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Thursday, July 23, 1998
Kile draws heat from media, fans
By ALAN TRUEX Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON - Prior to Monday night's game in the Astrodome, fans
were leaning over the roof of the visitors' dugout, pleading with
Darryl Kile for his autograph.
"After the way you treated me last time," the pitcher
said, smiling, "I'm not signing."
Some hard feelings obviously remained from his previous homecoming,
when many Houstonians let him know they didn't appreciate his
abandoning their city in favor of Denver - and a $24 million contract.
In his second start for the Colorado Rockies in April, Kile
lost 6-2 in the Dome. The fans booed him as he strolled to the
bullpen to warm up, and they hooted at him throughout a 40-pitch
second inning, when he allowed three walks and five runs, three
of which scored on a double by pitcher Shane Reynolds.
Kile was hoping to redeem himself Monday, when he originally
was scheduled to face Reynolds again in the opener of the last
series between the Astros and Rockies this season. But his start
was moved up because of a blister on the pitching hand of John
Thomson. So Kile pitched Sunday at Arizona, departing in the seventh
inning with a 4-3 lead. The Rockies eventually lost 6-4.
Asked about missing his Astrodome opportunity, Kile told Denver
reporters, "I'm not going to lie and say I didn't want to
beat them. I want to beat them bad."
Kile was one of the first players to arrive at the park Monday,
and he chatted with his former teammates and ended up signing
a few autographs for the fans. But he tried to dodge Houston media
- something he rarely did during his seven years here.
Understandably, he's not eager to discuss a season in which
he's 6-12 with a 5.26 ERA. He's a threat to become the major leagues'
first 20-game loser since 1980. He recently lost eight consecutive
decisions.
In his most recent outing at Coors, he was loudly booed for
lasting only three innings while losing 8-7 to San Diego.
He also has taken some fire from the Colorado media. Mark Kiszla,
columnist for the Denver Post, interpreted Kile's stoic nature
as a lack of passion. "Kile has buried his personality so
deep," Kiszla wrote, "nobody in Denver can see if he
has a pulse."
In fairness to Kile, he has pitched well during many of his
losses. He is still the Rockies' ace. He ranks in the National
League's top 10 in innings with 143 2/3. Always the willing workhorse,
he has started twice this season on three days' rest instead of
the usual four days.
And of course, he has had to deal with Coors Field, the Bermuda
Triangle for pitchers. Most baseball observers were surprised
any successful pitcher - and Kile was 19-7 last year - would go
to Colorado on his own volition. The oxygen-deprived mile-high
elevation keeps pitches from sinking and makes fly balls soar
abnormal distances.
Kile intended to debunk the Coors curse, but he has been proved
as mortal as anyone. He's 1-5 with a 7.35 ERA at Coors Field,
where his best pitch, his curveball, lacks its usual sharp dive.
His pitching coach, Frank Funk, believes he will yet conquer
Coors, that it's just a matter of varying the angles and speeds
of his curve and regaining command of his fastball. The 30-year-old
righthander has returned to the wild ways of his younger days.
He leads the league with 76 walks.
Rockies outfielder Dante Bichette said, "Maybe his stuff
won't work in Denver as well as other places. But eventually,
that kind of talent has to come through."
One of the reasons Kile decided to leave Houston was to show
he was not just a product of manager Larry Dierker's confidence-boosting
tutelage.
Kile last week told Denver reporters he appreciated all the
Astros had done for him, but he added, "I'd like to beat
them or pitch well to kind of close the door and say, 'Maybe I
can do it on my own now.' "
Perhaps he can. But the proof will have to wait until next
year.
---
Distributed by The Associated Press
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