Young and tough. Good character. Strong work ethic.
No one exemplifies the core principles of the Rockies’ rebuilding project better than Juan Pierre. Too bad he watched Monday’s game from the visitors’ dugout.
“I just realize my timing was all wrong here,” said Pierre, the Marlins’ center fielder. “They needed to move guys to free up money. I was the odd man out, but I don’t have any hard feelings because they gave me my shot.”
Pierre was traded to the Marlins before the 2003 season, a necessary commodity Florida demanded to help parole the Rockies from a large chunk of Mike Hampton’s contract. , a 2003 all-star, is the only remaining player from the trade. Wilson, expected to be dealt in the coming months, provides power, a skill that left Pierre miscast in Colorado.
He’s an expert bunter, admitting his small ball is “more appreciated in Florida where we play a lot of one-run games.”
Until Tuesday, Pierre never had homered at Coors Field, a streak he snapped in his 729th at-bat with a laser off Jamey Wright.
“I had never even been close,” Pierre said. “I tell everybody that Coors Field hurt me because my line drives carried to the outfielders.”
New seating chart
For the first time, the Rockies are selling tickets in the right-field upper deck only if demand warrants it.
“It depends on advance sale,” said Sue Ann McClaren, the Rockies’ ticketing boss. “For staffing purposes, it’s a game-by-game situation.”
President Keli McGregor had discussed covering the section with a tarp, but that has been ruled out for 2005. McClaren is encouraged by walk-up sales; Saturday, the Rockies had approximately 6,500, the club’s fourth-highest total.
Relievers on notice
Lengthy internal discussions Monday left relievers Byung-Hyun Kim, Ryan Speier and on notice to be demoted to Colorado Springs, or in Kim’s case, released if he refuses a Triple-A assignment. Jay Witasick remains the leading in-house replacement with general manager Dan O’Dowd running out of patience.
“I am going to give the (coaching) staff a little bit longer to challenge some people,” O’Dowd said. “In Kim, Speier and Dohmann we need those guys, as (manager) Clint (Hurdle) says, to give us something to hold onto. At some point in time if we feel like it’s in their best interest to take a step back, they will. And we are getting really close to that.”
Sound of music
After reading complaints from Hurdle and players, the Rockies addressed concerns about batting practice music. The volume no longer is turned down during the ushers’ meeting held above the third-base dugout, and more recent artists were added to the play list.
“I heard some contemporary stuff. It was much better,” said Wilson, the most vocal critic. “It was fun out there.”
