St. Patty's Day in Tucson

by Andrew T. Fisher on Mar 17, 2009 7:57 PM MDT in Miscellaneous

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone! It was yet another hot day in Tucson as the Rockies pulled out their first tie of 2009. Today also brought the return of Ubaldo Jimenez and Jeff Baker, and Todd Helton's third home run.

We ventured to the major league batting practice fields, where they are continuing the scored contests of situational hitting and bunting. We watched Christian Friedrich pitch in a minor league scrimmage on the minor league fields

Christian Friedrich showed off his curveball by earning a strikeout in a scrimmage on the minor league fields.

Check it out here

Ubaldo Jimenez delivers a pitch in the first inning Tuesday. -mkorpal

Everyone's favorite Coors Field vendor roams Hi Corbett Field as well. -PF

Todd Helton gets ready to unload on his first inning home run. -mkorpal

Joe Koshansky watches Matt Murton drive a pitch to deep left field in BP. Murton may be small, but he sure has power. The team worked on situational hitting off of pitching machine curveballs. Rich Dauer scored each hitter. -PF

The pitchers took bunting practice this morning. Glendon Rusch lays down a bunt. -PF

At one point, the pitching machine broke, prompting someone to say "It's broken. It's throwing bolts." That's when Alan Embree said:

That's what it feels like when I pitch.

I sure hope he's joking.

Pitching Coach Bob Apodaca talks with RHP Jhoulys Chacin before bunting practice. Advise: Rich Dauer pronounced his name "YOO-leeze SHUH-seen" -PF

Huston Street and Jason Marquis walk up for their turn with the bat. The two are new to the purple, but they had the most impressive showings in the cage today. -PF

Other Notes:

Dan Ortmeier is a fan of C Paul Phillips. Batting practice today may have shown why. Phillips had an impressive showing during the curveball situational hitting sessions.
The players really are embracing the point system with the contest.
Rich Dauer was generous with the points, often pointing out that the phantom runner in the situational drill was Dexter Fowler. Good choice. Fowler scored from first on a single by Carlos Gonzalez in the ninth inning vs Kansas City.

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Comments

That's some good video.

"If we never try, we shall never succeed." - Abraham Lincoln

Purple Row - Covering all your Rockies needs!

by Russ Oates on Mar 17, 2009 8:33 PM MDT reply actions

I was absolutely giddy when I noticed Christian pitching

significantly more than I was when I saw Christian playing third today instead of Baker.

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Mar 18, 2009 1:17 AM MDT up reply actions

Did either team wear green?

I thank you for the updates, they are significantly better than my own, but I analyze everything baseball related.

"A great catch is like watching girls go by; the last one you see is always the prettiest." ~Bob Gibson
JFK

by jrockies on Mar 17, 2009 10:33 PM MDT reply actions

neither team wore green

but the Rockies hat special St. Patty’s day hats. They were black with the regular CR logo, but with green piping. Think this mixed with this. Also, there were shamrocks on the bases.

Aut Vincam Aut Periam

by PioneerSkies on Mar 17, 2009 11:09 PM MDT up reply actions

There was a shamrock on the bases as well

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

by Andrew T. Fisher on Mar 18, 2009 1:15 AM MDT up reply actions

oh yeah

there was also green Coors Light at the concession stands.

Aut Vincam Aut Periam

by PioneerSkies on Mar 17, 2009 11:57 PM MDT up reply actions

Check out

my pictures from the game here (starting with this one after yesterday’s pictures).

It was another great day. I ran down a bp ball on one of the practice fields, and I got autographs from Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook, Clint Barmes, Dexter Fowler, Matt Murton, Joe Koshansky, and Juan Morillo. A foul ball from KFC also landed just one row away from me.

This was my last day in Tucson this spring and it might just have been my last game at Hi Corbett Field. More and more, Tucson is an unfortunate place for a MLB team to train in the spring. The distance, the aging facilities and the lack of other teams continue to put the Rockies and Dbacks behind the ball. While a move closer to Phoenix will benefit the franchise, I will still miss Hi Corbett. Despite the lack of shade or lawn seating, the architecture and style is unlike any other baseball venue that exists. The layout makes it easy to approach the players for autographs and pictures. The four practice fields are a short walk away, and—unlike many other facilities—they are open to the public, so dorks like me can walk around, take pictures of minor leaguers, and chase down the occasional foul ball. It’ll be good for the Rockies to be elsewhere, but part of me will always miss Tucson and Hi Corbett.
…eyes, look your last. arms, take your last embrace. and lips—oh you the doors of breath—seal with a righteous kiss…
…the rest is silence…

Aut Vincam Aut Periam

by PioneerSkies on Mar 17, 2009 11:49 PM MDT reply actions