For a fleeting moment, the three fastest Rockies occupied Coors Field.
Eric Young was taking batting practice, Juan Pierre was watching from the dugout and Willy Taveras was shagging flies. Taveras crushed Young’s single-season stolen-base record of 53 earlier this season. The only other Rockie to threaten the mark was Pierre, who swiped 47 in 2002.
So what does Young think of the new CEO of the fast company?
“I didn’t think my record (set in 1996) would last that long, especially with Pierre here. And Willy didn’t just break it, he shattered it,” said Young, who retired Friday as a Rockie and took batting practice Saturday. “If he would have finished with 54, I would have felt bad. But it’s cool what he’s done.”
Taveras leads baseball with 68 stolen bases, the third-highest total this decade. Pierre marvels at Taveras’ speed. The Rockies center fielder has been caught just seven times.
“He’s been impressive,” Pierre said.
Young, who works as an ESPN analyst, believes Taveras is just scratching his potential. He sees triple digits in Taveras’ future.
“He’s still on his learning curve. If he learns a few more tricks of the trade, I really think he can get 100 bags,” Young said. “I was watching him going from first to third (Friday), and his white cleats were a blur.”
Staying the course.
While the Rockies will give a look to some different players over their final 13 games, namely Dexter Fowler and Seth Smith against the Padres this week, manager Clint Hurdle will field his regular lineup against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.
“I plan on being respectful of the fight those teams are in,” said Hurdle, whose team benefited when Milwaukee played its regulars against San Diego in the final weekend last season.
Not keeping up with the Jones.
Strapped with a .158 average, Andruw Jones’ first and forgettable season with the Dodgers is over. The outfielder was placed on the disabled list with a sore right knee that he will rehab before playing winter ball.
Footnotes.
The Dodgers activated reliever Takashi Saito. He will be used as a setup man with the possibility of working back into his closer’s role if his elbow responds. . . . Andre Ethier missed Saturday’s game to attend the birth of his first child.
Troy E. Renck and Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
