Catch the daily spring training roundup each afternoon from Rockies beat writers Troy E. Renck and Patrick Saunders in Tucson. You’ll find insider information on players and what the team is working on as they get ready for the 2007 season. Check every afternoon for the Rockies Rundown.
The desert scene
Coming soon to a TV near you: High-quality, well-produced – and hopefully humorous – commercials promoting the Rockies’ 2007 season. It’s the first TV advertising campaign by the Rockies since 1993, their inaugural season. There will be six commercials in all. Filming began Wednesday in Tucson and continued today.
Blue Goose Productions, based in Los Angeles and Seattle, is producing the commercials. Blue Goose has won acclaim for its commercials for the Seattle Mariners and New Orleans Saints.
“I can’t give away the plots, but I think they are hilarious,” said Jay Alves, Rockies vice president of communications. “They did one with Kaz Matsui that was really funny.”
Slugger Matt Holliday, scheduled to be in a number of spots, said he’s happy to see the Rockies taking an aggressive marketing approach.
“When the fans feel like they can get to know you on a more personal level, I think that sparks a more heartfelt love of the team,” Holliday said. “It won’t be fans coming out just because it’s nice outside at Coors Field, we want fans to come to games because they love the Rockies. We want them to hold us in high regard and want us to do well. So I think these commercial are a big piece of all that. Plus, they’ll be a lot of fun.”
Inside the game
Right-hander Taylor Buchholz needs to harness his fastball. The pitch was up in the strike zone Wednesday when he made his spring debut. Buchholz, obtained from the Astros as part of the Jason Jennings trade, gave up four runs on six hits with a walk and two wild pitches.
“It was bad location with his four-seam fastball,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “He really couldn’t get it to the spots he wanted. He had a pretty good two-seam fastball.”
Buchholz is out of minor-league options, so he’s got to make a strong showing this spring to stick with the big-league club. He’s confident that Wednesday’s outing was just an early hiccup.
“Usually my first time out there is a little shaky, but it gets better from there,” he said. “It’s a matter of getting out there and slowing the game down.”
By the numbers: .250
Average last season by opposing batters against Rockies lefty Jeff Francis, 10th lowest in the National League. Francis made his spring debut today, pitching two innings and allowing no runs on one hit.
Quotable
“I don’t think anybody is wearing that shirt right now as far as being the No. 1 starter. I think all it means is that you start on opening day. Then after that it’s every fifth day for everybody.”
— Jeff Francis on who will claim the title of opening-day starter
Staff Writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
