March 11, Colorado Rockies Spring Training Game Stuff

 After losing both sides of a split squad game on Monday by at least touchdown each, the Rockies needed a good Tuesday. At least the fans needed a good Tuesday. 

Kyle Freeland was handed the ball for the first time since February 28th. It ended up feeling like Buddy Black "Buddy Blacked" and left the lefty in too long. Freeland breezed through the first three innings of action. He would have a hiccup in the 4th inning and the only thing faster than a hiccup is Elly De La Cruz. De La Cruz would single to start off the inning, get advanced to second base when the next batter got plunked. A double steal got called, the Rox threw to second and De La Cruz made it all the way home. While the Rockies have a 23-year-old shortstop of their own, that's a highlight that should frustrate the Rockie fan in you but delight the baseball fan in you. 

The Reds would score two in the inning, you would think Freeland's day was over at 66 pitches but nope, out for the 5th inning he comes. A first pitch double by Stuart Fairchild would become the Reds third run of the game albeit through no fault of the pitcher. Drew Romo through the ball past third base on the steal attempt and the runner would race home.

With the bases empty Angel Chivilli would come in to get the final out of the inning. After giving up three in his previous outing, this is comforting. What's not comforting is through 6 innings of Rockies offense, no one has made it to third base. Although Jordan Beck does have a single and a walk.

Tyler Kinley made his 5th appearance of the spring in the 6th inning. He gave up his first hit of spring ball, a leadoff triple. Zac Veen, who had the hockey assist on an out at the plate earlier this week, threw out the runner when he tried to come home on a fly ball to end the inning.

Veen hit a 3-run homer in the bottom of the inning to push the hype button on him into maximum overdrive. Adael Amador collected a RBI just two batters before the homer. Amador is having a solid March but with no extra-base hits the hype meter on him will not reach Veen levels. Veen has a clearer path to the majors unless Thairo Estrada bombs. Amador will be a major leaguer.

Victor Vodnik struck out the first two batters he faced. A fielding error turned into some extra for Vodnik but he would post the zero.

The Rockies would extend their lead to 5-3 in the top of the 8th via Yanquiel Fernandez's first home run of the spring. His second career spring training homer as he hit one on the first day of 2024.

Seth Halverson had a night to shower off as he would not complete the eighth inning. 3 hits, one of which was a homer, and 2 walks snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. These past few days have tagged a lot of pitchers with crooked numbers, lets see the responses over the next few days.

We are now past the 1/2 way mark of spring training. Sam Hilliard collected two more strikeouts today as his batting average lowered to .071. The patience given afforded a 26-year-old Nolan Jones is understandable as we really do not know what we have in him yet. We "know" what we have with 31-year-old Hlliard. Is it possible he plays himself off the Opening Day major league roster? Or more honestly, do the Rockies allow themselves to let a struggling 31-year-old not be on the roster?

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