Results tagged ‘ Chris Nelson ’

Rockies’ Tracy sees Dodgers’ Ted Lilly as another Jamie Moyer (only younger)

Dodgers left-handed pitcher Ted Lilly, 36, would be considered an old veteran if he weren’t in the same park as the Rockies’ Jamie Moyer, 49. Just call Lilly a younger version.

Lilly confounds the Rockies. he is 8-2 with a 3.84 ERA in 12 carer starts against them. His start against them tonight comes at a time when the Rockies are struggling to hit any pitcher like him. As the Denver Post’s Troy Renck reported today, Rockies third baseman Chris Nelson is 9-for-19 against lefty starters this season. The rest of the Rockies’ regulars, however, are 29-for-150 so far.

“He has some similarity to our left-hander by the name of Moyer,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “Ted Lilly is a very intelligent pitcher. He has tremendous know-how. He’s not going to give in. Sitting on pitches against Ted Lilly is not a real good thing to do, because he’ll throw any pitch in any count. That’s what makes him successful. He’s very confident that he can do that, especially in hitter’s counts.”

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has especially struggled against lefty starters this year — 3-for-21.

Still, the Rockies want the bat in Tulowitzki’s hands. Seven of Tulowitzki’s 13 RBIs have put the Rockies in the lead. The only players with more game-winning RBis are a pair of Dodgers — Andre Ethier (9) and Matt Kemp (8).

In an interesting lineup move, Eric Young Jr. will start in center field in place of Dexter Fowler and bat leadoff, with second baseman Marco Scutaro dropping from first to second. The switch-hitting Young is 2-for-4 with a triple against lefty pitchers, starters or relievers, this season.

Dodgers lineup

Dee Gordon, SS (.207, 0 HR, 4 RBIs)

Mark Ellis, 2B (.247, 0 HR, 2 RBIs)

Matt Kemp, CF (.417, 12 HR, 25 RBIs)

Andre Ethier, RF (.276, 5 HR, 24 RBIs)

James Loney, 1B (.232, 1 HR, 6 RBIs)

Tony Gwynn, LF (.250, 0 HR, 2 RBIs)

Adam Kennedy, 3B (.059, 0 HR, 1 RBI)

Ted Lilly, LHP (2-0, 0.90 ERA)

Rockies lineup

Eric Young Jr., CF (.294, 0 HR, 2 RBIs)

Marco Scutaro, 2B (.259, 0 HR, 1 RBI)

Carlos Gonzalez, LF (.303, 4 HR, 18 RBIs)

Troy Tulowitzki, SS (.282, 3 HR, 13 RBIs)

Michael Cuddyer, RF (.299, 2 HR, 12 RBIs)

Ramon Hernandez, C (.246, 4 HR, 14 RBIs)

Chris Nelson, 3B (.226, 0 HR, 4 RBIs)

Jhoulys Chacin, RHP (0-2, 5.85 ERA)

 

Rockies: Helton, Hernandez rest; Colvin gets a start

Rockies manager Jim Tracy decided Wednesday to give veteran first baseman Todd Helton and catcher Ramon Hernandez extra rest by not starting them in Wednesday’s first game of a doubleheader against the Pirates at PNC Park. Jason Giambi started at first base and Willin Rosario was the catcher.

Game 1 also gave the Rockies an opportunity to start Tyler Colvin in center field. Colvin, hitting .323 in part-time duty, started instead of Dexter Fowler, who is at .224 after getting a hit in Tuesday night’s 5-4 loss to the Pirates.

“Hernandez and Helton, just because of the opportunity to give them a few more hours to recharge their batteries,” Tracy said. “I’m looking at our lineup in Game 1 and Game 2 and feeling real good about the fact that these lineups right here can win on any given day.

“I’m not taking anything away from Dexter because I’m using Dexter in the second game, but I want to keep Tyler Colvin in play and try to find him games to be involved in.”

Tracy said he plans to start left fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who homered twice Tuesday night, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and right fielder Michael Cuddyer in both games.

Right-handed relief pitcher Zach Putnam, recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs as the 26th player (allowed under new Collective Bargaining Agreement rules for doubleheaders), will wear No. 54. Putnam was 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA, three saves, 11 strikeouts and three walks in five Triple-A appeareances. Last season, Putnam appeared in eight games with the Indians (1-1, 6.14 ERA, nine strikeouts, two walks), and came to the Rockies over the winter for pitcher Kevin Slowey.

The Pirates are a heavily right-handed hitting team, which plays into the hands of today’s starting pitchers, Juan Nicasio and Jhoulys Chacin. Nicasio has held right-handed hitters to a .226 career aveage in a big-league career that has consisted of 14 starts last year and three this yer, and Game 2 starter Jhoulys Chacin has held righties to a career .208 average. This year, righties are hitting .100 (3-for-30), the fourth-lowest average among right-handed pitchers in baseball.

Rockies, Game 1

Marco Scutaro, 2B (.224)

Tyler Colvin, CF (.323)

Carlos Gonzalez, LF (.278)

Troy Tulowitzki, SS (.293)

Jason Giambi, 1B (.273)

Michael Cuddyer, RF (.322)

Wilin Rosario, C (.261)

Chris Nelson, 3B (.239)

Juan Nicasio, RHP (1-0, 6.19 ERA)

Pirates, Game 1

Alex Presley, LF (.288)

Jose Tabata, RF (.196)

Andrew McCutchen, CF (.339)

Neil Walker, 2B (.222)

Casey McGehee, 1B (.289)

Pedro Alvarez, 3B (.108)

Clint Barmes, SS (.146)

Michael McKenry, C (.286)

James McDonald, RHP (0-1, 3.45 ERA)

 

Tracy stays with Fowler despite scary matchup numbers

Tuesday night is as good a night as any for Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler to crack Pirates right-handed pitcher Kevin Correia.

Fowler is 0-for-19 in 21 plate appearances against Correia. Fowler has struck out nine times against one walk, and has a sacrifice bunt.

With Fowler hitting .222, it would seem a good time to sit him. But Fowler went 2-for-5 over the final two games of the Milwaukee series, when the Rockies took 2-of-3, and manager Jim Tracy said he wants to make sure to send Fowler the message that he is the starter in center field. Last year, Fowler struggled early when he was in and out of the lineup. After a demotion to Triple-A Colorado Springs, Fowler received steady playing time and was one of the hottest hitters on the team in the second half of the year.

This year Fowler has drawn seven walks and has a .327 on-base percentage, as well as two home runs and six RBIs from the No. 2 spot in the batting order.

Tracy has rotated his bench players into the starting lineup at various times, and said Wednesday’s doubleheader is a time to continue that practice. But he also wants his regular players to feel that they’re regulars, even when playing through slumps.

“I want them all in a good place, and I want them all to come to the ballpark with the realization and the expectation that unless I’ve told them something differently, that you expect to play,” Tracy said. “I don’t want them walking in here feeling like they have to do guesswork from day today whether or not they’re gonig to be in there.”

The most favorable matcup for the Rockies is catcher Ramon Hernandez, who is 3-for-5 (.600) with a double agaisnt Correia. Also, Carlos Gonzalez, hitting a pedestrian .240, is 4-for-14 with two home runs and a double against Correia.

Rockies lefty Jamie Moyer, the oldest pitcher to win a game in Major League history, will try to add to his record tonight at 49 years and 158 days.

Rockies lineup

Marco Scutaro, 2B (.222)

Dexter Fowler, CF (.222)

Carlos Gonzalez, LF (.240)

Troy Tulowitzki, SS (.296)

Todd Helton, 1B (.239)

Michael Cuddyer, RF (.345)

Ramon Hernandez, C (.289)

Chris Nelson, 3B (.256)

Jamie Moyer, LHP (.000)

Pirates lineup

Alex Presley, LF (.273)

Jose Tabata, RF (.170)

Andrew McCutchen, CF (.351)

Casey McGehee, 1B (.278)

Neil Walker, 2B (.240)

Yamico Navarro, 3B (.000)

Rod Barajas, C (.091)

Clint Barmes, SS (.089)

Kevin Correia, RHP (.251)

Tulowitzki rests, clears his head; Scutaro plays short, Herrera second

Veteran Jason Giambi introduced his friend and Rockies teammate, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, to someone really special Tuesday night.

“I showed him some highlights of him playing and, ‘That’s you.’” Giambi said. “I said, ‘I know. I’ve been there many times, the deer in the highlights look and you’re just reeling.’ He’ll get through this just great. He’ll be fine.”

Right now, Tulowitzki doesn’t recognize the player he sees in the mirror.

Tulowitzki committed two errors Tuesday night, the second of which nearly cost teammate Jamie Moyer in his bid to become the oldest Major League pitcher ever to win a game at 49 years and 151 days. The Rockies prevailed and Moyer earned his place in history. Now Tulowitzki needs to realize that his ability to control a game from shortstop isn’t history, either.

The present isn’t looking so bright for Tulowitzki. His six errors match his total for last season, and he is hitting .244. Both of those figures are shocking for a player who has won National League Rawlings Gold Glove and Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger awards for each of the last two seasons.

Tulowitzki, who was out of the lineup for the first time this season for the Padres-Rockies game Wednesday night, admitted the mistakes — especially the throwing errors — are weighing on him. He said he has been worried about his throwing since Saturday night, when he had two throwing errors while playing in wet and cold conditions against the D-backs.

“I’m taking the field and thinking about it,” Tulowitzki said. “I never thought about defense. I just go out there and play, and if I make an error, I made an error. But I wasn’t worried about it. So, yeah, I think about it. It’s in my head. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t in my head. I think about it because I care.

“It’s never that I don’t want the ball to come to me. Once I reach that point, then I have some serious problems. I want the ball. But more or less when you’re playing catch, it’s, ‘OK, hit him in the chest,’ where before it was just throwing it to him. It’s more things like that, that I never really thought about. There’s nothing more to really say than that.”

Tulowitzki suffered a right hip flexor strain during the season’s first series at Houston, but he played through it and insisted that there is no injury that’s preventng him from performing well.

Marco Scutaro moved from second base to shortstop, the position he occupied with the Red Sox last season, and Jonathan Herrera started at second base.

In other lineup news, catcher Wilin Rosario started for the second straight game while Ramon Hernandez nursed a sore left hand. Manager Jim Tracy said Hernandez should be available Friday night when the Rockies begin a three-game series at Milwaukee.

Padres lineup

Will Venable, CF

Chris Denorfia, RF

Chase Headley, 3B

Jesus Guzman, LF

Yonder Alonso, 1B

Nick Hundley, C

Jason Bartlett, SS

Orlando Hudson, 2B

Clayton Richard, LHP

Rockies lineup

Marco Scutaro, SS

Dexter Fowler, CF

Carlos Gonzalez, LF

Michael Cuddyer, RF

Todd Helton, 1B

Wilin Rosario, C

Chris Nelson, 3B

Jonathan Herrera, 2B

Juan Nicasio, RHP

Ring-ring … CarGo is ready to help Moyer

As Rockies manager Jim Tracy left Coors Field on Monday night, he was doubtful that Tuesday night’s lineup would include left fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who was in the final stages of recovery from a case of strep throat that had kept him out of the lineup since Friday.

“We talked about it last night, how I wanted to be in there, so they were waiting on my call in the morning,” Gonzalez said. “So I called and told him I was ready to play.

“I was getting better day by day. I can’t wait to get on the field and be ready to play.”

Gonzalez returns to his customary No. 3 position in the order against the Padres and righty starter Anthony Bass.

Lefty Jamie Moyer will make his third attempt to become the oldest pitcher ever to win a Major League game. His next win also will tie him with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer for 34th on the all-time list at 268.

In a pregame player move, the Rockies sent right-handed reliever Tyler Chatwood to Triple-A Colorado Springs to work as a starter, and he could help the rotation soon. The Rockies recalled hard-throwing righty reliever Edgmer Escalona from Colorado Springs.

Padres lineup

Cameron Maybin, CF

Mark Kotsay, LF

Chase Headley, 3B

Jesus Guzman, 1B

Nick Hundley, C

Chris Denorfia, RF

Andy Parrino, 2B

Jason Bartlett, SS

Anthony Bass, RHP

 

Rockies lineup

Marco Scutaro, 2B

Dexter Fowler, CF

Carlos Gonzalez, LF

Troy Tulowitzki, SS

Todd Helton, 1B

Michael Cuddyer, RF

Wilin Rosario, C

Chris Nelson, 3B

Jamie Moyer, LHP

 

 

Guthrie under the weather, on the mound

Just three times in nine games as the Rockies’ starting pitcher stayed in a game longer than five innings. Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie has one of the long ones, seven innings while winning the opener at Houston, and one of the short ones, 3 1/3 and six runs against although the Rockeis beat the Giants in comeback fashion.

Now Guthrie must shake off illness to give the Rockies the innings they need against the Padres on Monday night.

“He’s dealing with being a little bit under the weather,” Rockis manager Jim Tracy said. “It’s not even close to the extent with Carlos Gonzalez [who was at Coors Field and possibly able to pinch-hit, after missing two straight games with strep throat]. But he did have a little bit of a sore throat over the last day or so.

“We’re keeping an eye on that but also keeping out fingers crossed that this is one of those days where you go out there and get a Guthrie performance, where he potentially pitches you deep into a game and you can use your bullpen accordingly.”

Tonight, Tracy said the bullpen is not in bad shape. Right-hander Josh Roenicke, who went 2 2/3 inings on Sunday and an inning the previous game, is the only one definitely unavailable. Righty Esmil Rogers, who threw 62 pitches over two performances Thursday and Friday, is in play, as is righty Tyler Chatwood, although Tracy said Chatwod cannot pitch for an “extended period.”

Also, the Rockies have asked right-handed starter Jhoulys Chacin not to throw his scheduled bullpen session until later. He is available out of the bullpen in an emergency.

Padres lineup

Cameron Maybin, CF

Will Venable, LF

Chase Headley, 3B

Jeremy Hermida, RF

Nick Hundley, C

Yonder Alonso, 1B

Andy Parrino, 2B

Jason Bartlett, SS

Cory Luebke, LHP

Rockies lineup

Marco Scutaro, 2B

Dexter Fowler, CF

Troy Tulowitzki, SS

Todd Helton, 1B

Michael Cuddyer, RF

Tyler Colvin, LF

Ramon Hernandez, C

Chris Nelson, 3B

Jeremy Guthrie, RHP

Stand up and cheer Juan Nicasio

Opening Day is always special, but fans at Coors Field saved their special level of noise and joy for when right-handed pitcher Juan Nicasio was introduced. Nicasio, standing along the first-base line, stepped forward, doffed his cap and truly took in the appreciation.

We expect there will be another roar tonight, but Nicasio might be trying too hard to concentrate to acknowledge as fully. But folks will understand.

For the first time since last Aug. 5, when the Nationals’ Ian Desmond’s line drive bounced off his head and left him with a fractured skill and a broken C-1 vertebrae, Nicasio will be pitching at Coors when he faces the D-backs tonight at 6:40.

“I’ve been thinking about how it’s going to be like when I pitch my first game here,” Nicasio said Thursday. “I’m excited.”

The dramatic comeback story is enhanced by the fact Nicasio has become an important cog in the rotation. In his first start, at Houston on Sunday, Nicasio limited the Astros to one run and four hits in seven innings.

Although his last experience at Coors was horrifying, it’s been a good place for him. After being called up from Double-A tulsa last year, Nicasio went 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 41 innings at home.

What a homecoming this will be.

Rockies lineup

Scutaro 2B

Dexter Fowler, CF

Carlos Gonzalez, LF

Troy Tulowitzki, SS

Todd Helton, 1B

Michael Cuddyer, RF

Ramon Hernandez, C

Chris Nelson, 3B

Juan Nicasio, P

Taking nothing for granted at wet Coors Field

UPDATE:The Giants pulled catcher Buster Posey from the lineup because of a case of shingles. The revised lineup is below.

Rain and a little lightning hit Coors Field just as the Rockies finished batting practice. The Giants didn’t get to take pregame swings, but all is fine now and there is baseball.

Anyhow, batting practice for the Rockies is a much-needed activity before a confrontation with Giants two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.

The numbers aren’t that bad. in 10 career starts at Coors, Lincecum is 4-3 with a 3.61 ERA. Overall, the Rockies’ Todd Helton hits .364 with a .475 on-base percentage against him, and several other Rockies have had a smattering of success against him.

But that’s far from thinking the Rockies have Lincecum right where they want him. Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said it’s not as if the Rockies have a magical approach.

“If I had the answer to that question, there would be a lot more people who’d have success against him,” Tulowitzki said.

Manager Jim Tracy offered an easier-said-than-executed formula.

“If you start expanding your strike zone against this guy, he will feast on you,” Tracy said. “He has had a reputation, certainly early on in his career, where he got a lot of oouts where hitters got themselves out. He got a lot of outs by throwing balls that we and other hitters in the league would make strikes. You’ve got to get him into the strike zone.

“And when the pitch shows up to put in play and hit it hard, you can’t swing and miss, you can’t foul it off, you’ve got to get the ball in play and hopefully something positive will happen.”

The Rockies are starting their No. 1, Jeremy Guthrie, who has had scant experience against the Giants. Beyond Melky Cabrera, who is hitting .355 in 31 at-bats, no one has more than six at-bats against Guthrie. Abrey Huff is 4-for-6, and pablo Sandoval is 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Here are the lineups:

Giants

Angel Pagan, CF

Melky Cabrera, LF

Pablo Sandoval, 3B

Aubrey Huff, 1B

Hector Sanchez, C

Nate Schierholtz, RF

Brandon Crawford, SS

Emmanuel Burriss, 2B

Tim Lincecum, RHP

Rockies

Marco Scutaro, 2B

Dexter Fowler, CF

Carlos Gonzalez, LF

Troy Tulowitzki, SS

Todd Helton, 1B

Michael Cuddyer, RF

Ramon Hernandez, C

Chris Nelson, 3B

Jeremy Guthrie, RHP

Rockies’ Moyer: One for the ages

Jamie Moyer is 49, coming off Tommy John elbow surgery in 2010, and he’s pitching for the Rockies against the Astros tonight.

But manager Jim Tracy simply wants a deep outing and a chance to win against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

“I just really beleive and personally I think Jamie wants it preceived this way, is Jamie wants to compete,” Tracy said. “He’s here to do exactly what Jeremy Guthrie did for us last night. That is go out, be very, very competitive and give us an opportunity to win a baseball game. I really personally feel that’s the way Jamie Moyer is approaching what he’s going to set out to do tonight.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s the same Jamie Moyer that I saw prior to the arm injury. It’s the same guy. Since the injury that forced him to miss the entire season last year, there’s been very little if any change in his velocity. He pitches exactly the same. He competes exactly the same. There’s still a burning desire to go out and pitch competitively at the Major League level.

“Obviously, the thing that comes into play is a lot of people suggesting how can he do that at 49 years of age. He’s still doing it, and he did it all spring well. I saw no tradeoff whatsoevery as far as where Jamie Moyer is at competitively in relation to his age. We’re looking forward to this. It really boils down to his command, his capability of getting into the strike zone, getting ahead of hitters and getting hitters to start to swing.”

The Rockies are using the same lineup as in the season-opening 5-3 victory over the Astros on Friday night:

Rockies lineup

Marco Scutaro, 2B

Dexter Fowler, CF

Carlos Gonzalez, LF

Troy Tulowitzki, SS

Todd Helton, 1B

Michael Cuddyer, RF

Ramon Hernandez, C

Chris Nelson, 3B

Jamie Moyer, P

Here is the Astros’ batting order:

Jordan Schafer, CF

Brian Bixler, 2B’

J.D. Martinez, LF

Carlos Lee, 1B

Chris Johnson, 3B

Brian Bogusevic, RF

Chris Snyder, C

Marwin Gonzalez, SS

Lucas Harrell, P

 

Rockies roster set

Rockies manager Jim Tracy announced his Opening Day roster on Monday, although there will be some changes in the early days of the season. Left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz won’t be activated until April 15, when he is scheduled to pitch, and lefty Jamie Moyer won’t be activated until he starts Saturday against the Astros.

One spot is up in the air. Left-handed reliever Josh Outman is battling food poisoning. If he won’t be ready for Friday, the Rockies will have to make an adjustment by bringing back right-hander Alex White, who was optioned to the Minors on Monday.

Tracy also said he is comfortable setting a roster with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki active. Tulowitzki suffered a bruised left elbow on Sunday when hit by a pitch from the Indians’ Ubaldo Jimenez.

Here is the roster for Friday’s opener against the Astros:

PITCHERS (11) — Jeremy Guthrie, Juan Nicasio, Jhoulys Chacin, Matt Belisle, Rafael Betancourt, Rex Brothers, Tyler Chatwood, Matt Reynolds, Josh Roenicke, Esmil Rogers, Josh Outman

CATCHERS (2) — Ramon Hernandez, Wilin Rosario

INFIELDERS (7) — Todd Helton, Marco Scutaro, Troy Tulowitzki, Jordan Pacheco, Chris Nelson, Jason Giambi, Jonathan Herrera.

OUTFIELDERS (5) — Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Michael Cuddyer, Tyler Colvin, Eric Young Jr.

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