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.
Troy Tulowitzki is a quick healer.
Just two days ago, the rookie shortstop was laying on the ground, writhing in pain, the victim of a Doug Brocail fastball to his right wrist.
Sunday, he was counting his blessings after finding out there were no broken bones in his wrist.
This morning he was back in the batting cage, his wrist taped and protected, taking his cuts.
“It feels really good,” he said. “There’s a little bit or soreness, but it feels good.”
Tulowitzki said he doesn’t know how soon he’ll be back in the lineup, but figured it wouldn’t be more than a day or two.
First baseman Todd Helton, bothered by a sore knee through much of camp, made his second start in a row this afternoon against the Diamondbacks. At the moment, Helon’s 2-for-2 today, having smacked two singles to the opposite field, raising his average to .462 (6-for-13).
Inside the game
When Jeff Baker was called up late last season, he enjoyed a sublime September: .368 average, five homers, 21 RBIs, seven doubles, two triples and 21 RBIs in 18 games. But conventional baseball wisdom says that September statistics and performance are misnomers.
Baker, slated to be the Rockies’ fourth outfielder and a fill-in at first and third, doesn’t buy that argument.
“All I know is that those pitchers weren’t just laying it down the middle to give up hits and that everyone was out there playing to win,” he said. “I understand that rosters do get bigger and the talent might be diluted a little bit. But that’s a situation I can’t control, so I just went out there and tried to make the most of it.”
Through Sunday, Baker was hitting .211 with one homer and four RBIs.
The desert scene
Former Rockies fan favorites Dante Bichette and Eric Young visited Hi Corbett Field today. Bichette’s son, Dante, Jr., was in Phoenix playing in a baseball tournament. Young, who signed on last week to become a new member of ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight,” stopped by to get a peak at his son, Eric Jr., who is a minor-league prospect with the Rockies.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
