Rockies prospect Stewart working hard to prove skeptics wrong
May 22, 2005

Modesto Nuts third baseman Ian Stewart is anxious to get to the big leagues. One of the many reasons has nothing to do with his time on the field, but rather more to do with playing baseball games on his Xbox and Playstation sets.

"I'm sick and tired of creating myself," said Stewart about inserting his own character into the video games played by himself and roommate Simon Ferrer. "I'd rather just have myself in the game."

Considering his progress since signing with the Colorado Rockies in June of 2003, just after being selected as the 10th overall draft pick, Stewart will likely have his own character in the simulated games within the next couple of years.

Stewart batted .317/.401/.558 in his first professional season as a member of the Rockies' Pioneer League affiliate in Casper, Wyoming. The Southern California native followed that with an even better performance in his first full season, hitting .319/.398/.554 with 30 homeruns for Low A Asheville in 2004.

Lest one think that baseball is all fun and games for Stewart, the 20-year-old left-handed hitter has a well-deserved reputation as one of the hardest workers in the organization.

"I had a lot of doubters coming out of high school," replied Stewart when asked about the origins of his work ethic. "A lot of people said I wouldn't be able to play defense and that I've have to move from third ... It just gave me extra motivation to work hard to prove all these guys wrong and to show that I can stay over there and that I'll work hard to do it."

The talk around baseball is no longer concerning to what position Stewart will move, but rather where other Colorado third base prospects, such as Jeff Baker or current major leaguer Garret Atkins, will wind up. That's not something that concerns Stewart at this point.

"I really don't see any reason to move them yet," said Stewart about Baker and Atkins. "because they're all doing fine there. A lot of people think we might be rooting against each other, but we all hope the guy above us or below us does well. We all root each other on."

As a hitter, Stewart has often been compared to Colorado star first baseman Todd Helton. He doesn't believe the comparisons are valid just yet.

"I think there are similarities," said Stewart, "but I'm not where I want to be as a hitter. He (Helton) works the ball through the whole outfield and is able to hit the ball hard everywhere. I'm still learning how to hit the ball hard the other way. I used to just slap it over there, but now I've started to hit the ball hard the other way. Once I'm able to hit the ball consistently to left center and to left field, I think the comparisons will be justified."

Stewart's 2004 season got off to a slow start, as he missed the first month with a hamstring injury. He's only now getting himself into proper playing condition. How did this self-professed "baseball junkie" feel about being out of action?

"Being out with the hamstring and having to mass a month of the season is one of the worst things you could go through as player," said Stewart. "It was terrible being down there (at the Rockies spring training facility in Tucson)."

It wasn't all wasted time. Stewart believes he learned some valuable lessons during his rehab time.

"My extended time in Tucson helped me a lot," said Stewart. "I got to work with the coaches and they prepared me for the season."

Part of what he's learned from the Rockies during his career hasn't all been about what goes on during the game. The organization has helped him develop as a person.

"They base their organization a lot on character," said Stewart, "and just knowing that has made me a better person. Interacting with the different guys in the organization has helped me become a better teammate and a better leader on and off the field."

Coming from a solid, Christian family background gave Stewart a good foundation on which to build character and also to avoid a lot of the pitfalls along the way.

"There's so much temptation off the field, with women and going out and bars and what not," said Stewart.

"I just try to remember where I came from and try to be the person I am."

--- Bill Mitchell