Tucson – When Clint Hurdle needs a clutch hitter off the bench this season, more often than not he’ll turn to utilityman Eli Marrero.
The Rockies manager made that clear Wednesday when he announced a number of roster moves and began sculpting the final 25-man roster.
“Marrero is going to be the No. 1 pinch hitter when he’s not starting,” Hurdle said after the Rockies beat Arizona 10-6 in Cactus League play. “He’s going to be the guy hitting with men on base.”
Marrero earned Hurdle’s confidence with terrific spring play. He has played all three outfield positions, as well as catcher and first base. Most important, he’s hitting .422 with a .489 on-base percentage.
“I felt like I did a good job and whatever the situation called for, I was sharp,” Marrero said. “It gives me a lot of confidence that they have confidence in me.”
Mound of questions
While most of the club’s roster questions have been answered, the Rockies still haven’t announced who their fourth and fifth starters will be, but Josh Fogg and Zach Day are the most likely candidates to fill out the rotation.
Byung-Hyun Kim, the original No. 4 starter, was placed on the disabled list Wednesday after straining his right hamstring running the bases Tuesday. Sun-Woo Kim, still nursing a sore hamstring of his own, pitched well in a simulated game, but it’s still not clear if he’ll start the season in the rotation or in the bullpen.
Bullpen battle
Right-hander David Cortes appears to have locked up a spot in the bullpen, and Scott Dohmann is on the DL with a viral infection. That leaves one reliever job left. It might be filled by lefties Tom Martin or Jaime Cerda or go elsewhere.
“The injuries have provided (Martin and Cerda) with ample opportunity and I’m not wedded to a left-hander,” Hurdle said. “We’ll see what happens in the next 48 hours.”
Roster moves
No one in the Rockies’ clubhouse was smiling bigger than Choo Freeman. Out of options, this was a make-or-break spring for him and he responded with his best camp. His .340 average and consistent play in the outfield earned him a spot on the 25-man roster.
“I feel like I gave them no choice,” Freeman said. “I made it hard on them. That’s a great feeling.”
The other part-time players who made the final roster were infielders Jamey Carroll and Jason Smith. Infielder Omar Quintanilla and outfielder Ryan Spilborghs were sent to down to the minors.
First baseman Ryan Shealy (elbow), joined Byung-Hyun Kim, utilityman Jorge Piedra and Dohmann on the 15-day DL. Infielder Josh Wilson and reliever Chin-Hui Tsao are on the 60-day disabled list.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
