D-backs’ Adam Eaton gets a rare day off
Mar 19, 2013, 8:21 PM | Updated: 8:26 pm
As promised, outfielder Adam Eaton is enjoying a day off Tuesday as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the San Diego Padres at Salt River Fields. Manager Kirk Gibson told the media on Monday that he would be sitting Eaton because he’s had plenty of playing time this spring and wants to keep him fresh.
“He’s had 56 plate appearances, that’s the most. He’s played a lot, he’s ran the bases a lot,” said Gibson. “I just kind of trimmed him out of there, tomorrow (Wednesday) as well.”
Monday Gibson took Eaton out after two at-bats that included a single and a triple with a run scored and an RBI against the Dodgers.
Eaton leads the team with 55 at-bats, and is followed by A.J. Pollock with 47 and Paul Goldschmidt with 39 this spring. Eaton has also reached base safely in ten of his last 12 games and has a hit in 13 of 18.
Gibson told the media Tuesday morning that he looked at the remaining spring schedule and worked backwards from the end to figure out Eaton’s playing time, along with that for the rest of the team.
After enjoying two days of rest, Eaton will play Thursday and Friday and eventually work his way up to nine innings.
This spring Eaton has played in 18 of the Diamondbacks’ 24 games.
