Durango53
09-11-2006, 12:52 PM
Following Monday's off-day, the Rockies will add a sixth man to their rotation, with Denny Bautista taking the hill on Tuesday in San Francisco. With the other five starters following in their regular rotation, there should be an opportunity for an additional two or three starts, though the Rockies aren't committing to any specific pitcher as a rotation regular.
Bautista had a solid month in Triple-A Colorado Springs since coming over in a trade with Kansas City on July 31. He went 1-4 with a 4.50 ERA in six starts for the Sky Sox and had appeared in eight games for the Royals -- seven starts -- going 0-2 with a 5.66 ERA.
"He has all the ability in the world," pitching coach Bob Apodaca said. "He's made some very nice inroads with his mechanics. He used to throw way across his body. Now he's very close to being straight on."
Bautista has a fastball in the upper 90s, but command of it has been his biggest obstacle. He has a dependable slider, but developing the consistency to repeat his delivery will be chief among his challenges.
Rockies manager Clint Hurdle sees the radar gun numbers and hears the kudos about right-handed pitcher Denny Bautista, who the Rockies acquired from the Royals at the non-waiver trading deadline. He also sees the less-than-impressive numbers Bautista has posted with the Royals and Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Finally, Hurdle will see Bautista for himself.
Bautista, 26, will make his Rockies debut on Tuesday against the Giants at AT&T Park. Hurdle said Rockies pitching personnel has been working to match Bautista's results with his talent.
"The ability to repeat your delivery and throw strikes go hand in hand," Hurdle said. "If you're not repeating your delivery, you're going to have a command issue. So with a guy with that kind of an arm, some kind of adjustments need to be made for [Bautista] to be a starter."
Hurdle acknowledged that the Rockies are trying to do what the Royals could not.
"That's been the intriguing thing about him," Hurdle said. "That's why we wanted him and they decided to cut him loose. They didn't see the next step taking place.
"That's why most trades are made. Sometimes the next step takes place, sometimes it doesn't."
If they got him to change his mechanics then good things might happen. We have seen it at times where a guy wont change something with the team he is with but when they are feed up with him and get rid of him they are more open for change. Here is to a good outing for you Bautista in a house that the Rockies dont do good at.
Bautista had a solid month in Triple-A Colorado Springs since coming over in a trade with Kansas City on July 31. He went 1-4 with a 4.50 ERA in six starts for the Sky Sox and had appeared in eight games for the Royals -- seven starts -- going 0-2 with a 5.66 ERA.
"He has all the ability in the world," pitching coach Bob Apodaca said. "He's made some very nice inroads with his mechanics. He used to throw way across his body. Now he's very close to being straight on."
Bautista has a fastball in the upper 90s, but command of it has been his biggest obstacle. He has a dependable slider, but developing the consistency to repeat his delivery will be chief among his challenges.
Rockies manager Clint Hurdle sees the radar gun numbers and hears the kudos about right-handed pitcher Denny Bautista, who the Rockies acquired from the Royals at the non-waiver trading deadline. He also sees the less-than-impressive numbers Bautista has posted with the Royals and Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Finally, Hurdle will see Bautista for himself.
Bautista, 26, will make his Rockies debut on Tuesday against the Giants at AT&T Park. Hurdle said Rockies pitching personnel has been working to match Bautista's results with his talent.
"The ability to repeat your delivery and throw strikes go hand in hand," Hurdle said. "If you're not repeating your delivery, you're going to have a command issue. So with a guy with that kind of an arm, some kind of adjustments need to be made for [Bautista] to be a starter."
Hurdle acknowledged that the Rockies are trying to do what the Royals could not.
"That's been the intriguing thing about him," Hurdle said. "That's why we wanted him and they decided to cut him loose. They didn't see the next step taking place.
"That's why most trades are made. Sometimes the next step takes place, sometimes it doesn't."
If they got him to change his mechanics then good things might happen. We have seen it at times where a guy wont change something with the team he is with but when they are feed up with him and get rid of him they are more open for change. Here is to a good outing for you Bautista in a house that the Rockies dont do good at.