Clips for 7-12-10

MEDIA CLIPS – March 17, 2017 Look of love: Gray to chop locks for charity By Tracy Ringolsby / MLB.com | @TracyRingolsby | 27 minutes ago Jon Gray was putting in a regular workout between starts last summer, when he and a member of the Coors Field grounds crew began to chat. The subject turned to the 25-year-old right-hander's lengthy hair, and what Gray did with his hair when he cut it. Gray was a bit curious about the inquiry. By the time the conversation was over, Gray had been introduced to Locks of Love, a program designed for people to donate their hair to be used for hairpieces for children who have suffered significant hair loss because of cancer, severe burns or other medical issues. Gray plans to make his next donation next month. "I had the ability to do this so why not?" he said Gray, after all, is a rising star on the baseball field, and his effort will bring attention to the efforts of Locks of Love. A likely choice for Colorado's Opening Day starting assignment, Gray was the Rockies' 2013 first-round Draft pick, a third selection overall behind Mark Appel, who went to the Astros, and Kris Bryant, who went to the Cubs. Gray made his big league debut in August 2015 and struggled in nine starts, but he was back with Colorado from Opening Day 2016 on, and established himself as a factor in the Major Leagues. In 2016, he went 10-10 with a 4.61 ERA in 29 starts, and went 7-2 at Coors Field, where the Rockies won nine of his 14 starts. 1 Gray put an exclamation point on his season in a Sept. 17 home start against San Diego when he struck out 16 and did not walk a batter during his first career complete game. It was also a shutout, and Colorado won 8-0. Now, Gray wants to help youth win a personal battle much more challenging than anything that happens on a playing field. And he's nearing the time for his first donation. Gray's hair has reached the required 10-inch length, but he said he will wait for about another month to let it grow out a bit moreso he will have some hair left on his head post-cut. He has always had longer hair, but he said when he learned about Locks of Love, he decided to grow it even longer. "There are requirements," Gray said. "It has to be 10 inches from the ponytail, and you have to make sure it is in a ponytail before you send it off. You put a rubber band around it, then put it into a [sealed plastic] bag and an envelope, and mail it." The biggest challenge so far? Having patience as his hair grows. "I started [growing] this in the spring of 2015," said Gray. "I've always had longer hair, but not this long. It's worth it, though, if it can help those kids." Sounds simple. And it is. But it has a profound impact on the children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. The peer pressure associated with losing hair can be just as difficult to endure as the medical issue itself. Locks of Love helps to alleviate that. "Locks of Love is devoted to helping every child suffering from medical hair loss, thus we do not discriminate as to the cause of hair loss," reads a statement on the organization's website. The charity is focused on children from financially disadvantaged families. The website also explains, "Locks of Love is not a manufacturer of any type of hair replacement system or hair care product. As a charity and strictly a charity, we must purchase the custom prostheses we provide for our recipients." 2 It's a new endeavor for Gray. So far, he admits, his charity work consists of, "My wife and I [helping with] rescue animals. That's about it." Now there is Locks for Love, something that Gray couldn't resist. He is, after all, going to get a haircut, and if the trimmings can help a young person better cope with their medical condition, why not? "We are going to try and do some things to raise awareness with this, and maybe get some people to step up," Gray said. "I want to do it again." And Gray has the type of profile that could influence others to make a similar commitment to the charity. 3 Desmond could return to lineup mid-April By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | March 16th, 2017 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies manager Bud Black said Thursday that surgery on first baseman Ian Desmond's broken left hand went so well that Desmond could be back in the Rockies' lineup by mid-April. Dr. Donald Sheridan conducted the operation in Scottsdale on Wednesday. Desmond was hit Sunday on the second metacarpal of the left hand by a pitch from the Reds' Rookie Davis during Sunday's game. The club didn't initially indicate a timetable, but now Black said it's looking like four to six weeks. "It went well according to Dr. Sheridan; everything that they saw on film was realized when they went in," Black said. "The surgery was deemed successful. Mentally, he's doing great. We're thinking that hopefully this is a return to action sometime in April." That means Desmond, signed to a five-year, $70 million contract as a free agent during the winter, and power-hitting rookie catcher Tom Murphy, who has a hairline fracture of the right forearm, could be returning about the same time. Mark Reynolds, a non-roster invitee expected to play first in Desmond's absence, suffered a similar injury when hit on the pinky metacarpal by a pitch on Sept. 18. Reynolds couldn't swing a golf club until after Thanksgiving and wasn't cleared to swing until mid December. However, it was the end of the season and Reynolds was a free agent. Desmond's is a different bone, and he'll have the modalities and bone stimulators that could help him return faster. Black said the Rockies will know more when the bone is scanned again, but was delighted with the positive prognosis. Because the injury was to the catching hand, Desmond will be able to throw and do top-hand hitting drills in the meantime. Murphy was injured Saturday when clipped by the bat of the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo while throwing to second on a steal attempt. He stayed in the game and was originally believed to be OK, and participated in Sunday's team archery tournament. But the medical staff detected the fracture upon further examination. Worth noting • The Rockies were hoping for positive news on the right elbow of pitcher Rayan Gonzalez, who underwent an MRI on Wednesday after leaving the game against the Brewers. • Outfielder David Dahl, out since early in the Cactus League schedule with a stress reaction in the sixth rib, will be evaluated Friday -- two weeks after the original diagnosis. If all goes well, Dahl will be allowed to increase activity. So far, he has been allowed to keep his legs in shape, but not much else. 4 Oberg finds success in getting back to basics By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | March 16th, 2017 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- By simplifying his pitch mix, Rockies right-hander Scott Oberg is pushing into contention for a bullpen job. Oberg, 27, whose 2016 season was cut short by blood clots in his right forearm, faced the heart of the Angels' lineup with a one-run lead in the fifth inning of Thursday's 8-7 loss. On 11 pitches, Oberg had a perfect inning with a strikeout. While bouncing between the Rockies and Triple-A Albuquerque in 2015 and 2016 (4-5, 5.12 ERA in 88 Major League games), Oberg used a fastball, slider, curve and changeup. Oberg escapes a jam New Rockies manager Bud Black asked him to narrow his mix. On Thursday, he threw fastballs for all but two pitches. One earned him a swinging strikeout of C.J. Cron to end an eight-pitch at-bat with the count full. Before that, he worked Mike Trout into a grounder on two fastballs. His first pitch, 95.8 mph fastball, resulted in an Albert Pujols fly to center. "We talked about making some slight adjustments to his pitch selection, and I think he's running with that and throwing the ball with a lot of confidence," Black said. Oberg, a 2012 15th-round Draft pick from the University of Connecticut, said he recovered from the August surgery in time for a normal offseason, so his velocity recovered in time to compete in camp. Doctors moved an artery away from the humeral head of the shoulder in order to avoid the trauma that was causing the blood clot. Oberg's mechanics didn't change. He also has snapped back into the consistency of delivery that started to show last year -- when he was 1-0 with a 2.43 ERA and nine saves with Triple-A Albuquerque. The Rockies have a group of veteran relievers, plus there's hard-throwing Carlos Estevez, and Black has thought of carrying a young starter in the 'pen. But with the specter of injuries -- already lefty Chris Rusin (oblique) and righty Chad 5 Qualls (right forearm tightness) are out of Cactus League action -- and simply the merit of his performance, by no means is he being counted out. Oberg, who has had three trips to the Majors during each of the past two years and still has a Minor League option this year, also will look to establish himself as a solid bullpen member.

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