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.
Until Garrett Atkins launched a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth off Gavin Floyd to give the Rockies a 5-2 lead, thunder and lightning produced the only serious threats at Hi Corbett Field this afternoon.
Facing a lineup featuring the bulk of the White Sox starting lineup, Rockies No. 1 starter Aaron Cook pitched his best game of the spring. In six innings, Cook gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Against White Sox fifth starter John Danks, the Rockies managed just one hit in four innings. The hit belonged to Willy Taveras, who opened the Rockies’ first with a double down the right-field line.
Danks dominated a Colorado lineup that likely will be on the field on opening day:
- Taveras, center field
- Kaz Matusui, second base
- Garrett Atkins, third base
- Todd Helton, first base
- Matt Holliday, left field
- Brad Hawpe, right field
- Troy Tulowitzki, shortstop
- Chris Iannetta, catcher
- Cook, pitcher
Inside the game
When the question was posed to manager Clint Hurdle, he almost burst out laughing.
The question in question? Have you considered moving promising rookie right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez to the bullpen this season?
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Hurdle said. “The kid needs to pitch. He has a chance to be a dominating starting arm. (The bullpen) could be something that happens in the future, but this kid needs to pitch. He’s finally fallen into a rhythm with his command and his pitches. If you are going to ask him to pitch in the big leagues now, you’d be asking him to pitch in a role he’s never had.”
In other words don’t mess with a potential super starter for a little relief now.
By the numbers: 164
Heading into today’s game, that’s the number of consecutive spring training A-games the Rockies had played at Hi Corbett Field since the last rainout. According to Rockies records, there have been only three rainouts at Hi Corbett since the Rockies began playing there in 1993. The last one was on Feb. 29, 1997 against Milwaukee.
Staff Writer Patrick Saunders
can be reached at 303-954-1428
