Results tagged ‘ Jamie Moyer ’
O’Dowd says Rockies interested in Francis
The Rockies are pursuing left-handed pitcher Jeff Francis, their ace during their National League championship season of 2007.
“We are interested; I have no idea of the outcome of that interest,” Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd said Monday morning.
Francis, 31, was pitching for the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate in Louisville, and was 3-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 77 1/3 innings over 12 starts. Francis, who struck out 65 against 18 walks, had a June 1 opt-out clause in his Minor League contract. After throwing a complete-game shutout on Sunday, 7-0 over Durham, Francis asked for his release, according to a Twitter dispatch by ESPN.com reporter Jerry Crasnick.
The Rockies made Francis their No. 1 Draft choice out of the University of British Columbia in 2002, and he went 55-50 with them in six Major League season. The highlight was 2007,when he went 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA. However his career was derailed by shoulder issues, which cost him the entire 2009 season and limited him to 4-6 with a 5.00 ERA in 20 games, all but one of them starts, in 2010.
The Rockies did not pick up the option on Francis’ contract, and he went 6-16 with a 4.82 ERA in 31 starts for the Royals last season.
Francis has maintained a home in the Denver area.
Injuries are affecting the Rockies’ rotation. Righty Jhoulys Chacin has not pitched since May 1 because of an injury to a chest muscle, and didn’t do any throwing until Saturday. Righty Juan Nicasio suffered a strained right knee on Saturday and is on the 15-day disabled list. Also, the club released lefty Jamie Moyer last week.<p/>
The Rockies are stretching out left-hander Josh Outman, who began the year mostly in a specialist relief role, for one spot. They called up right-hander Guillermo Moscoso from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Sunday for another slot.
Rockies halt De La Rosa’s rehab because of left forearm tightness
The left forearm tightness that Rockies Jorge De La Rosa has experienced while working his way back from elbow surgery has led the team to halt his rehab assignment, the team announced Saturday.
Technically, the Rockies recalled De La Rosa from his 30-day rehab assignment, which would have expired on May 27 and would have had him targeted to start in the Manors against the Dodgers on June 2. De La Rosa is frozen for seven days, then can be placed on the DL for forearm tightness and begin a new 30-day window.
De La Rosa was 5-2 with a 3.51 ERA when he underwent Tommy John surgery. In an odd pattern, De La Rosa experienced no tightness when he began throwing during extended spring training at the team’s complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., and was fine during two rehab starts at Class A Modesto. But De La Rosa’s first start at Double-A Tulsa on May 12 limited him to one inning. He threw four innings Thursday and experienced tightness at the end.
A frustrated De La Rosa at Coors Field on Saturday angrily threw his T-shirt at the end of a workout, but calmed down and said he understood.
“It’s very disappointing,” said De La Rosa, who would have started at Triple-A Colorado Springs on Tuesday. “I pitched good last time but I felt a little tightness. They want me to pitch more time in the Minors. I have to do whatever they want.
“I want to be here, but like they say, I need more time. I have to pitch more, build more pitches, to be ready to be here. They want to make sure everything is OK. It hasn’t been a year since I had the surgery. They know how hard it is.”
Had De La Rosa made the June 2 target date, he would have been back a year short of the date of last year’s surgery. But rarely does a comeback from Tommy John surgery go so smoothly.
“I still don’t think that this is any big thing,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “It’s just another avenue in the road that you have to go down as you’re recuperating.”
Going into the season, the Rockies were hoping for solid work from a relatively young rotation that would get a lift from De La Rosa’s return. Jeremy Guthrie, a veteran added during the winter, missed three starts in April and May with a shoulder injury. Jhoulys Chacin, expected to make major strides, tried to pitch through shoulder tightness, performed badly and hasn’t pitched in a game since May 1. Now on the disabled list, Chacin isn’t throwing because he needs to strengthen his shoulder.
For the Rockies to turn the corner after their 15-23 start going into Saturday’s game with the Mariners, much of the responsibility falls to three young pitchers, second-year righty Juan Nicasio and two rookies, righty Alex White and lefty Christian Friedrich, who was set to start Saturday. Guthrie and lefty Jamie Moyer are the staff’s veterans.
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.
Rockies’ Moyer hopes for better results; Fowler and Scutaro flip-flop
Pain in his left leg forced the Rockeis to scratch 49-year-old veteran Jamie Moyer from his last scheduled Cactus League start. His work Monday in a Minor League game — two home runs, six of 10 batters reaching in 1 1/3 innings — left much to be desired, although there was some positive.
“It was a good day — feelings-wise,” Moyer said. “Results-wise, they weren’t good.”
Moyer hopes to feel good and have a positive outcome tonight, when the Rockies and Giants meet at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
After his last game, Moyer insisted he was healthy and manager Jim Tracy said that was all that really mattered. Now Moyer is hoping to take the next step.
In successful early Cactus League work, Moyer used his fastball, curve and changeup. But he hadn’t begun to work his cut fastball, since he felt he could build arm strength that way. Now he plans to increase his use of that pitch.
In a lineup twist, second baseman Marco Scutaro will lead off and center fielder Dexter Fowler will hit second, in a flip-flop. Both have been searching for their swings this spring.
Here is the Rockies’ lineup for tonight:
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Dexter Fowler, CF
Carlos Gonzalez, LF
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Todd Helton, 1B
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Casey Blake, 3B
Wilin Rosario, C
Jamie Moyer, LHP
– Tim Lincecum was listed as the Giants’ pitcher for tonight, but he threw in a Minor League game during the afternoon.
– In other action, right-hander Jeremy Guthrie will pitch against a D-backs Triple-A squad tonight at Salt River Fields.
– In an earlier blog today, I listed the candidates for the back of the Rockies’ rotation and managed to leave out right-hander Tyler Chatwood, who very well could be the guy. It’s Spring Training for the writers, too.
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.
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
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