3 years ago
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Watching Kyle Freeland’s superb show astatine Dodger Stadium connected Friday night, a fewer things popped into my mind:
A humbling infinitesimal astatine Coors Field successful the outpouring of 2019. An atrocious infinitesimal astatine Hohokam Stadium during a Cactus League crippled this spring. And DJ LeMahieu.
Let maine link the dots.
In 2018, Freeland posted a club-record 2.85 ERA, finished 4th successful the National League Cy Young Award voting, and pitched a gem successful Colorado’s wild-card win against the Cubs astatine Wrigley Field.
But determination helium was, connected May 31, 2019, lasting successful the dugout astatine Coors Field, answering each question astir his humbling demotion to Triple-A Albuquerque. Freeland desperately needed a tune-up and a changeable of confidence. The Denver autochthonal was 2-6 with an disfigured 7.13 ERA and had served up 16 location runs successful 12 starts.
Freeland was a mess. He was aggravated — astatine himself. But the left-hander was besides determined.
“I’m going to spell down and learn; larn adjacent much astir this crippled and travel backmost a amended person, amended athlete, amended pitcher,” Freeland said that day.
Spring guardant to the Rockies’ March 23 Cactus League crippled against the Athletics astatine Hohokam. Freeland, who had rebounded nicely during the truncated 2020 season, was enjoying a terrific outpouring training. But suddenly, his season, possibly adjacent his career, looked to beryllium successful peril.
Pitching to Oakland’s Mark Canha to unfastened the 3rd inning, Freeland spiked his archetypal transportation into the crushed successful beforehand of the mound and crumbled implicit successful superior pain. He near the tract holding his near limb against his stomach. He was scared. So was manager Bud Black.
“It was the backmost of the enarthrosis … wherever the symptom was coming from,” Black said. “When you spot that, it’s a sickening feeling for each of us.”
Yet determination was Freeland connected Friday night, sticking it to the mighty Dodgers successful Colorado’s 4-2 win. Over six innings, helium gave up 2 runs — connected 2 solo homers — struck retired 7 and walked none. Over his past 12 starts, Freeland has a 2.57 ERA with 68 strikeouts and conscionable 12 walks.
“Coming into Dodger Stadium, playing against a World Series-caliber team, that’s motivation,” Freeland said. “I emotion pitching here. I emotion taking wins from these guys. I emotion beating them successful their ain park, truthful that’s plentifulness of information for me.”
Freeland is simply a fiery rival and he’s not acrophobic to talk his mind.
When the Rockies reported to outpouring training, little than 3 weeks aft Nolan Arenado was traded to the Cardinals, Freeland was successful a feisty mood.
“We haven’t adjacent played a outpouring grooming crippled and radical are already counting america out,” helium said. “It’s a large accidental for america to daze the world.”
That hasn’t happened, of course, but the Rockies are a amended squad than galore of america predicted. They’re connected gait to decorativeness 75-87, a acold outcry from the 100-loss squad that immoderate predicted.
As for the LeMahieu connection, Freeland conscionable mightiness person supplanted LeMahieu arsenic the toughest, most-admired feline successful the Rockies’ clubhouse.
In September 2018, erstwhile the Rockies were battling the Dodgers for the National League West title, Charlie Blackmon said this astir LeMahieu: “Obviously, you don’t privation Trevor (Story) oregon Nolan oregon anybody to get hit. But if a feline connected our squad were to beryllium deed connected purpose, I deliberation you mightiness (tick off) the astir radical successful the Rockies’ clubhouse if you went aft DJ LeMahieu.”
The 2021 Rockies consciousness the aforesaid mode astir Freeland.
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