Results tagged ‘ Seth Smith ’
The joys and pains of spring
The Spring Training opener saw Rockies outfielder Seth Smith hit a single, a double and a three-run homer. On Friday in his second appearance, however, Smith was the hit-ee, not the hitter.
Giants reliever Brian Wilson drilled him in the right knee with what Smith said, laughing, was “a hard slider.”
Smith is in and out of the starting linuep during the regular season, so he wants to start anytime he can. But Saturday, he gladly took a rest. Although he said he could have played had it been a regular-season game, he was not listed on the lineup at all for the Rockies’ home Cactus League opener against the Brewers.
Guys like Smith, who is one of the game’s best pinch-hitters but is capable of starting for many teams, like getting regular at-bats in Spring Training games. But Smith said the opportunities defensively are just as important.
“It’s different,” Smith said. “You have a hard time simulating before an actual game. It’s tough to get the ball off the bat a lot. It’s good to get out there at game speed, at game time.”
Rockies fundamentally sharp from the start
Eric Young Jr. led off the Rockies’ Cactus League opener by establishing that he and the club will hustle. Young landed a soft hit in front of D-backs right fielder Justin Upton, and didn’t think twice about going for two bases. One weak throw later, and the Rockies were in business.
Then veteran Paul Lo Duca dropped a surprise bunt and beat pitcher Billy Buckner to first base.
The hustle and attention to detail continued until the Rockies had an 11-1 victory at Tucson Electric Park over a D-backs team that, well, looked like it needed some time to get sharp.
“We’ve been back there [at Hi Corbett Field] working on a lot of stuff, and I’m just really pleased,” Tracy said. “We did a lot of positive things that are related to what’s going on.”
With two out and two on in the third, Seth Smith doubled and Chris Iannetta singled with two strikes, and Ian Stewart and Jonathan Herrera added singles to complete a two-run inning. The Rockies were crisp defensively. On the bases, Stewart was picked off second bay D-backs catcher Miguel Montero when he strayed too far from the bag on a ball in the dirt. But that was a mistake by a player trying to be aggressive, so Tracy had no problem with that.
Tracy has said the result of every game of Spring Training is not important, but the intensity and the intelligence with which the Rockies played Thursday are required.
“It’s a Spring Training game, yes, and there are things that we’re looking to see, there are decisions that you make that you’re not going to make during the season because of things that you want to see,” Tracy said. “But you play the game the way you want to play the game from April 5 [Opening Day at Milwaukee] hopefully through the end of October.
“As I told them, we’re going to play every pitch of every game. And if we don’t do that, whoever it is, we’re going to talk about it.”
That’s where right-hander Jason Hammel comes in. In the bottom of the second, Brandon Allen tripled to right-center. The throw to third base bounced past Stewart, but Hammel wasn’t in position to back up the play. Luckily for Hammel and the Rockies, the ball stayed in play and Allen stayed at third.
Hammel’s gaffe didn’t escape the notice of Tracy, who smiled and said, “It’s already been taken care of.
Hammel got the message.
“You have to remember the little things to make big things happen, and unfortunately I didn’t do my part on one — backing up third base,” Hammel said, even though he wasn’t asked about it. “But that won’t happen again. I was snoozing on that one.”
Tracy said he will point out the rare mistakes with pitch selection during the game and keep emphasizing various points.
Time to get started
It’s time to turn on the radio and dream of a regular season ahead. The Rockies will open Cactus League play today at 1:05 p.m. against the D-backs at Tucson Electric Park. Here is the Rockies’ lineup.
2B Eric Young Jr.
1B Paul Lo Duca
CF Carlos Gonzalez
RF Ryan Spilborghs
LF Seth Smith
C Chris Iannetta
3B Ian Stewart
SS Jonathan Herrera
RHP Jason Hammel
Here is the rest of the Rockies’ pitching schedule for today: LHP Jorge De La Rosa, RHP Manuel Corpas, RHP Juan Rincon and LHP Franklin Morales. The backups, in case any pitcher struggles, are right-handers Alberto Alburquerque, Shane Lindsay, Edgmer Escalona and Andrew Johnston.
D-backs pitchers will be RHP Billy Buckner, RHP T.J. Beam, RHP Bob Howry, LHP Tom Layne and RHP Leo Rosales.
Rockies near top of Bill James list
The just-published Bill James Gold Mine 2010 — a paperback chock full of analysis, notes and nuggets published by ACTA Sports Inc. – lists the Rockies as having the second-best inventory of young talent in baseball.
The Rockies ranked behind only the Rays, and were just ahead of the Twins.
“The Rockies rank 2nd in young position players, 7th in young pitching, 19th in prospects,” said James, a leading baseball statistical analyst for more than 30 years. “The top five are Troy Tulowitzki, Huston Street, Ubaldo Jimenez, Brad Hawpe and Seth Smith.”
James ranked the Rockies seventh last year.
James also listed the 20 “most valuable properties” among players — young stars with upside. Tulowitzki, the Rockies’ shortstop, was ranked 17th, the highest of any Rockies player.
Outfield arrivals
Brad Hawpe and Seth Smith arrived at camp this morning. Maybe they were smart. After a cold, rainy Monday, the sun is back today. It’ll still be cool, at least for Tucson, but things will pick up toward the end of the week. Officially, position players are due to report Thursday, and the first full-squad workout is Friday.
Gonzalez staying off soggy ground
Rockies manager Jim Tracy emphasized Wednesday that left fielder Carlos Gonzalez’s left hamstring is not strained or pulled. Gonzalez did leave Tuesday night’s 11-10 victory over the Padres with tightness in the hamstring. But Tracy said that was for precautionary reasons.
Not putting him in the lineup on Wednesday was yet another precaution. It rained much of the day in Denver, and the temperature is likely not to be much higher than Tuesday’s gametime temp of 48.
Seth Smith, who replaced Gonzalez on Tuesday, was in the lineup in left field and in the leadoff spot.
Tracy also announced that Rafael Betancourt, who suffered soreness in his right calf after pitching Saturday at Arizona, was to throw a touch-and-feel bullpen session, in hopes that he’ll be available to return to game action soon.
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