In final outing, Freeland back to groundball self
Kyle SCOTTSDALE,
Freeland settled into his skin Friday at Salt River Fields and the second-year left-hander looked every bit the groundball machine that netted him the secondbest ERA in the Rockies’ rotation last season.
The 24-year-old Denver native cruised through his final Cactus League start of spring training in the Rockies’ 8-2 victory over the Reds. Colorado manager Bud Black was ready to cap Freeland at 90 pitches, but he needed just 76 to navigate six innings. He gave up two runs on six hits.
“It was part of the whole mix of getting ahead and staying ahead and focusing on that,” Freeland said. “When you do that, your pitch count is low.”
Freeland pitched one of the Rockies’ best games of 2017, when he flew through 8L innings against the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field before allowing a hit. He is not a strikeout thrower. His tendency is to weasel hitters into weak contact and groundballs.
“I’ll take groundballs all day long,” he said. “With the defense we have behind us, why not? It’s one of the best in the game.”
Against the Reds, Freeland forced seven groundouts, including inducing a doubleplay against Eugenio Suarez in the first. Last season, in his rookie stretch, Freeland’s 54.6 percent groundball rate ranked ninth in baseball.
“I got groundballs when I needed them and weak contact. It’s a good game plan,” Freeland said. “It’s my game plan.”
Gray’s start reverberates.
Freeland said he was bolstered by his rotation mate, Jon Gray, who threw 6 L scoreless innings and struck out nine Monday against the Rangers. Gray’s pitching performance led to a standing ovation from Texas fans in their own park.
“I watched Jon’s start on TV. It was amazing,” Freeland said. “That trickles down to everybody else. The bar was set. We need to reach it and get above it.”
Freeland probably will pitch next in San Diego against the Padres, if the Rockies’ current rotation holds. Gray, who will pitch a brief tuneup Saturday in Mesa, Ariz., against the Cubs, will likely be the Rockies’ opening-day starter on Thursday.
CarGo catching up.
Carlos Gonzalez pulled a solo homer in the fourth inning off Homer Bailey, his first shot of the spring after resigning last week to a oneyear deal. The veteran right fielder showed up to camp in shape, Black said, but the Rockies are trying to catch him up to game speed.
“Physically, he’s fine. The game at-bats, we’re trying to catch up at the end,” Black said. “Bat speed looks good, his overall timing looks good. He’s in a good spot.”
Gonzalez will start again Saturday and then play in the Rockies’ three remaining Cactus League games.
Footnote.
Jenny Cavnar handled play-by-play duties on the Rockies’ AT&T Sports television broadcast Friday — and with a nearly all-woman crew, including producer Alison Vigil, director Erica Ferrero and duet operator Krista Madrill.