POSTGAME NOTES: It all comes flooding back to Ishikawa,
Posted by Andrew Baggarly on July 3rd, 2010 at 10:14 pm | Categorized as Uncategorized
Travis Ishikawa had all kinds of help in the minutes before he took the field Saturday night.
Infield coach Ron Wotus thoughtfully pointed out where Ishikawa could find first base. Ishikawa playfully pretended like he was going to take the field with the Rockies in the top of the first.
It’s good that Ishikawa can keep a good sense of humor after not starting a game since May 19. He’d gone 40 consecutive games collecting splinters on the bench.
And his first start came against all-world pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. And he hit a grand slam.
Baseball’s an amazing game, isn’t it?
Bruce Bochy told hitting coach Hensley Meulens Friday night that Ishikawa would be playing, but apparently, the message didn’t get relayed to the player.
“I came in doing my normal routine,” Ishikawa said. “I caught some Frisbees with the strength coach. I was on my way to do 20 minutes on the treadmill when I saw the lineup. Every day I come in ready to start. And if I don’t, I do what I do to get ready.”
How frustrating has it been?
“Well, you guys haven’t seen me throw or break anything in the clubhouse yet,” said the mild-mannered Ishikawa, smiling. “I knew coming into the year after Aubrey (Huff) signed that this would be what it’s like. I really wanted to work on it. No matter what role they put me in, I wanted to be the best at it.”
Ishikawa hadn’t forgotten where first base was at. And when the time came, he rounded those bases in the right order, too.
“That grand slam is what won it for us,” said Bochy, “even though (the Rockies) came back.”
Ishikawa will be in the lineup tomorrow, Bochy said. And he’ll get more starts now that Buster Posey will be getting regular time behind the plate.
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