Podsednik's practice pays off

Top candidate for fifth outfielder job had strong spring

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Friday, March 28, 2008

Barry Gutierrez / The Rocky

Scott Podsednik has shown he is capable of becoming the fifth outfielder. He is 9-for-11 in stolen bases in spring training.

Outfielder Scott Podsednik has done everything the Rockies have asked him to do this spring training.

Today, the reward is scheduled to come.

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said Thursday the final decisions for the Rockies' Opening Day roster were made, but an announcement is being held back until after the Rockies' final exhibition game against the Diamondbacks tonight. On Thursday, Colorado beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

The Rockies have announced everything except the final relief pitcher - where left-hander Micah Bowie likely gets the nod over right-hander Ryan Speier, who has as option remaining - and the fifth outfielder, where Podsednik's strong spring training allowed him to beat out incumbent Cory Sullivan.

But Podsednik is making no assumptions. He said he has not heard anything about his situation.

"I just focus on playing the game," said Podsednik, signed to a minor league contract after being released by the White Sox. "I can't put added pressure on myself. I can't think about having to impress people. This game is hard enough to play."

Released by the White Sox at the end of last season, Podsednik signed a minor league contract with the Rockies and was given an invitation to major league camp.

When he first arrived, he said he knew the odds were against him, but he also knew the Rockies were the one team willing to give him a chance. Podsednik felt if he got a chance, he could create interest among scouts for other teams if the Rockies passed.

"What's been important is I have had my share of at-bats," he said. "They definitely gave me a chance to play."

Podsednik took advantage of the chance. He rekindled memories of the player who hit leadoff and sparked the lineup for the 2005 champion White Sox, not the injury-riddled outfielder of 2007.

The Rockies wanted him to run and show his legs are healthy. He was 9-for-11 in stolen bases, tied for the team lead with Willy Taveras, the only other speed player on the roster and the center fielder whom Podsednik will back up.

He did a solid job of defense in left field and right field as well as center field. And he got on base, hitting .317, drawing 13 walks in 54 plate appearances and compiling a .481 on-base percentage.

With all that, there has been no roster spot more debated by Rockies management than the final outfield spot.

There still are memories of last spring training. Steve Finley seemed ready to accept the role of an extra man, but by the end of the first month of the regular season, he was moaning about inconsistent playing time and eventually was released. Sullivan was called up to replace him and became an integral part of the Rockies' surge to the franchise's first National League pennant.

Colorado's Opening Day center fielder two years ago, a homegrown product and the team's best defensive center fielder, Sullivan had his supporters who had their fears of not having him for protection eased when a commitment was made to use his final option and send him to Colorado Springs, even though he has a $1 million salary.

With Sullivan still in the organization, it was hard to overcome the impact Podsednik has with his speed, and the fact he provides a left-handed hitter alternative if Taveras struggles or is hurt.

The key, Podsednik said, is he has been healthy. A year ago, after undergoing offseason surgery for a sports hernia, Podsednik was limited to 62 games (56 starts) with the White Sox because of a right adductor and a strained left rib cage. The four previous seasons, he stole 212 bases.

"That's my game, getting on base, getting in scoring position, trying to change the tempo of the game," Podsednik said.

Podsednik said a key for him was he was healthy at the end of last season, "and had a full offseason to get in shape. I haven't been able to do that since '05," he said. "I'm in shape, ready to play."

How much he will play is the question, and how he will handle not playing remains to be seen. While injuries sidelined him last year, he averaged 144 games his first four full major league seasons, starting an average of 137. The adjustment to part-time duty can be a challenge, as Finley found out a year ago.

"My plan is to come in and fit in however the Rockies are going to use me," Podsednik said. "If that is a guy off the bench to help the club, that is what it will be."

Rockies 6, Angels 2

Colorado ab r h bi L.A. Angels (ss) ab r h bi

Taveras cf 3 0 0 0 Willits cf 3 0 1 0

Spilborghs cf 1 0 1 0 Bourjos cf 1 0 0 0

Tulowitzki ss 3 1 1 1 Aybar ss 3 0 0 0

Barmes ss 2 0 1 0 Patchett ss-2b 0 0 0 0

Helton dh 3 0 0 0 Morales 1b 3 0 0 0

Gaetti ph-dh 0 0 0 0 Navarro 1b 1 0 0 0

Holliday lf 3 1 1 0 Quinlan 3b 2 0 0 0

Podsednik lf 2 0 0 0 Pavkovich 3b 2 0 1 0

Atkins 3b 3 1 1 2 Mathis c 2 1 2 0

Dragicevich 3b 2 0 0 0 Duff c 2 0 0 0

Hawpe rf 3 0 1 0 Sandoval dh 2 1 1 1

Sullivan pr-rf 1 1 1 0 Ortiz ph-dh 0 0 0 0

Torrealba c 2 0 1 0 Pettit lf 2 0 0 0

Iannetta c 1 2 1 1 Smith lf 2 0 0 0

Baker 1b-2b 4 0 2 1 Sutton 2b 2 0 1 0

Nix 2b 2 0 0 0 Romine ss 2 0 0 0

Seguignol 1b 1 0 0 0 Castillo rf 2 0 0 0

Coon ph-rf 1 0 0 1

Totals 36 6 11 5 Totals 32 2 6 2

Colorado000 300 210 - 6 11 1

Los Angeles (A) (ss)010 000 100 - 2 6 0

E - Barmes. DP - Colorado 2. LOB - Colorado 8, Los Angeles 6. 2B Baker, Spilborghs, Mathis. 3B - Mathis. HR - Tulowitzki, Atkins, Iannetta. SB - Sullivan, Nix, Willits. CS - Sullivan.

Colorado IP H R ER BB SO

Wells W 3 3 1 1 0 2

Buchholz 2 2 0 0 0 2

Speier 1 1 0 0 0 0

Mattheus 1 0 1 0 1 1

Valdez 1 0 0 0 1 1

Bright 1 0 0 0 1 0

L.A. Angels IP H R ER BB SO

Green L 5 4 3 3 1 1

Bulger 11/3 2 2 2 1 2

Jepsen 2/3 0 0 0 2 2

Marek 1 3 1 1 0 0

Edwards 1 2 0 0 1 0

WP - Jepsen. T - 2:41. A - 8,743.

Today's game

* Rockies (Micah Bowie) at Diamondbacks ( Doug Davis), Chase Field, Phoenix, 7:10 p.m., MDT. No TV; KOA-AM (850).

BY THE NUMBERS

6 home runs for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who did not hit a home run in spring training last year. It's the most home runs for a Rockie since Todd Helton had six in 2004 and equals the fourth-most ever. Andres Galarraga hit 10 in 1996 and six in 1994. In 1998, Dante Bichette hit nine and Vinny Castilla hit seven.

PROGRESS

Right-hander Kip Wells, who lost out in the bid for a rotation spot and was moved to the bullpen, continued to show progress with adjustments the Rockies have made in his pitching approach.

Wells allowed one run and three hits in three innings of the Rockies' 6-2 exhibition victory against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Thursday.

"(Pitching out of the bullpen) is about more frequency (pitching) not more volume," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He will have more of an opportunity to get the feeling he needs to have. (Thursday) he had the sharpest, crispest fastball we've seen all spring.

"I know Kip wants to start, but we are trying to find ways to encourage and challenge all our guys."

QUICK HITS

* Chris Iannetta, who reclaimed the backup catching job, hit a towering home run in the eighth inning, his fourth. He cleared the berm and row of trees behind the left-field fence at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

* Starting pitchers Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez, Mark Redman and Franklin Morales remained in Tucson, where they will pitch in minor league games the next four days to get fine-tuned for the regular season.

* The Rockies will use five relievers from their roster and four from minor league camp in the game against Arizona tonight.

RETURNED

Right-handed pitcher Steven Register, a winter draft pick by the Mets from the Rockies, did not make New York's opening roster.

The Mets, who paid a $50,000 draft price for Register, wanted to keep him but couldn't agree on a trade with the Rockies. The Rockies, instead, reclaimed Register, paying the Mets $25,000. The bottom line is the Rockies made $25,000 off the transaction.