Phoenix – More frightened than hurt, Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba managed to flash a smile after Monday’s spring game against the Oakland A’s.
“It’s definitely scary to sprain your ankle,” he said. “I thought I broke it at first, because it really hurt. But it started to feel a little better after I moved it around.”
Torrealba will know more about his swollen right ankle when he wakes up this morning, but he predicted he would be ready for opening day, six days away. Torrealba is expected to see significant action this season, sharing catching duties with rookie starter Chris Iannetta.
“It’s better than what I thought it would be,” Torrealba said. “I’m not worried about (opening day). I think I’ll be OK.”
Torrealba crumbled to the ground while hustling to first base on a grounder in the fifth inning. Torrealba tripped over first baseman Dan Johnson’s leg and landed awkwardly.
Last season, Torrealba entered the spring as the No. 1 catcher but was hindered by right shoulder problems. He had two stints on the disabled list and played in only 65 games.
Hirsh humbled
In the Rockies’ 6-3 loss to the A’s, rookie right-hander Jason Hirsh, the club’s No. 4 starter, gave up only six hits in six innings. That’s the good news. More sobering is that he gave up a two-run homer to Eric Chavez in the first, a solo shot to Milton Bradley in the third and a solo homer to Nick Swisher in the fourth.
Manager Clint Hurdle called Hirsh’s performance “inconsistent.”
“As any pitcher will tell you, there’s a lot of importance in pitching ahead in the count, and he wasn’t ahead a lot today,” Hurdle said.
However, Hurdle was encouraged by some of what he saw, likening Hirsh’s spring to the growing pains that No. 2 starter Jeff Francis experienced two years ago.
“Clint told me I need to pitch more inside, move guys off a little bit,” Hirsh said. “My sequencing of pitches was bad today.”
Gallo on standby
Lefty reliever Mike Gallo, sent down to Triple-A on Friday, is ready to rejoin the Rockies anytime the call comes. Considering how Tom Martin has struggled, that call could come soon.
“I feel like if there is a left- hander they need at the big- league level right now, I would be that guy,” Gallo said Monday. “It’s kind of frustrating, because I came to camp really prepared. But I knew it was kind of a longshot for me because of who they already had signed. Then again, this gives me a chance to get a little sharper.”
Martin, who has an $800,000 contract with the Rockies, entered Monday’s game with a 17.18 ERA. Opponents were hitting .529 against him with four homers and two doubles in 17 at-bats.
But Martin, who has tweaked his delivery to a more sidearm motion, threw one effective inning Monday, allowing no hits and one walk.
Kim saga
Pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim, upset over his transfer from the starting rotation to the bullpen, said Monday that he doesn’t know how long he’ll remain with the Rockies.
“My agent tells me they are trying to trade me,” Kim said. “But I don’t know what’s happening.”
Kim, an effective reliever early in his career, said he’s now more comfortable being a starter.
Footnotes
The race for the 25th roster spot remains tight. John Mabry played first and third Monday, going 1-for-3 with a walk. He’s hitting .400. Ryan Spilborghs played left, went 1-for-4 and struck out twice. He’s hitting .429. … Brad Hawpe hit his team-leading fifth homer.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
