Results tagged ‘ James Loney ’
Tracy says Rockies’ Colvin has earned increased opportunity
The idea that outfielder Tyler Colvin is strictly a backup for the Rockies could be changing.
Colvin started in center field, instead of Dexter Fowler, on Saturday against the Dodgers, and manager Jim Tracy said Colvin — hitting .314 with two home runs and 10 RBIs – has earned greater opportunity to start. The Rockies aren’t going away from left fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who leads the team in home runs with seven and RBIs with 26, or right fielder Michael Cuddyer, who is hitting .286 with four homers and is tied with first baseman Todd Helton for second in RBIs with 21.
That means Colvin’s starts will come at the expense of Fowler, who is hitting .223 with four homers and 14 RBIs.
Fowler has a .311 on-base percentage and 27 strikeouts in 94 at-bats, and has had two errors and a couple of defensive miscues. Actually, Colvin has an outfield error and 19 strikeouts in 51 at-bats, so he has statistical challenges as well.
“In any given situation he’s made the most of it, whether it’s starting a game, coming off the bench,” Tracy said. “We’ve gotten quality at-bats from him as a starter. He’s done a terrific job as a left-handed pinch-hitter.
“You’ve got to get him out there tonight. He’s pushing the envelope for more time. When a player does that, you have to be mindful of it and create additional opportunities for him to play. He is making a strong statement for himself to get more at-bats than he’s gotten to this point. We’re doing what’s in his best interest and also our baseball team’s best interest in getting him additional opportunity.”
ROCKIES LINEUP
2B Marco Scutaro
3B Jonathan Herrera
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
1B Todd Helton
RF Michael Cuddyer
CF Tyler Colvin
C Wilin Rosario
RHP Juan Nicasio
DODGERS LINEUP
SS Dee Gordon
2B Mark Ellis
CF Matt Kemp
RF Andre Ethier
LF Bobby Abreu
3B Juan Uribe
1B James Loney
C A.J. Ellis
RHP Aaron Harang
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)
Ready or not, Rockies’ Brothers must be right as he faces Dodgers
After a slump of about a week and a half, Rockies left-handed relief pitcher Rex Brothers appears to be in better sorts. In his last three appearances, he has thrown three scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, two hits and no walks.
Brothers will need to be at top form with the Dodgers invading Coors Field on Monday night for the opener of a three-game series.
Leading the Dodgers, whose 16-6 record matches 1981 for tthe best start in franchise history, is Matt Kemp, who has a franchise-record 11 April homers and is the early frontrunner for National League Most Valuable Player. In tight, late situations, manager Jim Tracy will not let Kemp beat the Rockes.
In close, late situations, expect Tracy to walk Kemp and let Brothers face Andre Ethier, who is no slouch with five home runs and 24 RBIs — which ties him with memp for the National League lead. Still, that left-on-left matchup is one the Rockies would rather have.
“The deal with Rex Brothers yesterday was to get him right or get him much closer,” Tracy said. “As a matter of fact, he might be there, but monitoring every pitch that he threw yesterday to make sure that there’s availability for this specific situation.”
When Tracy managed the Dodgers a few years back, Kemp was a top Minor League prospect who impressed him during some Spring Training cameo appearances. Kemp went through a difficult 2010 season, but last year he realized his potential and finished second to the Brewers’ Ryan Braun in National League Most Valuable Player voting. Tracy said Kemp should be proud of his growth.
“I tip my cap to the guy,” Tracy said. “When you have young kids that hang on everything that goes on at the Major League level and have an opportunity to identify with a player like this, both character-wise and physically, that’s refreshing.”
Tracy rested right fielder Michael Cuddyer for just the second time this season. Tyler Colvin started in right field. The lineup also has Jonathan Herrera hitting second and playing third base, because Tracy wants to give Chris Nelson a day off because he had fought through left wrist soreness last week. Tracy also said that at some point in the three-game series with the Dodgers, Herrera will start at second base and Marco Scutaro will rest.
Dodgers lineup
Dee Gordon, SS (.207, 0 HR, 4 RBIs)
Mark Ellis, 2B (.247, 0 HR, 2 RBIs)
Matt Kemp, CF (.425, 11 HR, 24 RBIs)
Andre Ethier, RF (.277, 5 HR, 24 RBIs)
James Loney, 1B (.227, 1 HR, 6 RBIs)
Tony Gwynn Jr., LF (.242, 0 HRs, 2 RBIs)
A.J. Ellis, C (.277, 5 HRs, 24 RBIs)
Aaron Harang, RHP (1-1, 5.16 ERA)
Rockies lineup
Marco Scutaro, 2B (.247, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
Jonathan Herrera, 3B (.296, 1 HR, 3 RBIs)
Carlos Gonzalez, RF (.288, 4 HR, 16 RBIs)
Troy Tulowitzki, SS (.284, 3 HR, 11 RBIs)
Todd Helton, 1B (.270, 4 HRs, 16 RBIs)
Ramon Hernandez, C (.241, 4 HR, 12 RBIs)
Tyler Colvin, RF (.297, 1 HR, 6 RBIs)
Dexter Fowler, CF (.250, 4 HRs, 10 RBIs)
Juan Nicasio, RHP (1-0, 4.76 ERA)
Go deep, save the planet
The Rockies were on the road on Earth Day, but they’re doing their part even if the schedule maker didn’t. Tonight begins the Rockies’ “20 Games of Green.” They’ll be reminding folks that we need to take care of our planet during three homestands — Tonight through Wednesday, July 6-12 and Sept. 1-7. There are all kinds of ticket packages, contests incentives and environment-driven events. Those can be seen at www.coloradorockies.com/green.
But the players can do their part while scoring runs. During those 20 games, one tree will be planted in the Denver area for each home run.
So next time some stat head criticizes a player for providing more power at home than on the road, he can answer that he’s doing it for our future.
The Rockies’ first step toward correcting the mess we’ve made of this big blue marble is trying to beat the big, bad Dodgers. Here are the lineups:
Dodgers
Rafael Furcal SS
Orlando Hudson 2B
Manny Ramirez LF
Andre Ethier RF
James Loney 1B
Matt Kemp CF
Casey Blake 3B
Brad Ausmus C
Eric Stults P
Rockies
Dexter Fowler CF
Ryan Spilborghs LF
Todd Helton 1B
Garrett Atkins 3B
Brad Hawpe RF
Troy Tulowitzki SS
Ian Stewart 2B
Chirs Iannetta C
Aaron Cook P
mlblogsharding1
Recent Comments