- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 392,534
- Reaction score
- 43
PHOENIX – Almost there.
And almost to .500.
The Milwaukee Brewers put the finishing touches on their American Family Fields of Phoenix schedule with a 6-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on the penultimate day of spring training Sunday afternoon, highlighted by Jackson Chourio’s tape-measure home run.
It was Chourio’s first homer of spring but far from his first hit. Tally them all up and you get 22 of them in 47 at-bats, a .468 average. The 21-year-old had a chance at the rare .500 spring batting average – don’t ask who else is in the club because that info is most definitely not available – after the homer bumped him to 22 for 45 in Cactus League play but he popped out and struck out in his final two at bats.
"He had a great spring in terms of he stayed within himself,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Spring training pitching is much different, but I have confidence in this kid. This is a special kid. Special person.”
Results aren’t particularly important in spring, especially for established players, but Chourio’s game looked night and day different from last year when he was trying to make the team coming off a record-setting $82 million extension.
“It’s a complete 180, honestly,” outfielder Christian Yelich said.
Don’t put too much stock in a spring average that nears .500, the Brewers will warn, but it might be a good idea to invest it in Chourio nevertheless.
“I think he’s a great player,” Yelich said. “He’s going to have a really good year. You obviously saw what he’s capable of in the second half of last year. As players, spring training to me is more about does your body feel good, did you get in shape to play. Obviously you want the results. You’d rather have a spring training where you’re doing well than not doing well.”
Yelich had one of those, too. He will likely be in the lineup for the final game of spring Monday at Colorado, but looked at full health all of camp after coming off season-ending back surgery. With a single and two-run triple Sunday, Yelich bumped his spring average to .344 and OPS to 1.101.
Opening day roster pitchers Elvin Rodriguez, Jared Koenig and Tyler Alexander combined to throw five scoreless innings with four hits allowed and seven strikeouts. Murphy was particularly impressed with Alexander, a spot-start candidate early in the year.
“I thought that’s the Alexander we thought we were getting.”
The skipper also shouted out the final three arms the Brewers threw – Easton McGee, Sam McWilliams and Blake Holub – as possible bullpen reinforcements later in the season.
Prospect Evan McKendry allowed six runs in a decisive eighth inning of a 10-6 loss to the Seattle Mariners in the other half of Brewers’ split squad day.
Wes Clarke and Blake Burke hit homers for Milwaukee, which tossed out a prospect-heavy lineup.
Connor Thomas, an opening day roster member, started and allowed two runs in two innings.
Brewers at Rockies, 2:10 p.m.: Milwaukee LHP Nestor Cortes vs. Colorado RHP Ryan Feltner. Broadcast – Webcast.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jackson Chourio homers in Brewers' spring training win over Rockies
Continue reading...
And almost to .500.
The Milwaukee Brewers put the finishing touches on their American Family Fields of Phoenix schedule with a 6-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on the penultimate day of spring training Sunday afternoon, highlighted by Jackson Chourio’s tape-measure home run.
It was Chourio’s first homer of spring but far from his first hit. Tally them all up and you get 22 of them in 47 at-bats, a .468 average. The 21-year-old had a chance at the rare .500 spring batting average – don’t ask who else is in the club because that info is most definitely not available – after the homer bumped him to 22 for 45 in Cactus League play but he popped out and struck out in his final two at bats.
"He had a great spring in terms of he stayed within himself,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Spring training pitching is much different, but I have confidence in this kid. This is a special kid. Special person.”
Results aren’t particularly important in spring, especially for established players, but Chourio’s game looked night and day different from last year when he was trying to make the team coming off a record-setting $82 million extension.
“It’s a complete 180, honestly,” outfielder Christian Yelich said.
You must be registered for see images attach
Don’t put too much stock in a spring average that nears .500, the Brewers will warn, but it might be a good idea to invest it in Chourio nevertheless.
“I think he’s a great player,” Yelich said. “He’s going to have a really good year. You obviously saw what he’s capable of in the second half of last year. As players, spring training to me is more about does your body feel good, did you get in shape to play. Obviously you want the results. You’d rather have a spring training where you’re doing well than not doing well.”
Yelich had one of those, too. He will likely be in the lineup for the final game of spring Monday at Colorado, but looked at full health all of camp after coming off season-ending back surgery. With a single and two-run triple Sunday, Yelich bumped his spring average to .344 and OPS to 1.101.
Opening day roster pitchers Elvin Rodriguez, Jared Koenig and Tyler Alexander combined to throw five scoreless innings with four hits allowed and seven strikeouts. Murphy was particularly impressed with Alexander, a spot-start candidate early in the year.
“I thought that’s the Alexander we thought we were getting.”
The skipper also shouted out the final three arms the Brewers threw – Easton McGee, Sam McWilliams and Blake Holub – as possible bullpen reinforcements later in the season.
Brewers drop split squad game at Seattle
Prospect Evan McKendry allowed six runs in a decisive eighth inning of a 10-6 loss to the Seattle Mariners in the other half of Brewers’ split squad day.
Wes Clarke and Blake Burke hit homers for Milwaukee, which tossed out a prospect-heavy lineup.
Connor Thomas, an opening day roster member, started and allowed two runs in two innings.
Brewers spring schedule
Brewers at Rockies, 2:10 p.m.: Milwaukee LHP Nestor Cortes vs. Colorado RHP Ryan Feltner. Broadcast – Webcast.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jackson Chourio homers in Brewers' spring training win over Rockies
Continue reading...
