SAN DIEGO — To put it bluntly, baserunning was not a highlight for the Rockies in April.
They stole just six bases and were thrown out nine times. That 40 percent stolen-base percentage ranked 14th in the National League, ahead of only Washington (33 percent).
But it’s not just the club’s failure to swipe bases that has been glaring. There have been plenty of other miscues that resulted in innings being short-circuited.
For example, in the Rockies’ 9-1 loss at Arizona on Wednesday, Corey Dickerson hit a one-out double in the sixth. Troy Tulowitzki followed with a line- drive single to left fielder David Peralta. Dickerson ran through third-base coach Stu Cole’s stop sign and was thrown at home.
“I’m going to keep running aggressively, and that’s what (manager) Walt (Weiss) wants,” Dickerson said. “Mistakes are going to be made over 162 games, so it was just one mistake.”
To be fair to Dickerson, the planter fasciitis in his left foot makes it difficult for him to put on the breaks when he’s running hard, which might account for his reckless dash home.
Weiss, though not thrilled with his team’s baserunning, is not going to change his aggressive approach.
“We have made some outs on the bases, we certainly have,” he said. “But I’m still not to the point where I want to make it too much of an issue. I tell these guys that I would rather pull on the reins than crack the whip.
“But they know there is a fine line there. We talk about playing the game right and playing the game hard. You have to do both. If you just play the game hard, that doesn’t work.”
Otto update. Injured closer Adam Ottavino will find out about the fate of his 2015 season Monday when he is examined in Denver by Dr. Thomas Noonan, the team’s medical director.
An MRI has shown inflammation in the triceps and elbow, and the fear is that Ottavino, already on the 15-day disabled list, will have to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery.
“Everybody is scared of that,” Ottavino said Friday. “It’s the reality for a lot of pitchers these days. So, of course, that’s what everybody is scared of. I don’t have a reason to think one way or another about it, so I’m trying to keep me mind out of it. … The original pictures showed a lot of inflammation in various areas, so we aren’t sure where the discomfort is coming from. But (the elbow) doesn’t feel like I want it to feel.”
Slumping Stubbs. Outfielder Drew Stubbs, mired in a terrible slump, got a rare start Friday night against a right-handed pitcher, in this case San Diego’s Ian Kennedy. Stubbs, a career .231 hitter vs. righties, played center field and hit eighth, replacing usual leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon, who was slowed by a stomach bug.
Stubbs entered the game 0-for-April, striking out 12 times in his 20 at-bats. Asked how much patience he will have with Stubbs, Weiss answered: “I think the fact that he hasn’t had consistent playing time has been a factor. In the first 21 games, we have faced just two left-handed starters, and that’s when Drew typically get his at-bats, against lefties. His at-bats have been few and far between, and it’s very difficult to perform in that role. I think that has a lot to do with it.”
Footnotes. Given their starters’ inability to pitch deep into games, the Rockies are still trying to protect their bullpen, which means Wilin Rosario will remain playing first base at Triple-A Albuquerque for the foreseeable future. … DJ LeMahieu, who hit leadoff for the first time Friday, finished April hitting .406 — the best April ever for a starting Rockies second baseman.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (0-1, 11.57 ERA) at Padres’ Brandon Morrow (1-0, 2.67), 6:40 p.m. Saturday, ROOT; 850 AM
De La Rosa is the closest thing the Rockies have to an ace, but he was hardly ace-like the last time he faced the Padres. That was April 20 at Coors Field in the left-hander’s 2015 debut. De La Rosa yielded a career-high nine runs and nine hits in two innings. He was better the next time out — against the San Francisco Giants, giving up two runs over five innings — but it’s time for him to perform like a No. 1 pitcher. Morrow has limited hitters to a .237 batting average in four starts. He has been terrific at Petco Park, posting a 1.29 ERA in three starts over 21 innings. He is San Diego’s fifth starter but has pitched like an ace.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Sunday: Rockies’ Tyler Matzek (2-0, 2.70 ERA) at Padres’ James Shields (2-0, 2.90), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Monday: Diamondbacks’ TBA at Rockies’ Kyle Kendrick (1-3, 8.36), 6:40 p.m., ROOT
Tuesday: Diamondbacks’ Josh Collmenter (2-3, 2.76) at Rockies’ Jordan Lyles (2-2, 4.25), 6:40 p.m., ROOT
Wednesday: Diamondbacks’ Ruby De La Rosa (2-1, 4.68) at Rockies’ Eddie Butler (2-1, 3.27 entering Friday), 1:10 p.m., no TV
