Manuel Corpas wanted to be the next Mariano Rivera. He still does.
But he needs to find himself first. He must rediscover the bite to his slider, movement to his fastball, the swagger in his step and a killer attitude on the mound.
“I’m working hard. I’m going to make it back,” Corpas said Tuesday, using teammate Ubaldo Jimenez as a translator. “What I’m going through is just part of baseball.”
Last fall, with gold leaves glittering in the mountains and Rocktober in the air, Corpas was the team’s super stopper. In nine postseason appearances, he went 1-0 with a 0.87 ERA and converted five of six saves chances. The Phillies were so perplexed by his stuff in the NLDS they accused him of funny business with the baseball.
It appeared that Panama had produced two all-star caliber closers. First there was Rivera, the Yankee legend, followed by Corpas, whose crisp fastball and late-breaking slider made him seem invincible.
After the Rockies’ run to the World Series, Corpas became a national hero. Back home in Panama City, kids ran after him, calling his name, wanting to touch him.
During the offseason, the Rockies awarded Corpas with a new contract that guarantees him $7.825 million through 2011.
Life was good.
But Monday night, when the former closer gave up two late runs to the Braves, there was a smattering of boos at Coors Field. Numbers explain the discontent. Corpas is 0-for-3 in his last three save chances. Since losing his closer job to Brian Fuentes in late April, Corpas’ ERA is an ugly 5.79. In 78 games last year, his ERA was 2.08 — the lowest relief ERA in club history. The disparity from then to now is shocking.
I still think there are plenty of saves left in his right arm. The Rockies’ job is to fix his mechanics and nurture his talent. Corpas, however, will never be what he was until he regains his confidence. So I asked him if he still has the mental toughness required to be a closer.
“Sí,” he replied, then gave me the kind of glare he usually reserves for opposing batters.
That was good to see.
