Amador, Rockies keeping faith in his abilities: 'His time is coming'

DENVER -- Adael Amador smiled and swanked like a Major Leaguer.

A rookie second baseman showing signs of finding his way in the Majors, Amador twisted toward center field to backhand a bouncer from the Phillies’ Alec Bohm, then turned inward for a slick, one-hop throw for an out.

Amador made sure his middle-infield partner, Gold Glove winner Ezequiel Tovar, knew all about it. One batter before, Amador marveled at a play Tovar made to throw out a runner at the plate.

“I told him, ‘I made that play right after you made the play. … See, I got that in my system as well,’” Amador said in Spanish, with Edwin Perez interpreting.

The play on Bohm occurred on Tuesday night. Amador followed that one with a dashing dive toward the right on a soft liner from the Phils’ Weston Wilson to end the third inning during Wednesday night’s 9-5 loss to the Phillies.

Amador, who singled in a second-inning run, didn’t say a word after his catch. His carefree expression sent the same message as his words to Tovar the previous night -- there is plenty more in his system.

At 22, Amador is on his second Major League tour.

Last year, an oblique injury that bothered him before he was promoted from Double-A Hartford limited him to 10 Major League games. But an impatience that Amador, a switch-hitter, hadn’t shown in the Minors, coupled with trouble adjusting from shortstop to second base, combined to mute his first impression.

While Amador opened eyes in Spring Training, the plan was to keep him at Triple-A Albuquerque while veteran Thairo Estrada teamed with Tovar. Estrada, however, sustained a right wrist injury in Spring Training. Still, Amador stayed in Triple-A until April 13.

Amador’s second impression wasn’t going much better in the beginning. Hits were sporadic, and so was playing time under then-manager Bud Black, who at times went with the more-experienced Kyle Farmer at second while trying to stop the team’s early nosedive.

But interim manager Warren Schaeffer, who replaced Black on May 11, has started Amador in eight games and used him as a reserve in the other. Amador’s term could be ending soon, with Estrada scheduled to join Albuquerque on Thursday for a rehab assignment.

Amador was the team’s No. 1 MLB Pipeline prospect before last year’s struggles, and Schaeffer and the Rockies haven’t forgotten. Amador’s difficult development illustrates general manager Bill Schimidt’s warning that development isn’t always quick, but patience can allow it to happen.

“We’ve had a relationship for a while now,” said Schaeffer, who was third-base and infield coach before his promotion. “I’ve always let him know that I believe in him. The more that you as a manager and as a staff promote confidence with a young player, the quicker he’s going to succeed and you’re going to see if he’s got what it takes.”

Offense has been a struggle -- he’s batting .158 with one home run this season; his two RBIs in the last two games brought the total to five in 39 contests. Amador admitted feeling “a little pressure” initially, but his comfort is growing.

“I know the talent is there -- I’ve just got to follow it up with confidence,” he said. “They [coaches] tell me to do that, and have fun out there.”

Tovar sees fun times ahead.

“His time is coming,” Tovar said. “I trust in his skills and his ability, and we're going to see that translate."

Andy González, who moved from assistant hitting coach to Schaeffer’s old responsibilities, works with Amador on fielding before each game. During a session this week, González had an encouraging word for each ball fielded correctly.

“We’re trying to make him feel like he belongs here, although he knows and we all know that he still has some work to do,” González said.

Amador said the support from González is “like I feel with my dad.” A mistake in Tuesday night’s 7-4 loss to the Phillies left Amador seeing fatherly disappointment in González’s eyes.

Amador was thrown out in the seventh trying to go from first to third on a Ryan McMahon single, and television replays showed González waving him past second. The problem was Amador had a poor read off the bat, and was so late that he should have stayed at second.

“When I looked up to him, I felt bad about it,” Amador said.

There are mistakes, like calling off Farmer at first base on a popup in short right field during Wednesday’s game and not making the play.

Amador’s readiness will be monitored and eventually judged by the Rockies, who have to parlay their historic losing ways (8-41) into a better future.

Amador feels on his way.

“Every single day, you’re learning stuff,” Amador said. “I feel confidence, and it’s showing.”