If the Rockies were truly serious about winning the World Series, “Big Game” James Shields would have taken the mound for Colorado on Wednesday instead of pitching for the San Diego Padres.
So, as manager Walt Weiss climbed the dugout steps at Coors Field, I asked: Were the Rockies, desperate for a staff ace, in the hunt for Shields during the winter?
“No,” Weiss responded, quashing rumors Colorado made a $100 million bid for Shields.
Then I walked across the diamond to chat with San Diego manager Bud Black, and inquired if the value of Shields exceeds his 116 victories in a career that also has seen him take the mound at the World Series for long-suffering franchises in Tampa Bay and Kansas City.
“James Shields is one of our lead bulls,” Black said. “There’s a lead-bull theory. If you have a lead bull, the other bulls follow. Shields is that guy.”
Within the same week in February, the lowly Padres, who last qualified for the National League playoffs way back in 2006, signed Shields to a four-year, $75 million contract, while the Rockies, loaded with brawny bats but thin on quality arms, went shopping in the bargain basement to pick up Kyle Kendrick on a one-year, $5.5 million contract.
As Shields and Kendrick dueled in LoDo, both pitching solidly and deep into the game, there was not a huge difference between the veteran hurlers on this night, which saw Colorado win 5-4 in the bottom on the ninth inning.
But the larger message was unmistakable: The Padres want to take on the world and challenge for the NL pennant right here, right now. The Rockies are content to wait until next year, and sell the promise of the sun coming up on a tomorrow that’s forever a day away.
During spring training, Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki expressed cautious optimism, tempered by the reality any Colorado success was dependent on inexperienced starters such as Eddie Butler and Christian Bergman. Down in Arizona, those young pitchers followed in the footsteps of Kendrick like puppies eager to learn tricks of the hunt.
With 75 victories during eight prior seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Kendrick is happy to share his knowledge. But for Colorado to also ask Kendrick to stand at the top of the starting rotation in Coors Field is a ridiculous request of a veteran who surrendered 25 home runs with the Phillies in 2014.
After replacing Dan O’Dowd as general manager, Jeff Bridich took the same slow and steady approach of his predecessor, surrendering to the probability the Rockies won’t be ready to contend until at least 2016. But don’t bore rookie San Diego executive A.J. Preller with the odds stacked against him. Preller gave the Padres an extreme makeover, adding hitters such as Matt Kemp and Justin Upton, as well as closer Craig Kimbrel and Shields to contend immediately in 2015.
“The in-game intensity of Shields is real. This guy competes. And position players dig that in a pitcher, they really dig it,” Black said. “Not every guy can pull it off. I saw it in (reliever) Trevor (Hoffman), even though he basically pitched only five minutes a night, at 9:45. But he was such a sturdy, dependable personality and teammate that those type of pitchers rub off on everybody. Shields has the same ability.”
If winning is a process, the first essential step is changing the culture in a losing clubhouse.
On the eve of the World Series a year ago, I listened to Kansas City manager Ned Yost describe the impact Shields had on a Royals franchise making its first appearance at the Fall Classic since 1985.
“He kind of turned that clubhouse around,” Yost said. “He brought a winner’s attitude with him, and he’s not only molded, he’s mentored our players.”
As Yost talked, I thought: Shields is precisely the pitcher Colorado needs to change its culture.
Conventional wisdom, however, insists: 1) No free-agent pitcher in his right mind would choose to work in Denver unless the Rockies significantly overpaid, and 2) Colorado won’t ever overpay for starting pitching again, after blowing money on Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle more than a decade ago.
Well, I’m here to tell you: Until the Rockies lose that defeatist attitude, they will never win the World Series.
Mark Kiszla: mkiszla@denverpost.com or
