San Francisco – A bleak finish will be creased with a smile.
As part of Vinny Castilla’s long goodbye, he was voted the Rockies’ player of the final homestand, which begins Monday, leaving early-arriving fans a chance to receive a jersey T-shirt bearing his name Sept. 22 and plenty of video highlights during the week.
For Castilla, the reality of leaving has begun to clobber him over the head.
“I am very excited, and I am nervous, too,” said Castilla, who started at first base Thursday and went 0-for-3. “Only once in your lifetime you retire, and to do it in front of fans that I love … It’s not easy to go.”
Castilla has been discussing strategy with bench coach Jamie Quirk and Clint Hurdle during games, prepping for the future. Castilla will serve as a Rockies adviser and wants to manage someday, beginning in the winter Mexican league.
KING OF NEW COURT?: The chance of reliever Ray King returning nose-dived as Hurdle referred Thursday to his club option of $2.625 million “as a high-end one.” No official decisions are expected until after the organizational meetings Monday and Tuesday. King said if the Rockies don’t pick up his option, he won’t consider returning. His preference is to play on the West Coast, close to his Arizona home.
FOOTNOTE: Brian Fuentes admitted it felt different to record a four-out save Wednesday, his first of the season. He survived a home run by Barry Bonds, who is 8-for-10 lifetime against him. “I look forward to the challenge, even though he’s gotten the best of me.”
