Rox trying 'new, fresh things' in practice to help fundamentals stick

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The new Rockies Spring Training practice schedule has a team segment called T.T.G. (Talking The Game), but that period during Tuesday’s first full-squad workout had way more action.

Coaches hit grounders to shortstops and third basemen, only each time the ball was hit three baserunners practice reading whether to dash to third or hold. If these guys weren’t pros, the action would have been chaotic, maybe dangerous for someone not paying attention to the batted and thrown balls.

But at the end of the session with manager Warren Schaeffer looking on, non-roster veteran Nicky Lopez called the group together to briefly demonstrate fielding footwork ideas in certain situations based on his seven seasons with five teams.

“That’s what we want,” Shaeffer said. “This is their team.”

Schaeffer took over as interim manager last year as the Rockies careened to 43-119. But during the experience, he noted the team’s shortcomings and planned how he would serve his players if he received his chance to prepare a team starting in February.

Many thoughts were honed during his time as a Minor League manager in the system and especially his days in fall instructional ball. He also gathered information from other teams that he saw (modern baseball cliché alert) finding wins in the margins.

The key for Schaeffer is based on the idea that it’s their team, their careers. Players learn what they need, finding what works and growing -- even if it’s learning from an experienced player like Lopez.

“I was thinking as a fielder, but giving baserunners ways of getting better reads, since what the fielder does tells the baserunner what to do,” Lopez said.

When the team hits the field, it looks different, because clusters of Rockies are hard to find during the important “Skill Development Hour.” It’s the staple of what Schaeffer wants to develop: Players that practice their craft intensely, with attention from coaches.

On the half-field, which is an infield and not much more, first-base candidates T.J. Rumfield and Troy Johnston took grounders and made throws while working with three coaches. The same care was given to Ryan Ritter and the club's No. 3 prospect Cole Carrigg, who worked on timing by counting and calling out the number of hops grounders took off the fungo bat of Fred Ocasio -- then requested a certain number of hops that Ocasio would hit their way.

First-base and outfield coach Doug Bernier had a group of outfielders, all of whom possess speed that the Rockies want to use functionally. Each would take their best lead off first base and have Bernier mark where they landed. Then Bernier had them do it with their eyes closed, to make sure.

“I did it in Detroit and Minnesota -- if you are a good baserunner, that’s something you’ve got to keep up because you’ve got to be able to score,” said infielder/outfielder Willi Castro, whose quality on the bases was high on the list of reasons the Rockies signed him to a two-year, $12.8 million contract.

Players also spent part of the hour getting the batting cage work that players traditionally did before practice: “When you’re not stretched out, and when you haven’t had your coffee yet and you’re not rolled out yet,” Schaeffer said.

As outfielder Mickey Moniak noted, “The main focus is getting what we need -- nothing more, nothing less -- and just making sure we’re ready to go March 27 [at Miami]. It was efficient, but we weren’t getting overworked.”

Team defense Tuesday was dynamic. At one point, balls were being hit to the third-base side to practice double plays, pitchers were fielding comebackers or bunts and catchers were throwing to second base on steal attempts. These drills were going on at once, in rapid-fire staggers that forced concentration. Wednesday, team defense was less buzzy, but work on bunt defense was just as important.

The detailed attention to pitching continued. On Wednesday, for example, lefty Kyle Freeland and righty Ryan Feltner from the rotation and righty Victor Vodnik from the bullpen did their mound work from the main stadium at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Why when there is a performance lab, which has Statcast-applicable tracking technology like the stadium?

Subjects will change daily. TTG involved work and instruction on the contact play, where a runner at third heads home immediately if the ball isn’t hit directly at a fielder.

In some ways, the Rockies are doing the same preparing for a season. But they’re asking themselves how to better carry all their strategies and actions into the season and changing how they practice to make sure the fundamentals stick.

“We want to be dynamic,” said outfielder Jake McCarthy, traded to the Rockies this winter after five seasons with the Diamondbacks. “Saying that is one thing, but applying it every single day is important.’

The Rockies returning from last year are young enough not to be stuck in traditional ways. Longtime Rox welcome change.

“I mean, we’re three years in a row of losing 100 games,” said Freeland, who went to the postseason his first two seasons in the rotation, but has endured a club-record seven straight losing seasons since. “Might as well try some new, fresh things.”