DENVER – The children and community members that Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland and his wife, Ashley, help flash winning smiles. “That’s the great thing about when you do events – the people don’t care what your record is or how you’ve been playing,” Freeland said. “They’re just excited to see you there, see you helping out, spending time talking, getting to know kids, parents, athletes. It’s really cool, seeing a different side of things.” The difficult on-field season for Freeland and the Rockies hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for serving off the field in his hometown of Denver. Freeland has been named the Rockies’ nominee for the annual Roberto Clemente Award for the fourth straight year. The award is for the MLB player who represents the game through “extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.” Each team has a nominee, and fans may vote on the overall winner. Freeland has been lauded for his work raising money and awareness for Special Olympics Colorado – a foundation he has been dedicated to since 2018.
The raffle for Freeland’s practice glove has already begun. Freeland said he and his wife are involved in as many events as they can personally attend. Ashley Freeland was present at the annual Fantasy Camp for Kids at Jason Jennings Adaptive Field in Lakewood, Colo.
|
Freeland said it’s a way of giving back to his hometown.
“It’s important to me, because I play for my hometown team,” Freeland said. “I’m in the community that I grew up in, the community that I loved as a child and that I continue to love to this day. It’s something my wife is very much on board with, as well.
“It’s something that Ian Desmond [who won the Rockies’ nomination for three straight years before Freeland’s run] pressed upon me, to use my platform as a professional athlete to get back out in my community.” |
|
|
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
|
|
Righty Tanner Gordon has evolved into the Rockies' most consistent starting pitcher during the team’s struggles. While Gordon fell to 6-7 in Thursday’s 9-7 loss to the Marlins, it was his fourth quality start (six innings, four runs, three earned) in his last seven outings. The result hinged on consecutive third-inning home runs by Liam Hicks and Otto Lopez. Gordon, whose strength is missing bats, can build on how he remained competitive despite his slider not having its usual sharpness. “That’s the area where I’ve grown this year,” Gordon said. “You can do one of two things. You can throw in the towel and just say, ‘Well, there goes the inning. There goes the outing.’ Or you can hunker down and do what you can to keep the opportunity that day to help win the game.” In his last seven starts, Gordon is 4-2 with a 3.86 ERA, 37 strikeouts and nine walks in 39 2/3 innings. |
Shortstop and Rockies No. 1/MLB Pipeline No. 17 prospect Ethan Holliday, right-handed pitcher and Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht, righty and No. 6 prospect JB Middleton, and outfielder and No. 7 prospect Max Belyeu are among players invited to the fall instructional program at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Ariz. Pitchers and players with injury concerns from this year’s Draft, as well as players in the lower Minors, compose most of the roster, which can be found here. |
In six Rockies games since being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sept. 12, first baseman Blaine Crim is batting .261 (6-for-23) with three home runs – two in Thursday’s 9-7 loss to the Marlins.
A waiver claim from the Rangers just after the Trade Deadline, Crim, 28, has displayed a traditional level swing rather than some of the analytically driven uppercuts.
It turns out he learned the old-fashioned way, by analyzing with his eyes.
“Growing up watching my dad play slow-pitch softball, it was a super-steep swing,” he said. “In college, I was a big bat-to-ball guy. I’ve had to try to work on lifting the ball more, but when I do that I get in trouble. So I’m trying to keep my swing and be direct to the ball.” |
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW |
|
|
To subscribe to Rockies Beat, visit this page and mark "Rockies Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Rockies or that they're checked as your favorite team. |
|
|
|
