Prospect Q&A: Rockies Shortstop Trevor Story on Stealing More Bases, Following Tulo’s Lead and Facing Dylan Bundy
Texan shortstop Trevor Story (bio, stats here)– the Rockies’ No. 3 and baseball’s No. 99 prospect entering his third pro season in 2013 — adjusted to the long bus rides last season, if only because he appreciated wearing the Class A Asheville unis and playing in some of the South Atlantic League’s shining ballparks. Given his last name, he was also expecting to be a part of one of the whacky promotions that embody the fun, for-fans spirit of Minor League Baseball. It didn’t happen. ”No, it hasn’t. I figured it would,” he said Thursday from his home state. “Those are fun to do.”
Well, check in with my colleague Ben Hill (@bensbiz and Ben’s Biz Blog), the master of MiLB news and constantly on the promotions beat, to get that conversation going. Where there’s a Wil (Myers), there’s a way … to get this (Trevor) Story going.
Now onto some real baseball talk below. Enjoy.
(Tony Farlow/Asheville Tourists)
On his offseason: “I have been getting to work out at Athletes’ Performance down in Frisco and really taking advantage of that, trying to get bigger, stronger and faster. It’s been working out for me. We do a lot of agility stuff and free runs and a lot of velocity-type stuff like ladders. I’m also working on the right way to run.”
On his 2012 season at Class A Asheville: “I thought I had a good season. There is always room for improvement — I feel like I could have done better — but it was good seeing that kind of competition. I knew I could compete…”
On his 15-steal campaign on the bases: “Well, I wasn’t too surprised by [any of my numbers]. The one thing I know I’m going to work on is stealing even more bases because I felt like that was part of my game that I should have taken more advantage of. I really didn’t do [enough base-stealing], so that’s something I’m going to [focus on] this year. A lot of it was because we played in a — I mean, our lineup was stacked. We had a lot of great players that could score from first on an extra-base hit. I also just wasn’t very aggressive, didn’t really attempt enough. That’s something I’ll get more comfortable doing that. It’s a combination of experience, getting out there, reading pitchers, getting good jumps, learning when to go, but also getting faster and quicker. That’s also a big part of it. You don’t have to be fast to be a good baserunner. I think it’s [an underrated part of my game]. I really do.”
On his production as a hitter in ’12: “I felt like I gave away some at-bats, swinging at pitches I shouldn’t be swinging at. I felt like I struck out a little too much, but that’s something myself and the Rockies have talked about, and that’s one of our goals, to cut down on those and make more contact and be a better two-strike threat. A big part of is it when you get your pitch, you can’t miss it; can’t let those get away. And then you got to hit a pitcher’s pitch, and that’s not always easy.”
(Tracy Proffitt)
On his second pro season playing shortstop: “I thought I was alright. I know I can do a lot better than I did. I think I made like 24 errors or something like that [in 122 games]. I just really worked on my throws. I felt like that was a big part of my game that needed [fixing] and we got that ironed out. I was just cuttin’ a lot of balls, and I wasn’t very accurate. We just did simple stuff, lined up my shoulders to aim where I was throwing. Instead, I was a little bit wrapped, so that was a pretty easy fix. I feel like I’ll have a better season defensively at short this year.”
On whether he’ll stay at shortstop long-term: “I’d love to stay at short. That is what I have played my whole life. Whatever the Rockies want me to do, I’m up for it because I know we have [Troy] Tulowitzki at short. I feel like I can play multiple positions. I’d like to stay on the left side of the infield, but whatever the Rockies decide, I will do.”
On Tulowitzki’s advice: “I got to meet and know him a little bit [when] he was down at Instructional League with us for a little while last fall. I got to take some ground balls with him, and he taught me a few things that I have put into my practice routine. [One time] we were taking ground balls, and pretty much every ground ball for him was [serious]. He took 10 in a row that were game reps. Then after that, he shut it down. He pretty much taught me that you got to do it in practice the way you’re going to do it in games. That was a big thing he told me about. It’s always good to pick those guys’ minds. Obviously, he’s a Gold Glove shortstop. It’s always good to learn and see how they do it.”
On his development as a whole, combining his baserunning, defensive and hitting improvements: “I have definitely come a long way since playing in [Short-Season] Casper [in 2011]. I feel like I still have some work to do, still got at least another season or two [in the Minors] to be where I want to be, but I feel like it just takes time and reps. We’re doing a lot of that. I can’t put a number on it, but I’ll be there soon.”
On what he has in mind for 2013: “Wherever the Rockies organization wants to put me is where I’ll go. As long as I’ll get to play, I’ll be happy. I just want to go out there and have a good, solid season. If I get promoted, then great. If I don’t, that’s fine. I’ll just keep putting in my work, and it will progress.”
On his scouting report of Rockies prospect/Tourists catcher Will Swanner: “He’s a great dude. He can obviously swing it. I think he had 15 of 16 [16] bombs. That’s always very valuable coming from a catcher because you don’t really expect that from them. He’s really come a long defensively as well, and I’m sure he’s getting better this offseason, too. He’s a really special player.”
On his scouting report of Rockies prospect/Tourists pitcher Tyler Anderson: “I was really impressed with him every time he took the mound. Us infielders were pretty happy about that because we knew were going to get some action, ground balls and he works pretty quick. He’s very precise with his locations, and he’s a true competitor with really good stuff.”
On Anderson’s pickoff move: “He’s got some quick feet. He’s a very athletic pitcher, and he definitely got a few guys [nine in 20 starts] on that pickoff move. He really likes his move, and it works for him a lot.”
On the toughest pitcher he’s faced in the Minors: “It would have to be Dylan Bundy. There are a lot of good pitchers, but it would probably be Bundy. We faced him on Opening Night [April 6], and he came out throwing gas. I know he struck me out Opening Night. I only faced him one time that night. I faced him another time I think [on April 30], but I’m not sure what I did that time [a second strikeout].”
On whether he has Bundy will see his revenge: “Yeah, let’s hope so.”
(Dano Keeney/MiLB.com)
