By Troy E. Renck
Denver Post Staff Writer
Atlanta – For two guys who don’t play much, Aaron Miles and Ryan Shealy sure are busy.
During batting practice, they work at multiple positions to increase their chances of making the team next season.
Miles, a second baseman by trade, continues taking groundballs at shortstop and third base. He faces an uncertain future with the Rockies, having lost his starting job to Luis Gonzalez. But general manager Dan O’Dowd said Wednesday that Miles could compete with Omar Quintanilla for a utility spot next spring.
“A switch hitter who can play three positions can be a pretty valuable guy coming off the bench,” Miles said, “if not here then for someone else.”
Shortstop presents the toughest challenge for Miles. He hasn’t manned the position since rookie ball, but said, “I have a strong enough arm to do it.” The White Sox viewed Miles as a utility man and worked him at third base during the 2003 minor-league season before trading him.
Shealy has been working in the outfield.
ATKINS LONGSHOT FOR ROOKIE HONOR: O’Dowd said he believes Garrett Atkins had the best season of any National League rookie. That said, he doesn’t think he will win the organization’s second rookie of the year award. “Even though Coors Field has played fair this season, his numbers will hurt him,” O’Dowd said. “You have to blow everyone else away because of the (bias) against the field.”
Atkins is hitting .287 with 13 home runs and 88 RBIs, numbers that compare favorably with Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard’s, Houston’s Willy Taveras’ and Atlanta’s Jeff Francoeur’s, the top candidates.
FOOTNOTES: Three shaggy-bearded hunters from the Duck Commander video series attended Wednesday’s game as guests of Todd Helton. … Catcher JD Closser is expected to represent the team at the union meetings in Las Vegas as player rep Jason Jennings grooms an assistant.
