Saturday, November 07

DENVER -- Hunter Goodman takes a little time to appreciate his place among home run-hitting catchers in Rockies and National League history.

Goodman’s 36 homers are already the tops over a season for a Rockies catcher -- five more than the mark he set last year.

Goodman already has the most for an NL catcher since Javy Lopez hit 43 in 2003. The final month of the season represents a chance to become the sixth catcher in National League history to reach the 40 mark. He would join Lopez, Mike Piazza (40 in 1997 and 1999), Todd Hundley (41 in 1996), Johnny Bench (45 in 1975 and 40 in 1972) and Roy Campanella (41 in 1953).

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh’s MLB mark of 60, set last season, is asking too much. But when Goodman returned last week from a 10-day absence with a left shoulder injury and homered in his first two games back in the lineup, fans were more than happy to dream of him becoming the second to reach 50.

“It’s hard not to think about it every now and then,” Goodman said. “I probably think about it more when I’m sitting at home on the couch or something like that. 

“But during a game, I’m not really thinking about that stuff. I have thoughts like, ‘Who’s the guy coming out of the bullpen? What is he throwing me?’ Or, ‘How are we going to get this guy out when he comes to the plate?’”

Late last season when the Rockies were in Seattle, Goodman was on his way to 31 homers -- the previous record for a Rockies catcher. Goodman said he spent time with Raleigh, and found him to be pleasant and even-keeled -- the approach Goodman wants to maintain.

“We talked a little bit out by the bullpen, congratulating each other on our seasons last year,” Goodman said. “We didn’t talk much about hitting, per se. But we had a pretty good conversation. He’s an awesome guy and I root for him.”

The intensity of thought -- not just the 3-5 plate appearances per game but all that goes into calling a game and serving the pitchers -- makes the offensive catcher a rarity in this sport.

The pains that go with the job are also a factor.

For Goodman, the injury is to the lead shoulder of his swing -- the arm he extends as his bat sends the ball to left field so often. Postgame treatments are a fact of life for the rest of the year. But Goodman doesn’t complain. He just keeps swinging.

“It’s a mindset thing -- I don’t know if it’s just because I’m catching,” Goodman said. “It’s the end of the year, so a decent amount of guys in this locker room are playing through stuff. It’s a long, grueling season and you have to learn to deal with things and go out there.”

The past 16 days have been grueling in a different way.

After the Rockies went 5-4 on their best road trip of the season, they lost 12 of 14 before Tuesday’s 4-2 victory over the Orioles. Seven of the losses by two runs or fewer. Recent losses have seen the Rockies robbed by standout defensive plays late by the Braves, and especially the Orioles on Colton Cowser’s leaping catch to prevent Jake McCarthy from a walk-off homer.

The fact that the Rockies are often close in games against the contending clubs is simultaneously encouraging and painful.

“I can only speak for myself, but it’s all of the above,” Goodman said. “You watch these games and we were in them, so that’s a positive. But it’s frustrating at the same time because we are right there. We have a chance to win these ballgames but we’re not finding that way to win in those last innings.

“As we keep growing as a team, getting more experience, I think we’ll find it. Look at how this team has been offensively this year, I think we’re going to find it.”

Rookie righty Gabriel Hughes held the Orioles to one run in the first four innings on Tuesday, but with two outs in the fifth he walked nine-hole hitter Carlos Narváez and shortly found the bases loaded. But dependable lefty Brennan Bernardino forced a Gunnar Henderson pop-up, and the Orioles never led in the game.

“‘Bernie’ was huge tonight, coming in,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “That’s four out of five for him. We hadn’t done that all year.”

Bernardino, 34, acquired last winter from the Red Sox for Minor League outfielder Braiden Ward, extended his career high for appearances to 65 on Tuesday -- and has a 1.53 ERA in his last 40.

Part of his success is making quick adjustments between Colorado’s altitude and road venues that are thousands of feet closer to sea level.

“It’s difficult and I’m not going to pretend it’s not,” he said. “When I get back to elevation, I always make sure I throw a little side bullpen first, before the game, just to get a feel of where I’ve got to start my breaking balls, or my fastball, my changeup. Then I do the same when we hit the road. Everything’s moving so differently.”

Bernardino said he saves wear and tear by limiting the throws he makes playing catch when he does the bullpen session -- about 10 pitches, 85 percent intensity.

Bernardino began a relay to the game’s end on Tuesday that also included Zach Agnos, Jaden Hill, Juan Mejia and closer Jordan Romano. The team’s struggles have obscured the fact that the Rockies are 40-9 when leading after six innings.

“It’s a tight-knit group, and it’s been a huge help since Romano got here and we had an everyday closer,” Bernardino said. “He’s the real deal. We took another step.

“We’re all pulling for each other. You’re with each other. You watch each other play catch. You hear what they’re talking about and help coach each other, and we have our bullpen coach, Matt Buschmann. We’re all together, figuring out how to piece together holding a lead.”

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