MEDIA CLIPS – March 1, 2018 O'Malley trying to be Rockies' jack-of-all-trades By Owen Perkins Special to MLB.com Feb. 28th, 2018 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The fact that Shawn O'Malley is starting his 13th year in professional baseball didn't keep him from getting an early start on his first Spring Training camp with the Rockies. After signing as a Minor League free agent in December, O'Malley showed up early in Scottsdale to take advantage of any opportunity he could find to give his game an edge. "A couple days before Spring Training started, I was asking Nolan [Arenado] about the little things that make him so great. He's a Gold Glover for a reason. Same as DJ [LeMahieu]. It's like, 'what separates you from everyone else?' I just try and pick their brain a little and try to find one thing that I can apply to my game and make it that much better." That sponge-like approach to picking up elements from every aspect of the game is indicative of the utility role O'Malley hopes to win on the Rockies' 25-man roster when the team opens the season in a month. "That's what I'm kind of known for," O'Malley says of the utility role. "Whether it be pinch-running or going in for a defensive substitution, or maybe it's pinch-hitting late and bunting a guy over. Whatever they want, I'll do." After being drafted out of high school and starting his pro career that same summer of 2006, O'Malley got his big league break as a September callup with the Angels in 2014. He switched to Seattle the following year, and earned another September callup, but it was 2016 when he finally stuck after being promoted in May, playing 89 games for the Mariners. 1 He logged games at shortstop (36), right field (19), left field (15), second base (12), third base (7), center field (5), and DH (1). O'Malley has the versatile skill set to keep him in the mix for a reserve role on the Rockies' four-man bench. "We feel comfortable with the defense," manager Bud Black said before O'Malley's Wednesday start at second base. "That's been proven. He's 30 years old. He's been in the pro game for a while. Mentally, he's capable of bouncing in and out of positions and coming off the bench." The Rockies have Tony Wolters penciled in as the backup catcher and Pat Valaika reprising his role as an infielder, who can also play outfield. They'll likely take a fourth outfielder who doesn't figure in the infield, so it would behoove any contenders for the final roster spot to have multiple tools in their utility belt. "What we're looking for is that comfort that he looks good at every position," Black said of O'Malley. "That he can make a play in the hole from short. He can man the outfield positions with breaks, and jumps, and reads, and go get balls. Turn a double play from second. And offensively, switch-hit capabilities, get some hits, get a bunt down, hit-and-run with him, steal a base. That's what we're looking to see from him."h, 2016 O'Malley's approach is to focus on preparation and answer whatever call the Rockies send his way if it gives him a chance to help the team. "I'm trying to work on everything I possibly can right now, if that's infield, outfield -- if they want me to catch, I'll catch, pitch, whatever they need," O'Malley said. "If they call my name, with the game on the line, I'm not worried about where they're going to stick me. I'm prepared and ready to go." 2 Almonte making strong early impression By Owen Perkins Special to MLB.com Feb. 28th, 2018 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Rockies put a pair of good pitching performances together to earn a 9-3 win over the D-backs on Wednesday. Starting pitcher Tyler Anderson threw two innings of one-run ball in his spring debut. He allowed a pair of hits, but induced inning-ending double plays in each frame, including a comebacker to the mound on a cutter to Jake Lamb in the first. Yency Almonte followed Anderson, making a case to be considered in the first tier of reinforcements for the starting rotation. His efficiency and focus on glove side command earned him three scoreless, no-hit innings in his second Cactus League outing. "He threw the ball great," manager Bud Black said of Almonte. "Good velocity with location. Good hard slider. Had some funny swings against big leaguers, which was nice to see." Almonte will likely start in Triple-A Albuquerque, but he showed the potential to be one of the two or three Triple-A starters ready to jump into the five-man big league rotation when needed. "He's inching closer to that group of seven or eight guys," Black said. "It can happen fast when you're in Triple-A." Closer to first Ryan McMahon may be in a position battle with the Rockies, but his only competition seems to be himself. So far, McMahon is winning. He's hitting .500 (7-for-14) with three doubles and three RBIs in four games through Wednesday's Cactus League action. "He's getting closer," Black said. "There are indicators that he's getting closer to [handling big league pitching]. A very good Double-A season. Went to Triple-A and kept that going." 3 McMahon started his 2017 season at Double-A Hartford, where he hit .326 with six homers and 32 RBIs in 49 games. He played 70 games at Triple-A Albuquerque, hitting .374 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs. He struggled last season in a pair of stints with the Rockies, going 3-for-19 (.158) with a double and an RBI. "Now, the challenge for him this spring is he'll be getting a lot of playing time," Black said. "We'll watch him to see bat speed, to see swings, to see approach, to see how he plays his defense at first, to see how he plays his defense at third." The battle is essentially McMahon's to lose. He's penciled in as the everyday first baseman, with outfielder Ian Desmond taking his reps at first to back him up. Wednesday, McMahon made his first spring start at the hot corner with third baseman Nolan Arenado resting, and Desmond handled first.. 18th, 2018 Closer to third Lest anyone panic about Charlie Blackmon buckling under the pressure of hitting third in the Rockies' Cactus League lineup, Black made it sound closer to a done deal that the power-hitting leadoff man will drop down in the order to maximize his production. "We feel good about Charlie anywhere," Black said. "But the way our roster might be constructed there at the end, it might make the most sense for him to hit third with the potential of a couple guys on in front of him. Last year, getting 100 RBIs from the leadoff position, it's a pretty impressive year when you think about the bottom half of the order. It doesn't happen a lot for a guy who leads off. [The bottom of the order] gave Charlie some opportunities, and Charlie delivered. Things will become more clear as we move through March, but it might make sense to hit Charlie third." Which righty can throw two? Do-everything lefty Chris Rusin is the Rockies' main relief pitcher for more than three outs, but depending on how he is used, it would be advantageous to have a righty who can handle lengthened roles. Who would that be? Black will prepare for the situation. "You might see Scott Oberg or Carlos Estevez when he gets back on the horse [Estevez is nursing a left side injury] potentially get stretched out to 40 pitches or so," Black said of his Cactus League plans. "And don't discount the starting 4 pitcher group that, in the event that one of those guys doesn't make the rotation, we still could see one of those guys in the bullpen like we did last year when we started the season with German Marquez in the bullpen." 5 Top 20 players who will shape NL West race By Will Leitch MLB.com @williamfleitch Feb. 28th, 2018 If you can believe it, Opening Day is only four weeks away, and we're previewing each division every Wednesday. Baseball is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport, so, thus, we'll be previewing each division by counting down the 20 most pivotal players in the division. These aren't necessarily the best players. They're just the ones whose 2018 performance will be most vital to their teams' success this season, and in seasons moving forward. To keep it fair, we can only pick four players from each team. Today: The National League West. Tell me what you think not just about this list, but also whom I should not miss when I do the American League Central next week, at [email protected]. 20. Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies McMahon has shown considerable talent in the Minors -- he hit .374 in 70 games for Triple-A Albuquerque last year -- and the Rockies have rewarded him by giving him every chance to win the first-base job. But in a world where Logan Morrison is only getting $6.5 million a year, is entirely trusting the rookie at an easily upgradable position the right call? 19.