GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Receiving an All-Star Game invitation last year made Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman hungry for more.
In his first season as a No. 1 catcher, Goodman slashed .278/.323/.520 with 31 home runs and 91 RBIs.
“When I got home this offseason, you want to reflect on the good stuff, but if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse,” Goodman said. “The main things we’re talking about were swing decisions. I chased a lot last year, even in a good season.”
The down-and-away pitch -- usually a breaking ball -- often leads to bad swing decisions.
The art of hitting, however, is making a decision between the ball that is in a hitter’s zone and one that is slightly off from it. It’s an area where Goodman can solidify his stardom.
Last season, Goodman fashioned a .783 slugging percentage on pitches in the strike zone. He ranked 18th among the 465 players with at least 50 batted balls. The graphic below shows that Goodman was elite on pitches in the middle and down and in. He also swatted pitches higher than those hot zones, although not as effectively.
“I’m working on trying to work on hunting a zone and being a little more stubborn in that zone," Goodman said. "Also, some of the fastballs toward the top rail, I’ve struggled with in the past. I’m trying to be more on those.
“If you look at any hitter when they’re going good, they’re getting their pitch to hit and they’re putting those in play and hitting those hard. Most of the time when guys aren’t going good, when you’re in a slump or struggling, it’s usually pitch selection -- swinging at bad pitches. It’s one of those things that’s hard to train, but through the course of the season, I can get better.”
Goodman believes the use of the ABS challenge system during the regular season for the first time could help with swing decisions.
“With the ABS this year, the top of the zone is not quite as high as it typically was,” Goodman said. “So, I’m trying to figure out where the top of my zone is and be able to hit those pitches. Obviously, it’s easier said than done.”
Goodman discusses his hitting strategy with the patience he wants to display in the batter’s box.
“With stuff like chase rate, if you can get 2-3 percent better a year, that’s a huge jump,” Goodman said. “That’s going to help in the long run with seeing more pitches in an at-bat, or just seeing better pitches. I don’t need some huge jump -- just a few percentage points, then I’ll go from there.”
Freeman's back injury being monitored closely
Utility player Tyler Freeman received an anti-inflammatory injection for a back injury during the offseason that delayed his game participation, and it’s an issue the Rockies are watching closely. Freeman felt back soreness after a play at second base during Tuesday’s game against the Mariners, and was scratched from Wednesday’s 8-6 victory over the Reds at Goodyear, Ariz.
“We’re going to have to take care of it for him -- obviously, it’s been an ongoing thing, and we’ve got to get the most out of him,” manager Warren Schaeffer said of Freeman, the Rockies’ leadoff man for much of last season.
Quintana bounces back with improved control
Rockies veteran lefty Jose Quintana struggled with control in his last outing, with six walks in 3 1/3 innings on Friday against the Rangers. He met his goal of staying in the strike zone on Wednesday with no walks and two strikeouts over four innings.
Quintana buzzed through the first two innings, forcing a double play and facing one above the minimum as he threw plenty of strikes -- especially with his fastball. Quintana turned his attention to honing his new gyro-spin slider and he gave up four consecutive doubles to begin the Reds’ four-run fourth.
But he informed catcher Brett Suillivan to keep calling the pitch, and walked away with information for what he expects to become a breaking ball to attract swings and misses.
“I was working on sliders to right-handers and I didn’t throw really good ones today,” Quintana said. “The last time, I was a little better, but I want a little more shape to that pitch.
“I threw it in not the same sequences that I’d throw it during the season, but it’s perfect timing to work on something.”
Solid showing for Thompson
Out-of-options righty Keegan Thompson threw two spotless innings for the save on Wednesday, after giving up 10 earned runs in his previous three outings. Thompson worked as a starter and reliever for the Cubs for parts of the 2021-24 seasons before spending '25 with Triple-A Iowa.
“I was happy for him to get a good one in there -- he pounded the strike zone today with his stuff,” Schaeffer said.