SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Rockies reached across town this week to hire psychologist and former NFL linebacker Dr. Rick Perea as their mental skills coach, a job with immediate concerns for club.
Perea also works with the Denver Broncos as a sports performance consultant, helping players, including Brock Osweiler, and executives. He’ll continue working with both teams.
With the Rockies, Perea replaces Andy McKay, who left the Rockies in October to become the Seattle Mariners farm director.
Perea will focus on the Rockies’ major-league roster out of Denver.
“A lot of people recommended him,” Rockies head athletic trainer Keith Dugger said. “He’s very high-energy. We thought we could utilize what he does to help our guys.”
The Rockies leaned on McKay to , who is sidelined again during spring training with what the team calls performance anxiety. Matzek posted a 4-2 record with a 1.55 ERA in six last-season starts in 2014, but he fell apart in 2015, was demoted to Triple-A Albuquerque, then removed from competition after severe control issues.
Last week, Matzek walked two and allowed a home run in three consecutive at-bats before he was pulled in less than an inning. The Rockies have not scheduled him for another appearance.
Major League Baseball requires each team to have a program in place to deal with behavioral health issues. Perea will fill that role.
“Anxiety and the mental side of the game used to be taboo in the big leagues. Nobody wanted to talk about it,” Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich . “Now we realize that it’s part of the game and we address it in a more organized way.”
Rockies footnotes:
Right-hander Jairo Diaz (torn elbow ligament) will undergo Tommy John surgery March 18 in Colorado with Rockies doctor Thomas Noonan.
LHP Chris Rusin (left middle finger inflammation) played catch Wednesday for the first time in six days. Rusin won the team’s annual, rowdy spring bunting competition and a clubhouse pot worth around $2,600.
Spring Training recap: Rockies 8, Giants 6
At Scottsdale Stadium
Johnny Cueto and his $130 million contract debuted Wednesday in a San Francisco Giants uniform, as he pitched his first Cactus League game this spring. Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez didn’t get a long look.
“Can’t tell much. I only saw one pitch,” Gonzalez said. Three batters into the game, Gonzalez pulled a 1-0 fastball from Cueto for a line-drive home run. It was Gonzalez’s second home run of the spring. Cueto left in the second inning, looking rusty after getting just four outs.
“Our message is: We can hit,” Gonzalez said.
Hits
Eddie Butler allowed just two hits and a walk in three innings pitched.
Mark Reynolds tripled in the second inning. He has an .827 slugging percentage in 14 at-bats and has 12 total bases.
Misses
Reynolds and Gerardo Parra both ran into outs in the second. Reynolds broke for home on a grounder to third base and was tagged out standing up. Parra was picked off first base trying to steal second.
What’s next
Rockies host the Cincinnati Reds at Salt River Fields, Thursday, 1:10 p.m.
Rockies pitchers: LH Jorge De La Rosa, RH Tyler Chatwood, LH Yohan Flande, RH Carlos Estevez. Reds starter: LH Brandon Finnegan.
Nick Groke: ngroke@denverpost.com or @nickgroke
