WILD-CARD ROSTER WILL COVER ALL BASES FOR BLACK
At the top of manager Bud Black’s to-do list — even before his Rockies closed the regular season Sunday with a 6-3 loss to the Dodgers at Coors Field — is constructing a roster for the NL wild-card game at Arizona.
Colorado will face the Diamondbacks on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and by Tuesday, Black must turn in a postseason roster that covers only the one-game playoff. Rockies right-hander Jon Gray will start opposite Arizona’s Zack Greinke. But Black is planning for contingencies.
“This is what we do. Not very often do we take mental breaks,” Black said. “We’re always thinking.”
Black bumped left-hander Tyler Anderson from his scheduled start Sunday to make him available Wednesday, if needed, in relief of Gray. Rookie Kyle Freeland started Sunday instead, likely removing him from the wild-card roster.
The rest of the Rockies’ roster will be heavy with bench players and relief pitchers. Wednesday’s roster will expire before the NLDS starts Friday, so a starting rotation is not necessary.
Black’s what-ifs will take into consideration a short start from Gray, bullpen matchups, extrainnings scenarios, maximizing pinch-hitting possibilities, how to spark speed on the bases and defensive switches, he said.
“For that one game, we’ll have the flexibility to cover a lot of scenarios,” Black said.
Anderson will be a pivot point. His use on the wild-card roster covers a possible emergency situation in relief Wednesday, but he would also be in line for a Game 1 start Friday in the NLDS if the Rockies defeat the Diamondbacks.
“I can be ready for any situation possible,” Anderson said.
Rookies to the end.
Freeland, the 24-year-old Denver native, finished his rookie season 11-11, tied for the team lead in victories. But he faded some over the final month. Sunday’s loss was his first start since Sept. 11.
“Second half isn’t what I wanted it to be,” Freeland said. “I’ve had some ups and downs. This was the longest season of my life. And it shows it’s a true grind. For me, it was more mentally than physically.
Dodgers win finale.
In a game that became meaningless in the final standings, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager finished with three hits, including two off Freeland. Seager’s 159 hits led all NL shortstops. Mike Tauchman, a September call-up from Triple-A, went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI to lead the Rockies.
Footnote.
A crowd of 32,946 took in Sunday’s finale, moving the Rockies’ attendance at Coors Field to 2,953,650, their highest attendance since 2001, an average of 36,465 per game.