SAN FRANCISCO — Finding optimism in this Rockies season is an archeological dig. Sift through the rubble, the fossils, the skeletons, and there’s glimmering hope in the lineup.
Most teams that dive headfirst into a crevice don’t have three young players capable of impacting the game on a nightly basis. Everyone knows about Troy Tulowitzki, the team MVP this year despite missing much of the final two weeks, and Carlos Gonzalez, a legitimate five-tool player who will win the NL MVP Award if he plays 150 games next season.
The other? Dexter Fowler.
Bear with me for a minute. Fowler has been maddening the past two seasons. He shows Gold Glove-caliber defense but has been banished to the minor leaguers twice because of holes in his left-handed swing. His baserunning misadventures have been well-documented.
And yet, he’s 25 and finally showing power that could make him a dynamic offensive weapon. His 37 extra-base hits since the all-star break are tied for third-most in the National League. His 37 walks are eighth best.
He has hit .290 with a .386 on-base percentage. The power came almost by accident. He tried a leg kick in batting practice, on a whim, then had three hits the first time he used it in a game.
“Why not? It felt comfortable,” Fowler said.
The challenge for Fowler is consistency for this latest reincarnation to have roots. The Rockies can’t have their leadoff hitter in the minor leagues fixing his swing for a month again.
Fowler is determined to build off his finish. He plans to hire a chef to help him put on good weight. He will train in Denver for several weeks with Rockies strength and conditioning coach Brian Jordan before heading to Arizona to work out with Dodgers MVP candidate Matt Kemp.
“He’s got his place there. I will take that right into spring training,” Fowler said. “This has been a disappointing season. But we can learn from this. We have some talent in this room to turn it around.”
Footnotes. First baseman Todd Helton will resume training in a few weeks. His back has improved over the last week, and he’s committed to an aggressive offseason workout regime, believing it keyed his bounce back season. . . . Jordan Pacheco caught for the first time in the big leagues Wednesday, showing athleticism. He played every infield position this month, save for shortstop. As it stands, he’s a favorite to make the Rockies next season in a super utility role, with the club likely to trade Ty Wigginton. . . . There’s no timetable for when Juan Nicasio (broken neck) will begin playing catch. But the Rockies’ training staff is encouraged that he has been able to perform range-of-motion exercises with no problems. . . . Catcher Wilin Rosario plans to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic beginning in three weeks and going through early December. “I have learned up here that you have to be smart, aggressive and control your emotions,” Rosario said. . . . Esmil Rogers also will pitch in the Dominican winter league.
