATTING ORDER
Jemile Weeks, 2B
Eric Sogard, SS
Coco Crisp, CF
Josh Reddick, RF
Kurt Suzuki, C
Brandon Allen, 1B
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Brandon Moss, LF
Brandon McCarthy, RHP
ATHLETICS SCHEDULED RELIEVERS
Jerry Blevins, LHP
Andrew Carignan, RHP
Grant Balfour, RHP
Fabio Castro, LHP
Keeping it simple for Chacin, who debuts today
Rockies right-hander Jhoulys Chacin’s 2011 season started in glowing fashion, when he held opposing batters to a .201 batting average before the All-Star break. By the end, everything seemed complicated. The Rockies dealt former ace pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez at the trading deadline, and it wasn’t simply enough to pitch. While never asked by his club, there was an implied requirement that he become an “ace,” not just a strong pitcher but a leader and face of the pitching staff.
Manager Jim Tracy’s goal going into 2012 is to make sure Chacin focuses on one simple task that makes everything else possible — repeat his delivery. Repeating the delivery allows him to spot his fastball, which makes his tremendous secondary pitches useful.
The Rockies’ signing of 49-year-old Jamie Moyer, who has a quarter-century on Chacin, and the trade with the Orioles for in-his-prime starter Jeremy Guthrie pretty much takes any leadership burden off Chacin’s shoulders. General manager Dan O’Dowd questioned Chacin’s conditioning before camp began, but Tracy
So Chacin makes his Cactus League debut today against the D-backs at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, and Tracy is telling him to keep it simple.
“I did have a conversation with him in this office,” Tracy said. “It goes back to taking this opportunity in Spring Training to work on his delivery and repeating it, not getting into jerking and stuff like that, where his fastball starts to run away from him. He’s working on pounding his fastball for strikes.
“I personally feel, and you’ve heard me talk about this a lot last year, that if there’s one guy in this camp who can do what we saw last year with an Ian Kennedy [with the D-backs], a guy that is capable of taking a quantum leap, to me it’s Jhoulys Chacin, with much-improved fastball command.”
Here is the Rockies’ lineup, updated with Troy Tulowitzki being scratched because of illness:
Eric Young Jr., CF
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Carlos Gonzalez, LF
Jason Giambi, DH
Jordan Pacheco, C
Charlie Blackmon, RF
Nolan Arenado, 3B
Chad Tracy, 1B
Jonathan Herrera, SS
A former Rockies top Draft pick, lefty Christian Friedrich, is scheduled to pitch after Chacin. Friedrich, taken 25th overall in 2008, struggled to 6-10 with a 5.00 ERA in 25 starts at Double-A Tulsa last year. But injuries affected his 2010 season and his preparation for 2011. This past winter, he spent time working out with the Phillies’ Cliff Lee, and the Rockies have placed his Spring Training locker beside that of Moyer. Friedrich is in better physical shape, and said the veterans have offered him a high level of information.
Veteran reliever Matt Belisle also is scheduled to throw.
Items of interest for today’s Rockies intrasquad game
– Rockies fans in the Scottsdale area can watch the game from a berm above Field 1 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. But get there early for the game, which should start at 10 or 10:15 a.m. The scrimmage might not go more than 4 1/2 innings.
– Eric Young Jr. has played the outfield twice, in Friday’s intrasquad game and Saturday’s 1-1, 10-inning tie with the D-backs in the Cactus League opener. But he will play second base Sunday.
– The intrasquad contest will be the first game action for right-handed pitcher Juan Nicasio, who has made remarkable progress in his return from a broken neck that he suffered when hit in the face by a line drive last season.
– There is plenty of competition for outfield jobs. Charlie Blackmon, Tyler Colvin and non-roster candidates Andrew Brown and Jamie Hoffmann will be competeing in the game.
– Righty Tyler Chatwood, obtained from the Angels for catcher Chris Iannetta during the offseason, makes his Rockies debut. Chatwood threw 142 innings for the Angels last year at age 21.
– Two hard-throwing relievers who could make a big impact thsi year — left-hander Rex Brothers, who is in line for chances to close games when Rafael Betancourt needs a rest, and right-hander Edgmer Escalona, who showed promise during a late call-up last season — are scheduled to appear.
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