Rockies manager Bud Black, the former big-league pitcher, does not dole out unwarranted or superfluous praise to his pitchers.
So when Black made a point of praising Kyle Freeland’s competitive and fiery nature after the Rockies’ 11-4 thrashing of the Giants Tuesday night, it spoke volumes.
“I love it,” Black said. “I tell all of these guys, ‘Be yourself.’ The guys pull so hard for Kyle, because they know that he’s into it. He’s so invested in this team. Guys love playing behind guys like Kyle. It’s really cool. At times, he sort of plays like a position player.