If I was Rockies Pitching Coach for a Day

We’ll call this a random spring training day where I imagine filling in for Colorado Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca for one day.

7:00 A.M. – Wake up for the day, have coffee and breakfast. Study psychology text books in order to better help Jason Hammel with his mental strength and concentration.

8:00 A.M. – Daily Rosetta Stone session (Spanish) 

9:00 A.M. – Arrive for work. Make sure to have cheat sheet with new pitchers’ names in pocket

10:00 A.M. – Session with Jhoulys Chacin. Don’t dare mention that he might be opening day starter. End up having an exhausting hour as result of attempts to combine knowledge acquired from Rosetta Stone and psychology books that morning.

11:00 A.M. – Nap.

12:00 P.M. – Session with Juan Nicasio. No pitching knowledge to pass along, too astounded by his resilient comeback to do anything other than admire the fact he is pitching at all after that terrifying neck injury.

1:00 P.M. – Session with Kevin Slowey. Gosh…he’s a pretty grumpy guy. Shutter to think what pitching in Coors Field will do for his already questionable disposition.

2:00 P.M. – Start session with Rafael Betancourt.

6:30 P.M. – End session with Rafael Betancourt.

7:00 P.M. – After dinner, a meeting with all pitchers. Emphasize the fact that it is indeed possible to pitch in Coors Field despite the fact that national writers still think it is the launching pad it was in the 90’s. Admonish them for thinking they have to be somebody different just because they are a member of the Colorado Rockies. Beg them to pitch within themselves rather than try to be somebody they are not (make double sure that Jason Hammel is listening to that point).

8:00 P.M. – Early bedtime. Just thinking about this day makes me exhausted. I can’t imagine what Bob Apodaca‘s days really look like or how demanding they must be, especially with the addition of so many new and young pitchers. I don’t know how he does it, but if he is successful this season he will be my hero.