MILWAUKEE — Jim Tracy never lived up to his reputation as a micromanager last season. He ran out his best players after taking over the National League’s second-worst team on May 28, often to the point of exhaustion.
This season he is determined to use his options. As such, he mapped out the catcher’s playing time this week. Chris Iannetta, the opening-day starter, will start again today, with Miguel Olivo going Wednesday and in the home opener Friday.
“We know we are both going to play. When Chris is in there, I will be pulling for him,” Olivo said.
Olivo worked well with Arron Cook and Jorge De La Rosa in the spring and impressed the organization with his desire to improve. He worked hard on his receiving skills — specifically framing pitches — and learning the pitching staff.
“They sent me a DVD of all of them over the winter so I could study them,” Olivo said. “And I caught everyone in the spring. That made me feel comfortable.”
Center of attention.
When Dexter Fowler was benched in favor of Seth Smith, a parallel was drawn to last season when Clint Barmes sat for Ian Stewart on opening day. The situations were handled differently, according to the players involved. Fowler was told Saturday that he would not be starting, not by looking at the lineup, as Barmes found out last year.
“Trace explained it to me, and I took it in stride. You obviously want to play every day, but you understand the situation,” Fowler said Monday. “I wasn’t swinging well the last few days.”
Fowler is a switch hitter who agreed that his left-handed swing has “always been a work in progress.” He hit .240 against right-handers last year and batted .229 overall in spring training. Fowler is expected to start today, Wednesday and Friday as the Rockies face a run of left-handers.
Dinner party.
First baseman Jason Giambi returned to the Rockies, in large part, because of his positive experience. The 39-year-old Giambi has added social coordinator to his duties this season. Giambi helped organize a team dinner Sunday night at the Capital Grille here. Twenty-two of the 25 players attended, the only absences due to family commitments.
“The season is stressful. You don’t want guys drifting apart. Basically now, we are a family,” Giambi said. “These guys are tight, and that isn’t the case everywhere.”
Beimel in Tucson.
Left-hander Joe Beimel has returned to Tucson to continue building arm strength. He will throw today and Wednesday before getting two days off. At that point, he will either go to the minor leagues or join the Rockies. “I did everything I could pitching-wise to show them I am ready,” Beimel said.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
