SAN DIEGO — When Ian Stewart was playing second base in May, it was an intriguing experiment. The diversion became a problem when he couldn’t hit, striking out every other at-bat.
Now it could be argued the Rockies have crawled back into contention because of Stewart’s change in position. Scrawled into granite at third base, his natural spot, Stewart has displayed the talent that had Rockies special assistant Walt Weiss convinced he was one of the best high school hitters he had ever seen.
With the “Nike Swoosh hitch,” as manager Clint Hurdle put it, eliminated from his swing, Stewart has put on a clinic. He has 35 RBIs since the all-star break, hitting a robust .353. How did this happen?
“(Hitting instructor) Alan Cockrell talked with Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez at the all-star game about hitting drills they use off a tee,” Stewart said. “They have really helped me. I use them all the time. It helps me with my hitting (mechanics).”
Those calisthenics have allowed his buggy-whip hands to work. Stewart has displayed patience and power at the plate and athleticism at third base that screams that the Rockies will try to trade Garrett Atkins for pitching this offseason before contemplating a move with Matt Holliday.
“He’s just focusing on hitting the ball hard, and when that’s your primary focus, good things usually happen,” Atkins said. “He’s going to have a lot of success with that approach.”
Working the situation. Beyond eliminating his pain, the biggest challenge facing first baseman Todd Helton regarding his back injury is how to manage it. Helton is a grinder. But fatigue contributed heavily to his irritated disc, which has kept him out of the lineup since July 3.
Former Yankee Don Mattingly, a huge Helton fan, dealt with an identical back problem at the end of his career. The hardest part, Mattingly explained, is saving yourself for a game.
“Absolutely, that’s right,” Helton said. “I don’t know if I will be able to hit in the batting cage three times before the game. I would like to feel well enough to try that, but I am not sure if that will be possible.”
Footnotes. It’s likely closer Brian Fuentes will rejoin the Rockies this weekend for the series against the Padres. Fuentes was placed on the bereavement list Tuesday to deal with a family issue. As for Fuentes being traded, forget about it. . . .
One of manager Clint Hurdle’s most popular e-mail questions centers on why he doesn’t return Taylor Buchholz to the starting rotation. The reason? Buchholz doesn’t want to start, and he could eventually develop into a closer.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
TODAY: Rockies at Padres, 8:05 p.m., FSN
There is no one the Rockies would rather have start a road game than Aaron Cook (15-8, 3.91 ERA). The all-star right-hander has posted nine victories on the road this season. All other Rockies starters combined have 14. Cook loves pitching in Petco Park, where home runs go to die and his sinker excels. Cook is 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA in the canyon of condos in his career. Dirk Hayhurst (0-0, 6.75) has never faced the Rockies. The Ohioan lasted just four innings in his first big-league start.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Saturday: Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (9-11, 3.95) vs. Padres’ Jake Peavy (9-9, 2.84), 8:05 p.m., FSN
Sunday: Rockies’ Jeff Francis (4-8, 5.36) vs. Padres’ Chris Young (4-4, 4.74) or Chad Reineke (2-1, 4.50), 2:05 p.m., FSN
Monday: Giants’ Jonathan Sanchez (8-9, 4.53) vs. Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (7-7, 5.60), 1:05 p.m., FSN
Tuesday: Giants’ Tim Lincecum (15-3, 2.43) vs. Rockies’ Livan Hernandez (11-11, 6.14), 6:35 p.m., FSN
