MILWAUKEE — Nothing better illustrated Luis Vizcaino’s fall from grace with a thud than Thursday’s appearance.
Last season, he pitched with the alarms blaring in Yankee Stadium, serving as one of their most effective setup men for three months. Thursday, the Rockies finally found a game safe enough to insert Vizcaino, the Rockies trailing 7-1 in the fourth inning.
Manager Clint Hurdle bypassed him Wednesday, raising questions in his own clubhouse by going to closer Brian Fuentes with a five-run lead. He insisted it wasn’t to showcase Fuentes for a trade, saying that Vizcaino just “wasn’t in a good place.”
He’s in a better one today, the right-hander’s outing the sliver of good news in an ugly 11-1 loss to the Brewers. With Fuentes squarely on the trading block — the Rays remain the favorites — Vizcaino’s recovery is important to aligning the bullpen if the left-hander is dealt. He worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
“It’s been hard to get (confidence) back,” Vizcaino said. “It’s been a long time since I pitched that much, but I feel good.”
If Fuentes is traded, Manuel Corpas would move back to closer, with Taylor Buchholz and possibly Vizcaino serving as setup men. That was the role earmarked for Vizcaino in spring training, before he dealt with elbow and shoulder injuries.
The Rockies are also intrigued by the progress of hard- throwing reliever Juan Morillo in Triple-A and are slowly bringing along Double-A’s Casey Weathers.
Working Holliday.
It figures to be an interesting week in New York for Matt Holliday, whose Rockies begin a three-game series against the Mets tonight. Back on the national stage for the first time since the playoffs, the push for the Mets and, to a lesser degree, the Yankees to trade for him will grow stronger.
The Mets lost left fielder Moises Alou to a season-ending injury Thursday, and right fielder Ryan Church is on the disabled list.
The Rockies have told teams they will listen on Holliday, but there’s no sense of urgency to move him since he can’t become a free agent until after next season. Any deal would have to involve the Rockies getting a frontline starting pitcher, making it less certain that the Mets, in particular, could find a match.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
