Justin Morneau banged into the fence in San Diego chasing down a foul ball. He has gone horizontal with his 6-foot-4 frame while trying to snare hot grounders. He has legged out two triples.
So far, so good for the veteran first baseman, who has come back strong from a neck injury and concussion symptoms that threatened to end his career for a second time.
“I’ve been able to go out and play anytime the Rockies need me, so it’s been nice to be able to do that,” Morneau said before Friday night’s game against the Dodgers.
Morneau didn’t play baseball from May 14 through Sept. 3, and there were fears that his career might be over. But since coming off the disabled list, he has hit in 10-of-14 games at a .356 clip.
“My timing at the plate came back quicker than I thought it would,” he said. “So I feel all right, even though I would obviously like to be driving in more runs.”
Manager Walt Weiss called Morneau’s return a success.
“He’s had to dive for a few balls, and that’s what I was worried about, but I think he’s rebounded well from that, so that’s encouraging,” Weiss said. “I thought it would take him longer to be comfortable in the (batter’s) box, but he’s put together some good at-bats. He’s got a pretty simple approach and a great swing, so I think that’s helped.”
Morneau soon will reach the end of his two-year, $12.5 million contract. Although there is a $9 million mutual option pending, the chances of Morneau returning to Colorado — even for a reworked, minimal contract — are slim.
“I’m not saying no to anything, but it mostly depends on the direction of the team,” he said. “This is a young team, with a lot of young, talented players they want to develop.”
Brandon Barnes is likely done
Speedy outfielder Brandon Barnes, who injured his hamstring Wednesday night, is still very sore. With just eight games remaining, there’s little chance he will play again this season.
“It’s probably going to be tough for him to make it back,” Weiss said.
Barnes hit .251 with two homers, 13 doubles and two triples in 255 at-bats this season.
Nolan Arenado, CarGo pushing 40
Left-hander Yohan Flande (left knee contusion) has a 50-50 chance of pitching again this season, Weiss said. The manager did not want to project if the Rockies will look at Flande as a starter or reliever next spring.
The Rockies have not had multiple players hit 40 home runs in a season since 1997 when Ellis Burks, Vinny Castilla and Andres Galarraga did it. Entering Friday’s game, Nolan Arenado had 39 homers and Carlos Gonzalez 37.
Dodgers’ Brett Anderson (9-9, 3.52 ERA) at Rockies’ Kyle Kendrick (6-13, 6.37), 6:10 p.m. Saturday, ROOT; 850 AM
This is Kendrick’s swan song at Coors Field, a place he’s not going to remember with any fondness. After allowing a career-high four homers to the Padres last Sunday, the right-hander fell to 2-6 with a 7.35 ERA in LoDo this season. Of the 32 homers he has served up, 20 have come at Coors. That’s not what the Rockies were looking for when they signed Kendrick to a one-year, $5.5 million contract.
Anderson, who had a short, injury-riddled stint with the Rockies in 2014, served up five runs on 10 hits and a walk in a loss to Arizona on Monday. But overall, the left-hander has been serviceable for the Dodgers. Before his rough start against the Diamondbacks, he had given up no more than three runs in any of his past six starts, a stretch in which he had a 3.62 ERA.
Sunday: Dodgers’ Alex Wood (11-11, 3.60 ERA) at Rockies’ Chris Rusin (5-9, 5.39), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Rockies’ Christian Bergman (3-1, 4.62) at Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray (5-12, 3.53), 7:40 p.m., ROOT
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
