Daniel Descalso to play LF for “first time” Weiss praises diversity and bat

DENVER — When the Colorado Rockies posted their starting lineup for this evening’s contest against the Philadelphia Phillies, we noticed an oddity; utility infielder Daniel Descalso is slotted to play left field.

BSN Denver caught up with both Descalso and manager Walt Weiss in exclusive interviews in which Descalso confirms that this is the first time he will play in a live professional game in left.

“I’m fine with it,” says Descalso, “I just need to go out there and make the routine plays, try not to worry about it too much and just not make a bigger deal out of it than it is.”

Weiss says that Descalso “has been working on it the last few weeks. Put in a little extra work. He’s swinging the bat well, I wanted to get another left-handed bat in there. That’s been a little bit of a void for us since [Gerardo] Parra went down. Just trying to be a little bit creative and find a way to get Danny’s left-handed bat in the lineup.”

In an incresingly significant sample size that is now up to 32 games and 75 plate appearances, Descalso is slashing a mightily impressive .359/.453/.516 which is good for a wRC+ of 145, meaning he has been roughly 45 percent than MLB’s average hitter this season. So it’s easy to see why Weiss would be looking for somewhere — anywhere — to play him.

When it comes to any concerns that it might be a little too creative, Weiss says, “the coaches that have been working with him says he looks comfortable out there. He says he feels comfortable out there … and when I played for Tony [LaRussa] he would do things like that. You would come into the clubhouse one day and the second baseman would be playing left field. He was always trying to get that little bit of an edge when it comes to the match-ups.”

When I put it to Descalso that it has likely been the success of his bat that is granting him this somewhat strange opportunity h simply replied: “I’ll take starts wherever they come.”