Post by Fish Troll on May 26, 2007 10:10:18 GMT -5
Notes: Lopez close to return
Fogg pushed back; Buchholz to start Sunday vs. Giants
By Thomas Harding / MLB.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Rockies' starting rotation should get a boost if right-hander Rodrigo Lopez is able to return to the rotation Tuesday night against the Cardinals.
Lopez went 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three starts before going on the disabled list with a forearm strain on April 19.
But Lopez has recovered and done well in two injury rehab starts at Triple-A Colorado Springs, including Thursday when he went 6 2/3 innings and held Fresno to four hits and two earned runs while earning a 4-2 victory.
Manager Clint Hurdle said before the Rockies' game against the Giants on Friday night that the club wants to monitor how Lopez feels Friday before officially announcing the next start.
"He was efficient with his pitches, his command was pretty good, he used both sides of the plate," said Hurdle, who said Colorado Springs pitching coach Chuck Kniffin filed a report with him and general manager Dan O'Dowd also watched the performance.
"The reports have been good. He got over 80 [pitches]. He'll probably throw more the next time out, maybe 10 [more]."
Fogg improving; Buchholz gets a start: Right-hander Josh Fogg reported his sore left groin showed improvement. Fogg suffered a groin strain in his last start, Tuesday against the Diamondbacks when he gave up one run in six innings.
However, Fogg has been pushed back from his scheduled start Sunday against the Giants. Righty Taylor Buchholz (2-2, 5.94 ERA), who held the Royals to one unearned run in seven innings on May 19 in his last start, will take the start.
Fogg has been locating his pitches low in the strike zone lately, as evidenced by his 2.66 ERA in his last three starts. He said the next step is locating on the corners. He does not think skipping a start to continue healing will disturb his flow.
"Obviously, I'm not 100 percent, but I'm definitely better than where I was a couple of days ago," said Fogg, who will throw a bullpen session Sunday.
On the Rox: With the outfield of Matt Holliday in left, Willy Taveras in center and Brad Hawpe in right set, Hurdle will have to be creative to find starts for recent callup Ryan Spilborghs. But it's worth the effort, since Spilborghs has batted .306 (44-for-144) with a .342 average with runners in scoring position in his 37 Major League starts. ... Right-hander Jorge Julio had a rigorous pregame bullpen session as part of his effort to regain command, so the Rockies can use his mid-90s fastball. Hurdle said there are several adjustments that can be made, such as using a two-seam sinking fastball more, or changing his stride or foot positioning. ... Giants slugger Barry Bonds entered Friday night not having hit a home run since May 8. Not that Hurdle is any less wary of him. "It means he's due, [hopefully not before] we get out of town," Hurdle said.
Because Fogg will not have to go onto the disabled list, the Rockies will allow right-hander Darren Clarke to report to Double-A Tulsa. The Rockies officially returned Clarke to Tulsa on Tuesday, but had him stick around just in case Fogg had to be DLed. ... Roadway is presenting "Times of Greatness," a mobile museum dedicated to the history of Negro Leagues baseball, at Coors Field on June 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. MT and June 2 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. MT. The 53-foot exhibit features such memorabilia as pictures, video and uniforms, and this year will have video, audio and artifacts in honor of the late Buck O'Neil, who had a celebrated career as a player, manager and scout in the Negro Leagues and Major Leagues and was chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City as well as a member of the veterans committee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Up next: Rockies No. 1 pitcher Aaron Cook (3-1, 4.55 ERA) will start against Giants righty Matt Morris (5-1, 2.93) on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. MT.
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Fogg pushed back; Buchholz to start Sunday vs. Giants
By Thomas Harding / MLB.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Rockies' starting rotation should get a boost if right-hander Rodrigo Lopez is able to return to the rotation Tuesday night against the Cardinals.
Lopez went 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three starts before going on the disabled list with a forearm strain on April 19.
But Lopez has recovered and done well in two injury rehab starts at Triple-A Colorado Springs, including Thursday when he went 6 2/3 innings and held Fresno to four hits and two earned runs while earning a 4-2 victory.
Manager Clint Hurdle said before the Rockies' game against the Giants on Friday night that the club wants to monitor how Lopez feels Friday before officially announcing the next start.
"He was efficient with his pitches, his command was pretty good, he used both sides of the plate," said Hurdle, who said Colorado Springs pitching coach Chuck Kniffin filed a report with him and general manager Dan O'Dowd also watched the performance.
"The reports have been good. He got over 80 [pitches]. He'll probably throw more the next time out, maybe 10 [more]."
Fogg improving; Buchholz gets a start: Right-hander Josh Fogg reported his sore left groin showed improvement. Fogg suffered a groin strain in his last start, Tuesday against the Diamondbacks when he gave up one run in six innings.
However, Fogg has been pushed back from his scheduled start Sunday against the Giants. Righty Taylor Buchholz (2-2, 5.94 ERA), who held the Royals to one unearned run in seven innings on May 19 in his last start, will take the start.
Fogg has been locating his pitches low in the strike zone lately, as evidenced by his 2.66 ERA in his last three starts. He said the next step is locating on the corners. He does not think skipping a start to continue healing will disturb his flow.
"Obviously, I'm not 100 percent, but I'm definitely better than where I was a couple of days ago," said Fogg, who will throw a bullpen session Sunday.
On the Rox: With the outfield of Matt Holliday in left, Willy Taveras in center and Brad Hawpe in right set, Hurdle will have to be creative to find starts for recent callup Ryan Spilborghs. But it's worth the effort, since Spilborghs has batted .306 (44-for-144) with a .342 average with runners in scoring position in his 37 Major League starts. ... Right-hander Jorge Julio had a rigorous pregame bullpen session as part of his effort to regain command, so the Rockies can use his mid-90s fastball. Hurdle said there are several adjustments that can be made, such as using a two-seam sinking fastball more, or changing his stride or foot positioning. ... Giants slugger Barry Bonds entered Friday night not having hit a home run since May 8. Not that Hurdle is any less wary of him. "It means he's due, [hopefully not before] we get out of town," Hurdle said.
Because Fogg will not have to go onto the disabled list, the Rockies will allow right-hander Darren Clarke to report to Double-A Tulsa. The Rockies officially returned Clarke to Tulsa on Tuesday, but had him stick around just in case Fogg had to be DLed. ... Roadway is presenting "Times of Greatness," a mobile museum dedicated to the history of Negro Leagues baseball, at Coors Field on June 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. MT and June 2 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. MT. The 53-foot exhibit features such memorabilia as pictures, video and uniforms, and this year will have video, audio and artifacts in honor of the late Buck O'Neil, who had a celebrated career as a player, manager and scout in the Negro Leagues and Major Leagues and was chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City as well as a member of the veterans committee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Up next: Rockies No. 1 pitcher Aaron Cook (3-1, 4.55 ERA) will start against Giants righty Matt Morris (5-1, 2.93) on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. MT.
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070525&content_id=1986008&vkey=news_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
