Colorado Rockies: Duane Espy talks hitting, navigating tough times at plate

PITTSBURGH — Through the first 17 games of the 2018 season, the Colorado Rockies were ranked 27^th in Major League Baseball with a .217 batting average. However, their 24 home runs were tied for second, trailing only the Los Angeles Angels. There is no question that it is a time of feast or famine at the plate for the Rockies.

These are not only statistics that Rockies fans know and anguish over but they are also the puzzle that is trying to be pieced together under the watchful eye of hitting coach Duane Espy.

Talking to me in the tunnel under Nationals Stadium before Sunday’s finale in Washington, Espy knows there is not a magic cure for the Rockies right now. There is no wand that can be waved to cut down on Trevor Story’s strikeouts or the struggles that young players like Ryan McMahon, Mike Tauchman and Pat Valaika have had while trying to provide some pop off the bench.

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Espy says he doesn’t want to find the magic bullet because the effect might be temporary. He’s looking to find long-term fixes where there are holes in swings and at-bats can be improved and not empty.

“It’s like the start of the season for us offensively. It’s been what it is, but it hasn’t been what we hoped for,” Espy explained in our exclusive interview. “I don’t look at it as anything other than an opportunity for us to figure out some things and be better down the road.

“I kind of, in a weird way, have developed that finding our way out of difficult times is more gratifying than when we’re on a three-week streak where we’re scoring double-digits and everything is clicking. You think that’s where you’re having the most fun. That’s the easiest part but figuring out the difficult times is where you get the most gratification.”

It’s also a never-ending job. Mornings and evenings are consumed with what can be improved and how that can happen. It’s part of winning at the Major League level.

“There’s always a lot of dialogue about our players,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “All hours of the day, whether it’s in the mornings or late after game, there is constant dialogue about our players, their swings, their approach and our team approach.

“For me, how I work, it’s collaborative between all of the coaches in all phases. That’s how I approach the coaching thing. All seven or eight of us are involved with the dialogue because I respect everyone’s opinion on what they see and their knowledge.”