After miscue, Fowler settles in
"I was like, 'Way to start off your first inning,'" he said.
Even with that, Fowler, 21, made an outstanding first impression. He drove in three runs, two with a two-out single, in the 7-3 victory in the Spring Training opener at Tucson Electric Park on Wednesday.
Fowler said the Rockies' veteran outfielders such as Matt Holliday and Willy Taveras have been "big brothers to me." Holliday often watches Fowler's batting practice sessions to make sure he is patient. He put Holliday's lessons into action on his two-run single off Dewon Day.
"They definitely look after me in BP and make sure I'm staying back," Fowler said. "It was very exciting. I'm blessed to be out there."
Holliday was impressed.
"If he can do that, two-out base hits with runners in scoring position, that's how you make impressions on managers and the front office and teammates," Holliday said. "If he can continue to work the ball the other way, hit the ball the other way, use his speed, I think he's going to have some power as he fills out."
With clubs knowing Fowler was a candidate for a basketball scholarship, he lasted until the Rockies took him in the 14th round in 2004. Part of the motivation for trading onetime National League Most Valuable Player Larry Walker to the Cardinals that year was to clear money for his $925,000 signing bonus.
Last season, the switch-hitting Fowler batted .273 with two home runs and 23 RBIs at Advanced Class A Modesto, but a fracture in his right hand limited him to 65 games. However, he played well enough in the Arizona Fall League to be chosen to the AFL All-Prospect team.
"Good for him -- a couple good swings of the bat," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "He squared some balls up, ran the bases aggressively. Good day for Dexter."
Not splitting up yet: Right-handed rotation candidate Josh Towers, who gave up one run and three hits in two innings, used his new split-finger fastball just once. He said he needs to perfect switching grips while on the mound before using it more extensively. The lone split-finger was a ball on a long A.J. Pierzynski at-bat.
Towers said he used a regular-season pitching plan.
"For me, there's not getting loose and working on stuff," Towers said. "It's a getting everybody out and trying to make the team type deal. So it's all game situation for me.
"I couldn't pitch inside that well to the righties and I fell behind a little bit. I don't know if I was just excited or if I was pulling off a little bit. It's something I'll address in the next 'pen. Overall, I felt all right and I'll make some adjustments."
Competing: The ball Fowler lost in the sun was part of the reason Rockies left-hander Mark Redman faced a one-out, two-on jam in the fifth. But Redman, competing for a rotation spot, forced a Josh Fields double-play grounder. Redman gave up three hits but pitched two shutout innings.
"His two innings was probably the sharpest of the group of guys that went out there, by far," Hurdle said.
On the Rox: Rockies Minor League pitchers and catchers are due to report Friday, with position players joining them March 7. Voluntary workouts start Monday, but many of the hopefuls are already working out. ... Last year, strapping Brad Hawpe powered a home run over the towering center-field wall at TEP. On Wednesday, Holliday launched a drive that would have been a homer just about anywhere else. "Not too many people are able to take it over the center-field wall," Hawpe said loudly, as Holliday walked by. ... Second base candidate Jayson Nix went 0-for-1 with a strikeout and two walks. More importantly, he forced deep counts and made pitchers work. "I felt real good at the plate," Nix said. "My timing was good. I got to see a lot of pitches." ... Prospect Ian Stewart replaced Nix at second for the late innings but didn't have a ball hit his way. "That's the first time I've ever played a game at second, from Little League all the way up," Stewart said.
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com.