PHOENIX — Kyle Freeland needed a rebound performance. He got it Sunday afternoon against Milwaukee.
Although the Rockies lost 9-4, Freeland, a 23-year-old left-hander from Thomas Jefferson High School, pitched much better than he did in his initial Cactus League outing against the Dodgers. In that game, he allowed four runs (three earned) on two hits, and also walked two batters.
Sunday’s line: Six up, six down over two pristine innings. Freeland, considered to have an outside chance to be the Rockies’ fifth starter, made a statement with his performance.
“That was the highlight today, the way he bounced back from his last outing,” manager Bud Black said. “It was a much better delivery. He slowed everything down and he repeated his arm action and repeated his finish. He made pitches. His stuff was good.
“He had some nice pitches inside to right-handed hitters, and he had a couple of nice sliders to the left-handers. He threw well.”
Duck and cover. Black, like all managers in the Cactus League, sits in a folding chair on the field, between the dugout and home plate. He is joined there by various coaches. He likes the view, but he knows he needs to be wary of wayward baseballs.
A reminder of that arrived Saturday when San Francisco first-base coach Jose Alguacil was hit in the face by a foul ball during a game at Surprise Stadium. The Giants said Alguacil needed surgery to repair a broken nose and a deep laceration. He also has small fractures in his eye socket. Alguacil was struck when Kansas City’s Hunter Dozier checked his swing in the eighth inning and fouled off the ball. lguacil was airlifted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix.
“Personally, I like to go out there (on the field) because it gets you a little bit closer to the plate,” Black said. “It gives a you a little bit better feel. … There is also a little bit of a fan component, where you can interact with them a little bit. So there are multiple reasons. But you’ve got to be alert. But even when you’re alert, you might not have time to react.”
WBC update. Third baseman and reliever spent their final day with the Rockies before leaving for Florida to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. , who will be playing for Venezuela, is scheduled to play Monday for the Rockies before he leaves for the WBC.
Black said he will be in touch with Jim Leyland, the manager of Team USA, throughout the tournament and plans to text with all three players.
