TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -Scott Podsednik zipped around first, picked up speed as he approached second, and backed off the throttle as he easily glided into third for a standup triple Monday against San Francisco.
It felt good to stretch the legs again.
The Colorado Rockies outfielder finally feels like he has his wheels back after a slew of injuries slowed him down the past two years with the Chicago White Sox.
“I’m feeling great,” said Podsednik, who agreed to a minor league deal with the Rockies in early February. “I feel like I’ve got it back.”
Podsednik’s game hinges on his speed. Without his quickness, he’s just a light-hitting outfielder.
That’s why the past two years have been frustrating for him. Since helping the White Sox to a world championship in 2005, Podsednik has been hampered by two different sports hernias and a strained left rib cage muscle. He played in only 62 games last season for the White Sox, batting .243 with just 12 steals and 30 runs.
The fleet-footed Podsednik is just four years removed from swiping 70 bases with the Milwaukee Brewers. He’s stolen 224 bases in his career.
“I still think I can go out there and steal a base and be an impact player,” said Podsednik, who turned 32 on Tuesday. “I’m just looking to have a good spring and try to show up on someone’s club. If it’s not the Rockies, hopefully some other clubs are taking notice that I’m healthy and playing well.”
The Rockies brought in Podsednik, still regarded as one of the fastest players in the game, to help provide more speed on the basepaths after Kaz Matsui signed with Houston as a free agent.
So far this spring, Podsednik has a team-leading six steals in seven attempts. He’s also getting on base with regularity, appearing among the Cactus League leaders in on-base percentage (.528).
“When running is my game and you don’t have your legs underneath you, it’s tough to really go out there and do anything,” Podsednik said. “That’s what my game revolves around.”
He’s hoping he’s shown enough to win a roster spot. The lefty-hitting Podsednik is vying with incumbent Cory Sullivan for the job of backing up fellow speedster Willy Taveras in center. Sullivan is hitting just .167 this spring.
Podsednik showed off his speed in the outfield recently when he tracked down a long fly and made a spectacular diving catch.
He’s fighting the temptation to try to do too much to impress his new teammates and simply concentrating on what he does best – staying patient at the plate, playing solid defense and running whenever he gets a chance.
M and Texas Christian. “I’m just going out there and playing my game.”
Podsednik came off the bench as a defensive substitution against the Giants on Monday, and promptly laced an RBI triple over the center fielder’s head in his first at-bat.
Podsednik’s pop certainly caught the attention of Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who’s always on the lookout for productive pinch hitters.
“That’s always good when you can call someone off the bench to come up with a big hit like that,” Hurdle said.
Given his recent bout of injuries, and a surplus of available outfielders, Podsednik wasn’t surprised when his phone didn’t ring in the offseason. He understands.
But he’s eager to prove his worth.
“I guess injuries weighed on a lot of clubs,” Podsednik said. “As a player, you’ve got to put it behind you and move forward. I’m going to turn the corner.”
Not just turn the corner, but zip around with his superior speed now fully restored.
“I think I’ve figured out a way to keep myself healthy,” Podsednik said. “I’ve got my legs underneath me again.”
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