Ian Desmond, the veteran who signed a five-year, $70 million deal to play first base, is moving closer to making his Rockies debut. But exactly where are the Rockies going to play Desmond when he returns?
Manager Bud Black hinted Sunday that Desmond could see some time in the outfield. Desmond hit off a batting tee in the cage over the weekend and is expected to start taking full batting practice this week.
Desmond fractured his left hand in a March 12 Cactus League game, and has moved from understudy to early-season star in Desmond’s absence, hitting five homers with a team-high 16 RBIs. Plus, Reynolds has played stellar defense at first, a position Desmond has never played in a regular-season game.
“Isn’t that a good thing when players come back?” Black said. “It’s a good thing, not a dilemma. Do we have to shuffle some things at times? Absolutely. But, hey, I can’t wait to get Ian Desmond back. You know why? He’s a good player.”
Then Black responded to questions about whether the Rockies are having internal conversations about Desmond playing in the outfield or at shortstop, where had been struggling at the plate until heating up this weekend.
“Yes — not so much short, no,” Black said. “We talk about our players all the time, about what we can do to maximize our players and our team.
“Ian, specifically, is one of those guys we talk about because of the potential versatility that he brings to the Rockies, not only this year, but in coming years. He’s not even here yet, he hasn’t had (batting practice) on the field, but it’s good to talk about, because that means he’s getting closer.”
Desmond is a two-time all-star, once as a shortstop, where he started for six full seasons with Washington, and then last year after converting to the outfield with Texas, where he played in center and left.
Galloping Chuck. Good thing works out like a maniac, because the Rockies’ bearded wonder has been galloping around the bases like a thoroughbred.
The center fielder belted a leadoff triple and a two-run double Sunday in Colorado’s 8-0 victory over San Francisco. Blackmon tripled Saturday night after hitting an inside-the-park home run Friday night. Blackmon became just the third Rockies player to hit a leadoff triple in consecutive games. Neifi Perez did in on Sept. 14-15, 1999, and Eric Young did it on May 9-12, 1993.
Black is often asked why he doesn’t move Blackmon into the middle of the lineup to take advantage of his slugging and run production. But Black loves Blackmon as his leadoff man, and he loves the kind of hitter Blackmon has become.
“Charlie is an all-field hitter, to me,” Black said. “He’s capable of doing what he’s done the last couple of (games). A fastball yesterday, ripped down the first-base line for a triple … A double down the left-field line today. You know the old adage, ‘Hit it where it’s pitched’? That’s sort of Charlie.”
Blackmon is in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak in which he has hit .323 with two doubles, two triples, three homers and nine RBIs.
Footnotes. The Giants fell to 6-13, tied for their worst start though 19 games in club history (also 1983, 1980, 1972, 1951, 1950, 1916, 1915, 1900 and 1896). … Story extended his hitting streak to five games with a two-run single in the sixth. … Washington right-hander Stephen Strasburg, originally scheduled to face the Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors, will miss the start. Strasburg (2-0, 2.89 ERA) is going on paternity leave as he and his wife, Rachel, await the birth of their child. The Nationals are expected to call up Jacob Turner from Triple-A Syracuse to replace Strasburg.
Looking ahead …
Nationals RHP Joe Ross (1-0, 3.86 ERA) at Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (1-3, 7.32), 6:40 p.m. Monday, ROOT; 850 AM
Rockies manager Bud Black was asked Sunday if good pitching, like good hitting, can be contagious. Black replied yes, saying that when pitchers get rolling, their teammates want to keep up. Perhaps the performance by fellow rookie Antonio Senzatela will get Anderson going. Anderson has yet to post a quality start this season after recording 12 in 19 starts last season. His command, so sharp last season, has been lacking. Overall, he has pitched well at Coors Field, where he is 5-3 with a 3.36 ERA in 13 career starts. Ross, 23, didn’t make his first start until last Wednesday, because the Nationals didn’t need a fifth starter until then. The right-hander performed well, recovering from a two-run, first-inning deficit to pitch seven innings in Washington’s 14-4 win at Atlanta. He allowed three runs on six hits, striking out seven and walking one. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Tuesday: Nationals TBA at Rockies TBA, 6:40 p.m., ROOT
Wednesday: Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (2-0, 3.65) at Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (2-2, 4.10), 6:40 p.m., ROOT
Thursday: Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (2-0, 1.35) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-0, 2.08), 1:10 p.m., ROOT
