SAN DIEGO — Pitcher LaTroy Hawkins was scolded for not paying attention during pregame stretching before Tuesday’s game against the Padres, distracted as Hawkins was by a visitor next to the Petco Park batting cage.
“Talking to a Hall of Famer here. Sorry,” said Hawkins, who continued his conversation.
Dave Winfield, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001 after a 23-year career that began with the Padres in 1973, chatted with several Rockies players.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss was asked what he remembered playing against Winfield, who is now a special assistant for the Major League Baseball Players Association.
“When he was in Toronto and Minnesota those years when I was in Oakland, (playing) on that carpet, or whatever you want to call it in those days, he was the last guy I wanted to see come to the plate,” Weiss said. “His groundballs had teeth on them, coming off that turf, which was like playing on a trampoline.
“It was not fun playing the infield when Dave Winfield came to the plate. Topspin groundballs with some hair on them.”
Weiss was asked if he recalled the 6-foot-6 Winfield ever barreling down the basepath toward him at second base, which reminded the manager of the 1992 ALCS between Oakland and Toronto.
“The cover of Sports Illustrated during that time is Winfield coming in and I’m at second base,” Weiss said. “You can see the expression on my face. I was a little uncomfortable. But it’s a great picture. I’m tagging him, or it’s a double play where he’s arriving at the same time. Yeah, I look like I’m about 10 years old next to Winfield in the picture. It wasn’t fun turning the double play with him coming down the line.”
Footnotes. Justin Morneau is getting it done away from Coors Field. That’s what has positioned Morneau to win the first batting title of his career. He came into Tuesday’s game batting .311 (70-for-225) on the road. His .320 overall average led National League hitters. Pittsburgh’s Josh Harrison (.318) was second. … The Rockies broke off their oldest minor-league relationship after finally making official a new development deal with the Single-A Boise Hawks of the Northwest League. The Rockies’ short-season Single-A affiliation had been with the Tri-City Dust Devils, who recently signed a new deal with the San Diego Padres. Tri-City formerly was the Bend (Ore.) Rockies and Portland Rockies before moving to Washington.
Kirk Kenney, Special to The Denver Post and Nick Groke, The Denver Post
Looking ahead
Rockies’ Yohan Flande (0-5, 4.91 ERA) at Padres’ Joe Wieland (0-0, 9.00), 7:10 p.m., ROOT; 850 AM
Flande’s start Wednesday against the Padres will be his 10th of the season. He has bounced back and forth between the bullpen and rotation. The 28-year-old is still looking for his first career victory in his rookie season. But his best start of the season came at San Diego on Aug. 12, when he gave up just two runs on four hits over six innings. Flande took the loss in that game.
Thursday: Off
Friday: Rockies’ Jordan Lyles (7-3, 4.15 ERA) at Dodgers’ Roberto Hernandez (8-11, 4.08), 8:10, ROOT
Saturday: Rockies’ Eddie Butler (1-1, 5.56) at Dodgers’ Dan Haren (13-11, 4.03), 7:10 p.m., ROOT
Nick Groke, The Denver Post
