Colorado Rockies: Kyle Freeland talks baseball stoppage, more

Like many of you, Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland is wondering when Major League Baseball will return. He’s also doing everything he can to pass the time and fight off boredom until that day happens.

And, like many of you, the Colorado Rockies southpaw is trying to figure out how to stay active as he waits for word on when baseball will begin to ramp back up.

"“I’ve played a fair amount of board games. I’ve turned my Xbox on that I haven’t turned on in about two years,” Kyle Freeland said during a conference call with Rockies media members, including Rox Pile, late on Wednesday afternoon. “I’ve spent as much time outside as possible. Anything to really fill the time that we would usually spend at the field doing any sort of baseball operations, so I’m trying to keep my head straight on here.”"

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Freeland admitted that it was frustrating not knowing any information about when the season might begin. He also said that it was frustrating there had been “no positive news” that had come out since spring training facilities were shut down to give players something to look forward to or a potential date when baseball might resume.

The stoppage of baseball has also been particularly troublesome in terms of timing for the 26-year-old former first-round pick. Freeland came into spring training with a new delivery that he hoped would help him bounce back from a disappointing 2019 season that saw him go from Colorado’s Opening Day starter in Miami to an assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque as well as endure two stints on the injured list.

Part of that delivery is hoped to help Freeland keep the ball in the park after he surrendered a career-high 25 home runs in 2019. The Denver native is also hoping to recapture some of the Coors Field magic he found in his first two seasons in a Rockies uniform. After going 10-2 with a 2.40 ERA in 15 home starts in 2019, Freeland slumped to a 2-4 mark with a 9.25 ERA in 10 starts at 20th and Blake.

"“It’s definitely frustrating but, at the same time, I need to recognize the position that we’re all in and keep my focus on what I need to do and what I want to accomplish. I can’t lose sight of that now just because we’re on pause,” Freeland said. “I need to make sure that I’m continuing to do my work and that my arm stays healthy and active.”"

Freeland also said that he considers himself a “glass half full guy” when it comes to the worst-case scenario of a season without baseball.

Of course, that’s a scenario none of us want to envision and Freeland reiterated he is staying active, including working out at a local gym near his Arizona home, to make sure that he is ready, both physically and mentally, when baseball returns.