TUCSON — These days, Jason Hirsh is spending his spring in the training room.
The 6-foot-8 right-hander has inflammation in his shoulder and will miss his second consecutive Cactus League game. Today, the Rockies scratched Hirsh from his scheduled start Sunday against the Giants in Scottsdale. Hirsh also missed Wednesday’s game against Chicago.
Hirsh is competing for the Rockies’ fourth or fifth starter job, and while he says the injury “is not a big deal,” missing innings hampers his bid for the starting rotation. That’s true, in part, because there is fierce competition at the back of the rotation between Franklin Morales, Kip Wells, Mark Redman, Josh Towers and Hirsh. Hirsh also needs to build up his pitch count to be ready for the regular season.
“My shoulder’s just a little sore, but it’s not a big deal,” Hirsh said Wednesday morning. “It’s just a normal part of spring training. At this stage of camp, we are just erring on the side of caution.”
Hirsh, traded to the Rockies in December of 2006, made the starting rotation last season, but his season ended Aug. 7 when he was struck in the right leg by a line drive by Milwaukee’s J.J. Hardy. The blow fractured Hirsh’s fibula.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
