Notes: Marrero hoping to catch on

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13573066.post-1141574595460662172006-03-05T08:02:00.000-08:002006-03-05T08:03:15.463-08:00Notes: Marrero hoping to catch on02/18/2006 TUCSON, Ariz. -- For Eli Marrero to step forward in his career, he began to step back into his past Saturday, the first day for pitchers and catchers in the Colorado Rockies' camp. Marrero, 32, began his career in the late 1990s as a catching prospect with St. Louis. He grew into a utility infielder and outfielder and hasn't caught since suffering a right ankle injury in 2003. However, he broke out the mask Saturday at Hi Corbett Field. In camp under a Minor League contract, Marrero is here now in case his ability to catch -- which would give manager Clint Hurdle an offensive third option at a position now manned by glove men Yorvit Torrealba and Danny Ardoin -- helps put him on the club. He knows that his versatility is his shot to make the big club, and even that would be tough. Part of the reason for Colorado's 67-95 record last year was the emphasis on youth, and Marrero will find himself in competition with many of those homegrown prospects for backup jobs. "I've got to come here early and get some work," Marrero said. "If they ask me to do it during the season, obviously I'd do it, but it would be a lot harder." Marrero survived a bout with thyroid cancer in 1998 to earn the Cardinals' Rookie of the Year award at the end of that season, but he never established himself as the club's backstop. As a utility man in 2002, he played a career-high 131 games and batted .262 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs. He played in 44 games behind the plate, but had 46 in right field, 39 in left and 36 in center. The ankle injury, which occurred on a wet Wrigley Field in a game that was called shortly after the incident, limited him to 41 games in 2003. In 2004, Marrero joined the Atlanta Braves and hit a career-best .320 in 90 games, with defensive appearances in the outfield. Last season, however, Marrero struggled with Kansas City and Baltimore, batting a combined .181 against unfamiliar American League pitching. Catching is only part of Marrero's assignment, which is a tough one. Pinch-hit standout Jorge Piedra is ticketed for one of the two backup spots. Power-hitting infield prospects Jeff Baker and Ryan Shealy are hoping to play the corners well enough to deserve a job, and prospects Choo Freeman, Jeff Salazar and Ryan Spilborghs come with the demonstrated ability to play center. Another complication is Freeman, the 36th overall pick in 1998, is out of Minor League options and would have to be waived if he doesn't make the team. "[Marrero] needs to show us he can capture pretty quickly his catching skills, and the ability to play all three outfield positions is something we're going to take a good, long look at," manager Clint Hurdle said. The expansive center territory at Coors Field is the big question. "I love playing center field," Marrero said. "I'm not a center fielder, but I can do it. "I don't really look ahead. Today I'm working on catching and I'm doing that 100 percent. You really have no control. You can have a great spring and somebody up there might say, 'You know what? I don't like it.' So I'll give 100 percent and whatever happens, happens." Travel difficulty: Right-hander Jose Mesa did not make it in time for Saturday's first workout. He flew from the Dominican Republic to Miami and was supposed to continue to Dallas, but that airport experienced weather-related cancellations. He might arrive at the end of Sunday's workout and throw a bullpen session. General manager Dan O'Dowd, who was part of the front office in Cleveland when Mesa was breaking in with the Indians, found humor in the situation. "I gave him a lot of grief," O'Dowd said. "He said he had never gotten to camp late in his career and I said, 'Great, you saved it for us.'" Hurdle also got a laugh. "He's a guy that's big on conditioning, and he thought that in order to take it to the next level, he'd just run to Spring Training from the Dominican," he said. "He'll be all right." Also, non-roster right-hander Nate Field missed the first workout to be in Denver with his wife, Jamie, for the birth of their son, Jacob Patrick, on Thursday. Catching some relief: The presence of Torrealba and Ardoin, as well as non-roster candidates Miguel Ojeda (182 games over three seasons) and Marrero, means the Rockies can spend some time training less-experienced catchers. JD Closser, who had a harrowing rookie season (.219 batting average, seven of 53 basestealers thrown out), and prospect Chris Iannetta will receive attention. "It frees us up to get Chris Iannetta a good feel for what the Major Leagues is about," said bench coach Jamie Quirk, who works with the Colorado catchers. "We want him to get a good feel for us, and it gives us a chance to get JD Closser back mentally and physically and he feels good about himself." Source: http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13587134747234821796noreply@blogger.com