Desmond remains upbeat after surgery
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ian Desmond, with his right hand, is able to drive slowly around the Colorado Rockies’ spring training complex in a golf cart and watch teammates practice. That’s what he did Friday afternoon before the Rockies left camp to play the San Francisco Giants.
The left hand, however, is wrapped like a club. Desmond, who was set to be the Rockies’ opening-day first baseman, broke a bone in the hand when he was hit by a pitch in a spring training game Sunday. He has since had surgery.
Desmond spoke to reporters about the injury for the first time Friday. He seemed upbeat despite the prognosis of at least four to six weeks until he returns.
“It’s not frustrating at all,” Desmond said. “It’s part of baseball. I’ve been really fortunate over my career to avoid things like this. Who am I to think that I’m above getting hurt? Why not me, I guess.”
Desmond said he knew something was wrong when trainers took him out of the game. He’d been hit in the hand before, but this one felt different.
The fracture was diagnosed, surgery was ordered and completed and Desmond is back with the Rockies, with whom he signed a $70 million, fiveyear contract in the offseason. He’s played shortstop and outfield over the past few seasons, but the Rockies wanted him at first base.
Now Mark Reynolds is in line for the starting job until Desmond returns.
“I still have a job to do here, and that’s be a good teammate, take care of my body, try to get to know guys,” Desmond said. “That was probably objective No. 1 coming into spring training, was to try to get to know my teammates that I’m going on the field with every day. That’s still on the top of the list.”
Desmond said the move to a new position had been going well. He’s been watching other first baseman, including Reynolds, and learning through observation as well as working on the field.
He said he also watched the Chicago Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo from the dugout when the Rockies played the Cubs, and the Kansas City Royals’ Eric Hosmer on TV in the World Baseball Classic.
Rockies manager Bud Black said Desmond went right to work at first base after he signed with the club.
“He was making great progress, to the point where we weren’t concerned at all about his ability to handle the position defensively,” Black said. “Once he gets back and gets more reps, he’ll get more comfortable.”
Desmond simplified thing when asked about the timetable for his return.
“I’m not a doctor. I’m just a first baseman who got drilled trying to get back as fast as I can,” he said. “Whenever they say I’m ready, I’ll be ready.”
The Rockies optioned right-handed pitchers Shane Carle, Rayan González and Zach Jemiola to Triple-A Albuquerque. Gonzalez is likely to need surgery on a torn elbow ligament in his pitching arm, Black said. … OF David Dahl was scheduled for an MRI on his injured rib Friday. Black said Dahl is on track to increase his activity soon, pending test results. On Wednesday, right-hander Miguel Castro and left-hander Sam Moll were assigned to the Isotopes.
World Baseball Classic
PUERTO RICO 6, U.S.
5: In San Diego, Yadier Molina and Puerto Rico are moving on to the semifinals after scoring four runs in the first inning and then holding on for a wild 6-5 win against the United States on Friday night.
Puerto Rico advances to the championship round for the second straight WBC. It reached the championship game in 2013 before losing to the Dominican Republic.
By clinching Pool F with a day to go, Puerto Rico (2-0) will play the Netherlands on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
The other semifinal spot from Pool F will go to the winner of tonight’s game between the United States (1-1) and the Dominican Republic (1-1). That team will play Japan on Tuesday night.
With most of the 32,463 fans on their feet and chanting in the top of the ninth, a U.S rally fell just short. Brandon Crawford hit a two-run triple to the left-center gap off Edwin Diaz with two outs to pull the Americans within a run. Diaz then struck out Josh Harrison to end it.
Spring training
DODGERS: The father of manager Dave Roberts died Friday at age 68. The team said Waymon Roberts passed away, but gave no further details.
MARLINS: The team is waiting to learn the extent of third baseman Martin Prado’s hamstring injury, including whether he’ll be available for opening day. Playing for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, Prado hurt himself running out a grounder in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s loss to Team USA.