Colorado Rockies: 5 things we learned from Kyle Freeland and Bud Black

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Sep 7, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) pitches during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

Colorado Rockies left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland and Bud Black spoke with the media, including Rox Pile, prior to tonight’s game in San Francisco.

Combined, the two spoke for nearly 50 minutes so there was a lot to dissect from them.

Here are the five biggest things that we learned from them today.

Kyle Freeland said he feels “great”

Prior to his bullpen session on Tuesday, Freeland spoke with media (and Bud Black was after) and before the bullpen session, Freeland said that he felt “great.”

“I feel great, first and foremost,” said Freeland. “That’s the main thing I’m happy about. I’ve tried to stay as positive as I possibly can throughout this process … keeping a positive mindset about the whole rehab process, getting through it correctly and making sure that, when I’m able to come back, I feel 100 percent … (but my) shoulder feels great, body feels great.”

He suffered the injury on March 23 against Oakland and it was diagnosed as a “left shoulder strain.” He also said that the only other time that he has experienced pain close to that was when he hurt his elbow in the 2014 season in the minor leagues.

He ended up missing the rest of 2014 and most of 2015 after having elbow surgery.

His bullpen session on Tuesday was “outstanding”

Rockies manager Bud Black provided an update on Kyle Freeland’s bullpen session later and he said it was “outstanding.”

He said that Brendan Rodgers, Yonathan Daza, and Ryan Vilade (more on him later) both “tracked” pitches in the batters’ box in the bullpen for the session (aka they stood in the box but didn’t swing).

Black said that Freeland “ramped up” from his last bullpen, when he through around 25 pitches at 85 percent effort. However, on Tuesday, Freeland only threw fastballs and changeups.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 26: Austin Gomber #26 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park on April 26, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

But Freeland’s return still is not imminent

Freeland said that he, Bud Black, and head trainer Keith Dugger “haven’t exactly mapped” out the timetable for his return.

However, when Bud Black spoke to the media later, he said that, since his bullpen went well, Freeland may face some of the Rockies “back up players” next week, during the Rockies next homestand.

If that goes well, they will determine if he needs one more of those or if he’s good to go to the minor leagues on a rehab assignment (the season starts for most minor league teams next week).

So, while they would not give an approximate date, that timeline would likely put Freeland’s return around late May or early June, if all goes well and depending on how many rehab starts the Rockies want.

Whether that happens or not, only time will tell but when Freeland was asked if he’d return in 2021, he said “absolutely.”

The Rockies may think the Giants stole the signs against Austin Gomber on Monday

Rockies manager Bud Black said postgame on Monday that he would have to look at the video to see if Austin Gomber was tipping his pitches. Gomber allowed nine earned runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Gomber said that he didn’t think that he was tipping his pitches but the Rockies went over the video and they definitely found something. What that is? We don’t know.

Here’s what Bud Black had to say about that on Tuesday:

“We did dive into (video) but I’m going to keep those inside our clubhouse walls and to ourselves,” said Black, “but we did discern some things this afternoon through video so we do look forward to continuing to work on that the next three or four days with Austin because some of the statistical numbers are alarming with guys on second base … I’m not going to tell you exactly what we have. I can’t tell you. Sorry. Who knows? There may be some intel on this Zoom call, there may be some Diamondback people who are following this or whoever … [so] in this case, I’m going to keep the stuff that we identified here within the clubhouse.”

So is it Gomber tipping his pitches, sign stealing from runners on second, neither, or both?

That’s for you to decide.

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA – MARCH 26: Ryan Vilade #76 of the Colorado Rockies catches a fly out in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians during the MLB spring training game at Goodyear Ballpark on March 26, 2021 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

The taxi squad and what Bud Black likes to do with it

Today, we found out that the Rockies taxi squad looks like this for the roadtrip.

Catcher Brian Serven
Outfielder/infielder Ryan Vilade
Right-handed pitcher Chad Smith
Right-handed pitcher Jose Mujica
Right-handed pitcher Justin Lawrence

Black had indicated before that he plans on changing the taxi squad out each road trip with five different guys each time but there are some similiarites with each.

A catcher is on (which is required) but it’s only one (they had as many as two catchers on a four-man bench for a few series in 2019)
The Rockies mainly want rookies on the taxi squad, mainly as a learning experience in travelling with a MLB team.
Each time, there has been one right-handed pitcher with very limited MLB experience (Antonio Santos the first time and Jose Mujica on the second). Otherwise, all of them are rookies.

Rox Pile’s Kevin Henry discussed more about how the Rockies are using the taxi squad here.

Next. A history of Jeff Bridich's signings and trades. dark

So those are the most important things that we learned from the duo but we also did find out that the Rockies will have Elias Diaz catch German Marquez tomorrow and Yonathan Daza and Garrett Hampson will return to the lineup to face the left-hander Alex Wood tomorrow.

Today, most of the Rockies moved up in the lineup and Josh Fuentes and Sam Hilliard are in the starting lineup as well.

Home / Colorado Rockies News

Colorado Rockies notebook: Five things we learned from Kyle Freeland and Bud Black today

Kyle Freeland said he feels “great”

His bullpen session on Tuesday was “outstanding”

But Freeland’s return still is not imminent

The Rockies may think the Giants stole the signs against Austin Gomber on Monday

More from Rox Pile

The taxi squad and what Bud Black likes to do with it

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