Inside Baseball: Stewart’s success allows Rockies to deal stars

Even when Colorado floated the name of Matt Holliday as a possible trade candidate this summer, trading arguably the best hitter in the National League seemed very unlikely.

Read Jack Magruder's blog, 'Inside Baseball'

The recent success of top prospect Ian Stewart during Todd Helton’s absence may change all that this offseason.

When Helton suffered a back injury, the Rockies moved Garrett Atkins to first base and recalled Stewart, their No. 1 draft choice in 2003, to play third.

All he has done is open the door for the Rockies to trade Holliday or Atkins. Each has been reluctant to work on a multiyear deal and could be moved if Colorado looks to make a big play to improve its pitching depth.

Stewart, a left-hander hitter, batted .291 with nine homers and 37 RBIs in his first 49 games, including an early-season stint when he played sparingly. His on-base percentage is .392, and his on-base plus slugging percentage is .949.

He also has shown the ability to hit lefties, with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 33 at-bats against them.

“I’ve always hit them,’’ Stewart said. “I tell people my father is left-handed so I grew up facing left-handed pitching.”

Holliday has $13.5 million remaining on his contract in 2009, but he could command several top pitchers from the right organization. Atkins had two years of arbitration remaining and would be cheaper to acquire.

Stewart could play left field if Holliday goes, or third base if Atkins departs.

Since mid-July, Stewart is hitting .486 with runners in scoring position, with five doubles and two home runs, according to Stats, Inc. Only Justin Morneau has a higher average since then.

CC = COMPLETE GAMES

CC Sabathia is 8-0 with five complete games in his nine starts since joining Milwaukee in early July, but talk that the Brewers are “using up” Sabathia since they likely will lose him to free agency burns manager Ned Yost.

“Everybody gets in an uproar about 130 pitches,” said Yost after Sabathia threw 130 pitches in a 9-3 victory over Houston on Monday.

“But you have to understand the anatomy of what’s going on in the game. He’s averaging 13.7 pitches per inning, which is the seventh lowest in baseball. Where guys get in trouble is with 20, 25 and 30 pitch innings. CC has none of those.”

Yost plans to stay on a five-man rotation even with off days coming up, which will give Sabathia more rest.

“I would much rather lose a game than take a chance of hurting anybody. That’s not the type of person I am,” Yost said.

“I respect him as a player. I respect him as a person. He’s got a family. I know how this business works. He has to provide for his family. I would never do anything that would take away from that ability. I just couldn’t live with myself.”

KOTSAY DESERVED IT

Mark Kotsay pulled up at second base instead of taking a sure triple to complete a cycle in the ninth inning of San Diego’s 20-7 victory over Montreal on May 19, 2001, saying he did not want to embarrass the Expos.

The Padres still do not have a cycle, but Kotsay finally recorded his for Atlanta last Thursday, tripling in his first at-bat and hitting his sixth homer of the season in his second.

With prospect Jordan Schafer expected to challenge for a starting position next year, the Atlanta outfield appears full without Kotsay, even though he has been a solid fit in the clubhouse and would like to return.

“My family situation and time spent away from me is very important. To be away from them and not to be playing every day — to be a four-hour flight away — would be a real challenge from a mental aspect,” said Kotsay, who lives in San Diego.

A COMPLETE SUCCESS

Right-hander Ricky Nolasco threw Florida’s first complete game since Sept. 16, 2006, a span of 301 games, in a 6-0 victory in San Francisco on Tuesday.

Nolasco gave up two hits while striking out 11, throwing at least 70 percent strikes for the eighth time in his past nine starts.

He has 41 strikeouts and two walks in his past five starts, joining Randy Johnson and Ben Sheets as the only major leaguers with that many strikeouts and that few walks in the past six seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

TELL YOU STATISTICS TO SHUT UP

Kansas City right-hander Brian Bannister, a Scottsdale Chaparral High School alumnus, gave up 10 runs in the first inning a week ago, the eighth time a pitcher has had a 10-run inning since 1956.  It has happened to the Royals four times, most recently by Jimmy Gobble on July 21.

MYERS' KEY: JUST THROW

Philadelphia’s Brett Myers is 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA since returning from a minor league assignment before the All-Star break. “When I’m on the mound, I don’t try to think too much. I don’t even know what my name is,” said Myers, who frequently wears a T-shirt that reads: “Mess with me, and you mess with the whole trailer park.”

FLORIDA GOES YARD

Florida is the first team in NL history, the sixth team overall, to have all four infielders with at least 20 home runs — Mike Jacobs (25), Dan Uggla (27), Hanley Ramirez (27) and Jorge Cantu (22). If Cantu reaches 25, the Marlins would be the first in history with four hitting at least that many.

OVERHEARD

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished where they are now. Tampa Bay is playing unbelievable baseball. Nobody expected Tampa Bay to be there, but I’ve been saying since the start of the year they have the players.”

David Ortiz

Boston Red Sox DH, commenting on the AL East-leading Rays.

LOOKING AHEAD:  The NL East-contending Phillies finish a series with the Dodgers on Monday, then meet the Mets for two and the Cubs for four.

Writers from around the country contributed to this report.