Unser Chat » The Rockies are 16-9 in starts by Freeland (11-7, 2.9

DENVER — Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland Robbie Grossman Jersey , who has been dominant at Coors Field, will take the mound Thursday in the rubber game against the San Diego Padres. 6 ERA), who is 7-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 11 home starts this season and will be opposed by rookie left-hander Joey Lucchesi (6-7, 3.79).Freeland has thrown 152 innings, close to the 156 he finished with as a rookie last year. But at this point last season, Freeland was wilting from the rigors of his first season in the majors. After Sept. 11, he made four relief appearances and one start, a three-inning effort in his final game of the season. Article continues below ...Freeland said experience has certainly been helpful this year. But he attributes his added strength and stamina to an offseason mechanical change and an altered throwing program.“The change in the mechanics helped not take so much of a toll on my body like my mechanics last year did,” said Freeland, who still pauses in his delivery when lifting his front leg but in a more efficient manner.“The hestitation’s more at the top Kyle Gibson Jersey ,” he said, “where I can keep my load instead of de-loading and then trying to make a pitch and then keep that load and drive down the mound. And that’s taking less of a toll off trying to de-load and then trying to get it all back using my arm and my legs as much as I can.”Freeland said he changed his weightlifting programs to boost his stamina. And he has cut back on his throwing.“Since the All-Star break, every day after my start, I haven’t thrown,” he said. “I just take a day (off), and then I’ll have my bullpen (session) the next day. This year, it’s much lighter every single day, just not stretching it out because I know how long the season is. There’s no reason to try and build arm strength in season because you’re going to get tired. “All season it’s been lighter throwing in between starts. Not throwing a lot of flat grounds or having long bullpens. Kept my bullpens short most of the year and really shortened them up after the All-Star break.”Freeland is 3-1, 1.72 in his past five starts, allowing one homer in 31 1/3 innings in that stretch. On Friday at Atlanta, he allowed three hits and one run in six innings and was the winner in Colorado’s 11-5 triumph. He’s 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA in two starts against the Padres this year and 1-2 Logan Morrison Jersey , 4.21 in six career games (four starts) against them.Lucchesi will be making his 20th career start and fourth against the Rockies. He held them to four hits and two unearned runs in six innings April 10 while winning his Coors Field debut 5-2, and he is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA against Colorado in three starts this season. In his last outing Friday against Arizona, Lucchesi lost 9-4, allowing a career-high nine hits and five runs in four innings. That matched the shortest outing of his career. Lucchesi, whose herky-jerky motion with his hands makes for an unusual delivery, has pitched six innings three times — on April 15 against San Francisco and Aug. 12 against Philadelphia in addition to his April 10 outing at Coors Field. Lucchesi is 2-2, with a 2.87 ERA in six road starts and 4-5, 4.26 in 13 starts at home. “I think for the longest time we’ve given Joey the opportunity to just go pitch and not overwhelm him with information,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “This is the time to start taking information in on what we’d like him to change and how we’d like him to grow. And I think he’s responded to that very well right now. And I’m excited about that, because that ultimately will be the determining factor to how great you’re going to be is, can you grow?“I think he’s handled this year great. There’s been ups and downs. He’s been through injuries. He’s been through some struggles that way. I think he’s handled it well.” Plus free agency Orlando Arcia Jersey , waiver claims, and endless ways to "improve" baseball."Since you all love Tawny’s “Old-timey player” featurette, here is the tale of a player who ate insects, was stabbed in a bar fight, and dumped beer on his teammates. Only problem — he isn’t really an old-timey player. Here is a fun profile, courtesy of Baseball Prospectus, of Mike Maksudian, who actually appeared with the 1993 Twins. Grant Brisbee listed the top 50 MLB free agents, and there are a half-dozen old friends on the list (at least if you stretch the definition.) Who rates highest? Where is Brian Dozier on the list? Would you rather have Lance Lynn or Ervin Santana? So many burning questions can be answered just by clicking the link (but probably not the last question.)Speaking of free agents, the Twins only have three players under contract for next season. FSN gives us a quick run down of they are, as well as a list of the arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players on the roster.But hey Jonathan Villar Jersey , the Twins did make a baseball-related move, claiming outfielder Michael Reed from the Braves. If you’re counting, that makes three guys named Reed in Triple-A or the MLB for the Twins organization. You’ll be begging for news like this in January.Jim Souhan somehow managed to be a cranky old man, and still suggest some interesting changes to “improve” baseball at the same time. It’s mostly old, rehashed ideas like robot umps, but his idea for roster construction is actually rather interesting.