It’s a short, quiet stroll from Jamey Carroll’s LoDo loft to Coors Field.
Not once has his peaceful journey been interrupted by an autograph seeker or a well-wishing fan. Carroll is the anonymous Rockie.
“I don’t get out too much. I’m too old,” the 32-year-old infielder said jokingly. “I have a few places I go out to eat, but that’s about it.”
But if Carroll continues playing at his current level, his anonymity soon will be a thing of the past. In the Rockies’ 5-3 victory over Toronto on Sunday, Carroll started at second base for the 13th time this season in place of Luis Gonzalez. As the Rockies begin a nine-game West Coast swing tonight in Los Angeles, Carroll is quickly becoming a staple at second. He maintains that seeing his name in the starting lineup is not his top priority.
“The first time I start worrying about that, I know I’m worrying about the wrong things,” he said. “Obviously, if you ask every guy in this clubhouse, they want to play every day. I come in here, ready to do whatever they ask.”
Sunday, with usual leadoff man Cory Sullivan sitting out, Carroll was asked to hit leadoff for the fifth time this season.
He responded well, going 2-for-3, scoring two runs and reaching base safely in four of five trips to the plate. Given that performance, and the way he has responded to the Rockies’ every request this season, will Carroll be spending more time at the top of the order?
“We’ve got that card in our pocket to play if we need to,” manager Clint Hurdle said.
In the Rockies’ three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, Carroll went 6-for-9 (.667) with three extra-base hits, including a homer in Friday night’s game.
But it’s his infield play that has teammates raving.
“He’s always very well prepared, and he communicates so well,” shortstop Clint Barmes said.
“It’s been fun working with him. There have been a couple of times when if he didn’t say anything, I’d be going to first with the ball, but he’s yelling, ‘Go two!’ and bang-bang, we’ve got a double play. He’s been a huge asset to our success.”
On the road back
Chin-Hui Tsao, a year removed from surgery to repair his shoulder and biceps tendon, continues throwing side sessions and playing long toss, but is not close to going on a rehab assignment. He has had trouble recovering after bullpen work, according to trainer Keith Dugger. Tsao remains hopeful he will pitch for the Rockies as a reliever sometime this season. “I feel good. I want that to happen,” Tsao said.
Footnote
Jeff Francis took a no-hitter into the sixth inning Saturday, but much of Canada did not see it, as it was pre-empted by the junior hockey championships on the Rogers Sports Network. “It’s OK,” Francis said. “In Toronto, my mother in-law saw it (as part of the Rogers Preview package) and family back in Vancouver sees all the games at a local pub.”
Rockies recap
Brian Fuentes’ growing status as a star closer now rates his own video montage on the Coors Field scoreboard. When the lefty took the mound Sunday to close out the Rockies’ 5-3 victory over Toronto, the sound system played Staind’s up-tempo rocker “For You,” and the giant video screen showed highlights of Fuentes using his funky motion and high-velocity fastball to strike out batters. The save was Fuentes’ 10th of the season and sixth straight. He has converted 27 of his past 28 save opportunities, dating to last season.
SPLIT PERSONALITY: Shortstop Clint Barmes’ struggles at the plate continued Sunday, but he still found a way to drive in a run. Although he was 1-for-4 and his average sits at .213, his bloop first-inning single produced a run. Barmes has driven in 27 runs with just 33 hits this season. However, Sunday could have been a much bigger day because he also stranded five runners: two in the second when he popped out, and three in the fourth when he grounded out to third with two out and the bases loaded.
SULLIVAN SITS: Cory Sullivan sat out Sunday’s game because manager Clint Hurdle felt the regular center fielder needed a day off to help lift him out of a recent slump. Over his past 10 games, Sullivan has hit .163 (7-for-43) to drop from .314 to .273. “He definitely is streaky, and to be the player we feel he can be, he’s definitely going to have to minimize those lulls and his recovery periods need to come a little quicker,” Hurdle said.
Staff writer Troy E. Renck contributed to this report.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
