PITTSBURGH — A day after he was pinch hit for in the ninth inning, Garrett Atkins found himself on the bench Saturday with no guarantee when he will start again.
“I am not going to ice him,” said manager Clint Hurdle, who inserted Ian Stewart as the starting third baseman. “I will get Garrett involved when I think it’s the right fit.”
Hurdle indicated Friday that for the team to “get on a roll,” he needed Atkins hitting cleanup. Three at-bats later, Stewart pinch hit for Atkins, triggering a ninth-inning rally. Atkins is batting .193, mired in a 4-for-42 stretch this month.
He threw his helmet Wednesday after lining out, the first time anyone could remember the infielder showing anger, a sign the slump is wearing on him. Being removed Friday was difficult, but understandable.
“If I was swinging the bat the way I am capable of, I would have been hitting,” said Atkins, who walked as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning Saturday. “I have no one to blame but myself.”
With hitting instructor Don Baylor out with an illness, Hurdle is working directly with Atkins, who is trying to fix his swing path to keep the barrel in the strike zone longer. The Rockies need him to rebound for two reasons: He makes the offense stronger, and it enhances his trade value. Given his $7.05 million salary, there’s no chance of moving Atkins if he isn’t starting and contributing.
“I am not worried about if my swing will come back, it’s a matter of when,” Atkins said. “When I start hitting, I will be playing.”
Footnotes.
Hurdle acknowledged the club has discussed promoting Triple-A outfielder Carlos Gonzalez (bothered by a slight leg injury) and slugger Daniel Ortmeier for his bench. Gonzalez would need regular playing time, which is currently not available. Ortmeier is a possibility, but Hurdle likes having infielder Omar Quintanilla available for late-inning defensive switches. . . . Stewart’s outfield experiment is over. With five outfielders, Stewart will be used at third or second base. … Braves rookie Kris Medlen will start Tuesday against the Rockies in place of Jo-Jo Reyes, who is 0-9 in his last 18 starts.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
