TUCSON — Hidden behind the rave reviews of the Rockies’ record-setting 2007 defense was a dirty little secret: The Rockies were horrid at throwing out base-stealers.
Fixing that ranks near the top of the club’s spring training to-do list.
“It’s a priority,” bench coach Jamie Quirk said Monday. “We’ve already had conversations with the catchers and the pitchers. It’s simple: Our pitchers have to be better at holding runners. Our catchers have to throw better.”
The Rockies ranked 12th in the National League, throwing out just 20.6 percent of base-stealers. Catcher Yorvit Torrealba, hampered by a sore shoulder he injured before the 2006 season, tossed out just 13-of-74 base-stealers. Among starting NL catchers, only the Brewers’ Johnny Estrada (13.1 percent) was worse.
Torrealba, blessed with a quick release, is hoping to return to the form that saw him throw out 38.9 percent of runners in 2003 when with the Giants.
“Last year, even when we did hold the runners, I wasn’t able to throw the runners out anyway,” Torrealba said. “But now, my shoulder feels pretty strong. So far, so good. But it’s something I have to focus on.”
One game last season served as a microcosm of Colorado’s problem.
On Sept. 15 — the day before the Rockies began their magical run to the World Series by winning 21 of 22 games — they lost 10-2 to the Marlins at Coors Field. Taking advantage of rookie pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, the Marlins stole five bases. Three were by speedster Hanley Ramirez. But Miguel Cabrera and Jeremy Hermida each stole a base, and neither is considered a base-stealing threat.
It was the kind of maddening performance the Rockies want to eliminate.
“I tell our catchers that base-stealers, like Juan Pierre and Jose Reyes, are going to get theirs,” said Quirk, who also coaches the Rockies catchers. “We have to throw out the guy who steals 15 a year, with three coming against us. We have to get those guys.”
The onus for shutting down base- runners rests on the pitchers as much as the catchers.
“It’s about developing that quick delivery, putting more emphasis on it,” pitching coach Bob Apodaca said. “A quick, functional power delivery is something you have to develop and continue as you go down the road.”
Jimenez, one of the Rockies’ bright lights, admits he has a lot of work ahead of him. Right now, he has a big, powerful delivery that allows runners to get a big lead. Jimenez has been studying video, trying to understand how to keep runners from stealing him blind.
“Sometimes I get so focused on the hitter, I don’t pay enough attention,” Jimenez said. “I need to get better because it’s a big part of the game.”
Veteran reliever Matt Herges said “there’s no excuse” for not holding baserunners.
“You have to be aware,” Herges said. “If you have trouble quickening your delivery, there are a bunch of things you can do. You can hold your set longer, or change things up, change the tempo. You have to make that runner at first base uncomfortable.”
To ensure that the Rockies improve, Quirk plans to be a taskmaster with the catchers this spring.
“We don’t have any new drills, just more emphasis,” he said. “I’m reminding them, beating it into their head every day. It’s something they have to get better at.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck contributed to this report.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
