Colorado Rockies spring notebook: Oberg’s health, impact of new rules

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black met with the media, including Rox Pile, on Sunday morning. Here are some of the highlights of the press briefing, including an update on Scott Oberg.

Update on Scott Oberg’s health

Black told reporters that Oberg, coming back after missing the 2020 season with blood clots in his right arm, has thrown “three or four bullpens” and is progressing toward being ready for Opening Day when the Rockies host the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 1. That includes throwing a live batting practice “in the next day or two,” Black offered.

All in all, it sounds like so far, so good for the soon-to-be 31-year-old right-hander.

“Scott will have a month to get where it needs to be to be ready for Opening Day but we just wanted to be a little bit more cautious with him the first couple of weeks,” Black said. “He’s doing great.”

Oberg and National League Comeback Player of the Year Daniel Bard are expected to be the two top contenders for the Colorado closer role in 2021. However, it’s still too early in camp, as well as Oberg’s comeback, to determine exactly what pitcher will hold down the “closer” title.

Impact of new spring training rules

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A change in rules for 2021’s spring training could end up impacting younger players and plenty of strategy decisions.

Quoting a statement from Major League Baseball released earlier in the year, here is the change that could play into early spring training games:

“Spring Training games through Saturday, March 13th may be shortened to five-inning games or seven-inning games upon mutual agreement of both managers. Games that occur from Sunday, March 14th until the end of Spring Training on Tuesday, March 30th may be shortened to seven-inning games.”

With these new rules, the possibility of position players losing at-bats and pitchers losing innings (and opportunities to impress coaches in game action) becomes very real. Black said that these rules will likely impact younger players more than anyone else.

“That hurts a lot of the younger players that you’d like to see in competition,” Black said “Some of the younger pitchers in camp that you might be able to squeeze a few innings in a big league exhibition game in a ballpark that’s, not this year, but filled with fans to get a look how they handle it.”

Black mentioned players such as Jameson Hannah, Ryan Vilade, Max George, and other young catchers who might not get into as many games as they would have in years past with the new rules, which were implemented to help pitchers ease back into the rigors of a full spring training ahead of a 162-game season after a shortened spring and season in 2020.

Colorado’s manager said the team would try to do what it could to help the younger players get plenty of time on the diamond, including scheduling “B” games with other MLB teams.

“We’re all in the same situation,” Black said. “It cuts the opportunities for a lot of younger players.”

Colorado is scheduled to begin its spring training schedule on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. (MT) against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. You can check out the Colorado lineup and keep up with the action here.