ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 27, 1997 TAG: 9702270010
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: TUCSON, ARIZ.
SOURCE: Associated Press
HE HOBBLED into camp with a sore knee, but the former Salem Avalanche ace is throwing pain-free.
Jamey Wright, the Colorado Rockies' best young pitching prospect, came to spring training with a gimpy right knee, then developed a sore shoulder and swelling in his right calf.
Sidelined for most of spring training, the lanky right-hander threw batting practice for the first time on Monday - and did it pain-free.
``It felt great,'' said Wright, who pitched for the Salem Avalanche in 1995. ``It's the best I've felt since I've been here, definitely. This really builds up my confidence. And there wasn't any pain anywhere. It's the first time I can say that since I was called up last year.
``My knee, calf and shoulder all are fine. It feels great to be able to go out there and not have any problems with anything. I felt like a baseball player today instead of a spectator. I felt like part of the team again.''
Wright, 22, rose quickly through the Rockies' organization last season and went 4-4 with a 4.93 ERA in 16 games with the big-league club. He is likely to be in the starting rotation again in 1997, despite twice having had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee during the winter.
Wright was urged to go easy during his 12-minute session Monday, but that goes against his nature.
``My first pitch was about 70 percent, and Neifi [Perez] hit it in the gap,'' he said. ``I don't like seeing balls flying into the gap. I threw probably 80 to 90 percent the rest of the time.''
Reliever Curtis Leskanic, coming off shoulder and elbow surgery, also threw batting practice without pain - his second stint of the spring.
``Because of the surgery, I'm still a little tentative when I first get out there,'' Leskanic said. ``But once I'm on the mound and throw one pitch, it feels good. Then I have to remind myself to harness it.''
Leskanic toyed with several hitters, signaling he was about to throw a fastball and then throwing a split-finger instead ``just to see if the speed was right.''
Rockies pitching coach Frank Funk was pleased with the developments.
``It's super to have everybody back on track, especially those two kids,'' he said. ``With the way they've come back, I don't think they've missed anything, really. They're a couple of stallions out there, and you have to keep a tight rein on them so they don't overthrow.''
Funk stood directly behind Wright and Leskanic during their throwing sessions.
``I asked Jamey how he felt and he said, `Great,''' Funk said. ``A couple of times out there, he kind of mumbled to himself, `God, I feel good.' I know he's relieved to be out there pain-free.''
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Wright KEYWORDS: BASEBALLby CNB