Rockies spring training report: Elehuris Montero seeks consistency

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It’s easy to fall in love with Elehuris Montero’s potential.

During live batting practice Monday, he launched a home run into the stratosphere. In 185 plate appearances last season, the Rockies’ young corner infielder smashed six home runs and 15 doubles. During a nine-game hitting streak from July 9-Aug. 10, he hit .412 (14-for-34).

But he also struck out 32.4% of the time (league average is 22.4%) and walked at a 4.3% clip (8.2%). That means that the 24-year-old needs to display more consistency and pitch recognition during spring training.

“He showed us some solid at-bats last year, though some at-bats got away from him,” manager Bud Black said Tuesday. “But he learned a lot, so we’ll see how this spring plays out.

“But we feel like he’s going to be a very credible major league bat. Whether that plays out now or in the future, we’ll see.”

While Montero attacked fastballs, Black said he noticed that teams began feeding Montero a lot of breaking balls. Now it’s Montero’s turn to adjust.

Numbers game: First baseman/right fielder Michael Toglia, who’s on the bubble to make the 26-man roster, has changed his uniform number from No. 29 to No. 4.

Injury report: Right-handed reliever Jake Bird suffered a left oblique strain while working in the bullpen Monday just before he was scheduled to pitch live batting practice. He will be shut down for at least the next week, but as Black noted, at least the injury occurred early in camp.

Bird, who made his big-league debut last season and pitched in 38 games, was scheduled to pitch for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic in March. But Black said Tuesday that the injury puts Bird’s status for the tournament “in jeopardy.”

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