SAN FRANCISCO — Chris Iannetta entered Saturday’s game hitting .219. He can scarcely believe it, much less explain it.
“I feel good, I’m seeing the ball well, but I’m just not getting any results,” the catcher said. “I’ve never been through this before.”
Last year, Iannetta was a ray of light in the Rockies’ otherwise dreary season. Even bigger things were expected in 2009, but with just 32 games remaining, he’s still searching. He’s certain he will rediscover his missing offense and give the Rockies’ inconsistent offense a needed boost in the season’s final month.
“My goal is to get back on track and contribute,” he said. “It’s one thing to say you are a .220 or .230 hitter and that you are doing the best you can. But I know I’m better than that.”
On the plus side, Iannetta has driven in 49 runs with a respectable .431 slugging percentage. And manager Jim Tracy credits Iannetta and Yorvit Torrealba as central to the pitching staff’s success.
“I don’t think (the slump) has affected my defense or game calling,” he said. “When Tracy took over, he told me and Yorvit that he wanted us to focus on defense and helping the pitchers. He said, ‘If we just get a win, you guys are plus with me.’ “
Tracy currently considers Iannetta and Torrealba as interchangeable, but if one of his catchers gets hot, he will ride that wave.
“We all know about the bat potential of Chris Iannetta, about his ability to take a pitch and drive the ball out of the ballpark,” Tracy said. “That’s obviously very intriguing. But right now, it’s not happening on any kind of a regular basis. I have to continue to present opportunity to both guys and see what happens.”
Tuesday’s choice.
Lefty Jorge De La Rosa will start Tuesday’s game against the Mets at Coors Field. Monday’s off day gave Tracy the luxury of not having to find a fifth starter. Tracy will have to make a decision on a starter for next Saturday’s game against the Diamondbacks, but it won’t be Aaron Cook. Though the right-hander is making progress with his sore shoulder, he is far from ready.
“We are very hopeful we’ll have him back further into September,” Tracy said.
Footnotes.
Tracy gave Todd Helton a day off Saturday, but he entered in the ninth to pinch hit. . . . Helton said he didn’t hear the appreciative applause from Giants fans after his fielding gem Friday night. “I hit the ground pretty hard. I was kind of seeing stars,” he said. . . . Carlos Gonzalez’s bruised left thumb looked much better. He took batting practice and entered the game in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter, but he struck out.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
