Buehrle conducts clinic vs. Rockies

Colorado wants Morales to mimic White Sox veteran

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 25, 2008 at 9:27 p.m.

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Photo by Lenny Ignelzi / AP

Rockies pitcher Franklin Morales pitched four strong innings Tuesday against the White Sox, then ran into trouble in the fifth, giving up four runs before retiring the side.

Photo by Barry Gutierrez / Rocky Mountain News

Ubaldo Jimenez is in the starting rotation, but he has been inconsistent this spring training for the Rockies.

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Twice in spring training, the Rockies have faced White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle. They faced White Sox right-hander Javier Vazquez once.

"I really hope our young guys were paying attention to the other guys," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "When you talk about an approach to pitching, they set pretty good examples."

When the Rockies staff watches Buehrle and Vazquez, they seen what they hope Franklin Morales and Ubaldo Jimenez can become. Morales and Jimenez have the physical ability to dominate, but they are inexperienced, and the game at times can overwhelm them.

When things go well, Morales can reel off four shutout innings, like he did against the White Sox in the Rockies' 5-2 loss at Hi Corbett Field on Tuesday.

He allowed two baserunners - both with two out. Paul Konerko walked in the first and Jermaine Dye singled in the fourth. He registered eight outs on groundballs, two on strikeouts, one on a pop-up and the other on a flyball to center field.

"That gives him something to hold onto," pitching coach Bob Apodaca said. "The things he did in the first four innings have to encourage him. He threw 50 pitches. He was down in the strike zone with his fastball."

But when things get a little out of the norm, Morales gets rattled, like he did in the fifth inning, issuing a leadoff walk to Joe Crede and giving up four runs before finally throwing a called third strike past Konerko to end the inning.

"When things get accelerated, he needs to take a look at Buehrle and see how he stays in sync, repeating his delivery, making his pitches," Apodaca said.

The Rockies are looking for Jimenez, 23, and Morales, 22, to build off their experiences in helping the Rockies claim the first National League pennant in franchise history last season as members of the season-opening rotation this season. They are expected to follow Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook in the initial rotation, with Mark Redman most likely the fifth starter.

But neither is at a point where he is on automatic pilot.

"I don't want them to rely on their physical gift (of ability)," Apodaca said. "We stress to them that to excel, which they are capable of doing, they have to command their pitches. Everybody has the ability to command their pitches, but not everybody has the physical ability (of Jimenez and Morales).

"There is that ability when things start to get a little out of control, being able to slow things down, not by stalling, but mentally, and keeping control of the things that happen."

Buehrle did that in the bottom of the fourth. Todd Helton led off with a double off Buehrle and went to third on Matt Holliday's nubber in front of the plate. After Yorvit Torrealba lined to shortstop, Brad Hawpe singled home Helton. But Buehrle put an end to things right there, striking out Jayson Nix.

By contrast, in the top of the fifth, after Crede walked, Carlos Quentin singled, then Juan Uribe singled, driving in Crede, with Quentin coming home when the ball skipped past right fielder Brad Hawpe. Morales then walked Buehrle before Alexei Ramirez doubled and Orlando Cabrera had a sacrifice fly.

"For four innings, you could not ask for anything more than what he did," Hurdle said. "That inning that slid on us, he didn't help himself . . . walking the pitcher."

Vazquez didn't even sweat in a five-inning effort against the Rockies on March 12. He faced 16 batters, striking out seven and giving up a single.

"What they do is repeat their delivery," Apodaca said. "With Buehrle, it's like that's his whole focus, repeating the delivery, having a good tempo and knowing that the other things take care of themselves. We saw Franklin take two steps forward, in those first four innings, but one backward. He has to gather himself in that fifth inning and not give up the big inning."

And in case the words aren't enough to make the point, Brian Jones, who does the Rockies' video work, is going to break out the games Vazquez and Buehrle pitched against the Rockies this year for the two young pitchers to study.

"They can see how easy those guys go about their job," Apodaca said.

GILES AWAITS CALL

Second baseman Marcus Giles, told Sunday he wasn't going to make the Rockies' major league roster, packed his equipment bags Tuesday morning, said goodbye to Rockies players and management and drove to his home in San Diego.

"It's a waiting game now," Giles said. "I'll either go home for a day or two and join another team or I'll go home for good."

Giles is signed to a minor league contract with the Rockies, but he will not be assigned to Triple-A Colorado Springs. The Rockies have sent out notices to the 29 other teams that Giles is available. The Dodgers have an interest but have indicated it would be for a quick tryout and only if Giles is released.

HOME MATTERS

The Rockies aren't going to juggle the rotation to set up a pitching matchup for their home opener. It figures to be Franklin Morales or Mark Redman, both left-handers, against Arizona on April 4 at Coors Field.

Jeff Francis will pitch the opener at St. Louis on Monday. Right-hander Adam Wainwright will start for St. Louis.

Aaron Cook will start Game 2 of the season April 2 against right-hander Todd Wellemeyer.

Ubaldo Jimenez will start Game 3 against right-hander Brad Thompson on April 3.

QUICK HITS

* Right-hander Jose Capellan, sidelined most of spring training because of a sprained ankle, followed his debut Monday with a perfect inning Tuesday. But manager Clint Hurdle said he isn't sure if there's enough time left in spring training to get a good read on Capellan.

* Willy Taveras walked and stole a base, giving him nine stolen bases for spring training and eight in nine attempts in his past seven games.

* Right-hander Josh Towers, left-hander Brian Fuentes and Redman will pitch in minor league intrasquad games today. Cook will pitch in a minor league game Friday.

WEDNESDAY'S GAME

* Rockies (Jeff Francis) vs. Diamondbacks (Hector Ambriz), 2:05 p.m. MDT, Hi Corbett Field, Tucson. TV: FSN; no radio.

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