Rockies sit Carrigg after inappropriate gesture toward fans in Atlanta
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ATLANTA – Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer announced Sunday morning that he is keeping rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg out of the starting lineup for a couple of days for his inappropriate gesture to fans at Truist Park during Saturday afternoon’s 2-1 loss to the Braves.
The incident occurred right after the Braves scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Carrigg dived for Michael Harris II’s fly ball and came up empty, resulting in a two-run double.
“Cole made a mistake – he knows that is an embarrassment to the organization and that we don’t stand for that,” Schaeffer said. “Listen, everybody makes mistakes. It’s just one that he has to learn from. It’s just that we will not put up with that here.
“So he is going to sit a couple days, because he’s a guy that wants to play every day. That’s the repercussions of this.”
Carrigg struck out as a pinch-hitter for Troy Johnston in the seventh inning Sunday. He remained in the game in center field.
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Carrigg, 24, a switch-hitter who has played 68 Major League games and risen to fifth among qualified National League rookies with a .785 OPS, plays hard and with emotion that often boils over when there is a poor result or an umpire’s call he disagrees with. But he acknowledged that he went too far on Saturday.
“First, I apologize to my teammates and the organization – that’s not how I want to represent us,” Carrigg said. “That’s inexcusable on my part.
“With that being said, I’m somebody who’s going to play at 110% every game and give my all to this team and to the game to try to win ballgames. That was a play that I felt could or could not have won the game, so I’m very passionate about that.
“Braves fans are pretty passionate themselves. Kudos to them. But that [the gesture] can’t happen.”
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Since debuting on June 9, Carrigg has batted .262 with six home runs and 36 RBIs.
Carrigg was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque while two-time NL Gold Glove Award-winning center fielder Brenton Doyle was out with a left oblique contusion and left groin tightness. Carrigg played well enough that the Rockies could afford to trade Doyle to the White Sox for right-hander Mason Adams – Colorado's No. 20 prospect, who made his second career Major League start on Sunday against the Braves – and infield prospect Carlos Vielma, who turned 17 days after the Trade Deadline swap.
Carrigg’s edge is considered a plus for the club most of the time.
“He can play with all the energy in the world that he wants to play with – that’s what makes him unique, and that’s what makes him, him,” Schaeffer said. “He’e emotional, and over time he will take strides in learning how to better use that emotion. But I want Cole to be Cole. And I don’t think that gesture is Cole.”
Carrigg said he understands the consequences of the incident.
“My job for the next two days is to come off the bench and help the team win any way I can,” Carrigg said.
Also, right-hander pitcher Ryan Feltner, who was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday because of illness, was with the club Sunday and available out of the bullpen.