Tampa, Fla. – Shawn Chacon lost his velocity and regained his career.
That’s the simple explanation for why the former Rockies pitcher is poised to open this season as the fourth starter for the New York Yankees.
“That was one of the things I didn’t get about the Rockies, why they got so caught up in the (radar gun),” Chacon said from Legends Field. “They didn’t seem to understand that I finally learned how to pitch instead of just throw.”
Chacon tried to fool himself for two years – heck, maybe longer – that harder was better. For a pitcher to believe anything else changes everything, forcing a re-examination of nearly every principle learned since putting fingers on seams.
But after a lost season in 2004, Chacon arrived in Tucson a year ago thinking outside the batter’s box.
From his first bullpen session, something clicked. His fastball faded and his confidence grew. He slowly became secure in allowing contact, in hitting his spots. He looked nothing like the closer – a role in which he was painfully miscast – who threw 95 mph smoke with his fastball only to watch ninth innings regularly go up in flames.
That pitcher is a stranger to the Yankees. Ask around their clubhouse and they know him as Mr. Finesse, as a guy who calmly bathed in Gotham’s glare, going 7-3 with a 2.85 ERA in New York after winning just one game last season with the Rockies despite pitching well.
The key, explained Yankees manager Joe Torre, is Chacon’s ability to throw his slider and curve in any count.
“He’s not overpowering. He doesn’t throw the ball 90 mph very often,” Torre said. “He has to rely on his control and command to make it look faster.
“But when you fall behind and can throw your breaking pitches that’s huge, because the hitter can’t sit on anything. I am sure that was a little tougher for him to do in Colorado’s (altitude).”
Raised in Greeley, Chacon went to the Rockies’ first game at Mile High Stadium and wanted to continue playing in his backyard. But his was never a “local boy makes good” story.
There always seemed to be underlying friction with the organization. Chacon had off-field scrapes – a suspension in the minor leagues, later a bar fight in Fort Collins. Even after Chacon’s 2003 All-Star Game berth, there was a feeling the Rockies didn’t believe he was worth the trouble.
In the end, money and health motivated the Rockies to ship Chacon to the Yankees last summer for Eduardo Sierra and Ramon Ramirez, relievers pegged to open the season in Triple-A Colorado Springs. The Rockies weren’t interested in paying $5 million in salary this season, especially after watching Chacon throw 84 to 88 mph.
“I actually thought he was going to get a lot more than the ($3.6 million) he got in salary arbitration. And, yeah, the speed was down on his fastball, so that was a concern,” owner Charlie Monfort said. “If he comes back and does this season what he did last year for the (Yankees), then it’s probably a bad decision on our part.”
Monfort has known Chacon for nearly a decade, often going to his high school games. He said he’s rooting for Chacon “even if it doesn’t make us look smart.” Chacon said he was never told why he was dealt. But when he found out it was to the Yankees, he didn’t ask a lot of questions.
“It was kind of like thanks and see you later. Nothing needs to be justified,” Chacon said. “If they have reasons other than money, so be it.”
Chacon is hardly concerned that nothing is guaranteed with the Yankees. He could be their best starter in April and be a reliever by May, pending the health of Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano.
Like his fastball, Chacon has simply decided to slow down to savor every fleeting moment.
“Being a Yankee, you get respect. It’s respect I never got in Colorado. Or the whole team got. It’s a football town in Denver. And we didn’t win,” Chacon said.
“I have never been a part of something like this. It’s a special feeling. You definitely don’t want to be the guy who gets traded and doesn’t take advantage of the opportunity to win a championship with the best sports franchise in the world.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5447 or trenck@denverpost.com.
