Clubs will spend an arm and a leg for a strong arm

Sporting News, The, Dec 6, 1999 by Jon Heyman

When Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd set out to trade the high-priced, underachieving Darryl Kile, other teams viewed Kile as a potential giveaway. And why not?

The righthander performed about as poorly as could be imagined in his two years in Colorado.

But as it turned out, this giveaway turned out to be quite expensive for St. Louis, which traded four promising young players to obtain Kile, quality reliever Dave Veres and young pitcher Luther Hackman, a middling prospect

The temptation is to wonder whether Cardinals G.M. Walt Jocketty was snookered. The harsh reality, though, is that the price of established pitchers is higher than ever, even for one like Kile, who had a 6.61 ERA this season and compiled a 21-30 record in the past two years. The lament that there just isn't enough good starting pitching is truer than ever.

The free-agent pitching market is thinner than a wafer, too, and the trade market consists mainly of pitchers with astronomical salaries and mediocre recent track records, such as Kile and Pat Hentgen, who will form 40 percent of the Cardinals' rotation.

Whether Jocketty acted wisely will be determined in years to come. Still, his decision isn't difficult to understand considering the laws of supply and demand. He saw a weak free-agent market ahead, with staggering monetary expectations.

"Last year we had Kevin Brown and Randy Johnson (on the open market), but there aren't the premium pitchers out there this year," Mets G.M. Steve Phillips says. "Yet this group is looking for the high-water mark in terms of dollars and years." Phillips says teams figure to take chances on some pitchers for short periods of time.

Kile is guaranteed $8 million under his current contract, Hentgen $6.6 million. The good news? They're guaranteed only one more year. The fact that is a major selling point is an indication of how bleak things are. Some folks think Kile's problem was Denver and its rarefied air; yet he was 3-10 with a 5.89 ERA away from Coors Field in '99.

The Hentgen deal probably won't hurt the Cardinals. They surrendered only lefthanded reliever Lance Painter, veteran backup catcher Alberto Castillo and pitching prospect Matt DeWitt for Hentgen and reliever Part Spoljaric. But the price for Kile and Veres was steep. Two pitching prospects sent to Colorado, Manny Aybar and Jose Jimenez (who pitched a no-hitter against Arizona in '99), are highly rated, as is infield prospect Brent Butler, targeted for Class AAA. Also, reliever Rick Croushore turned in some strong work for the Cards. Starters Aybar and Jimenez need work, but teams already are inquiring about them (the Rockies might consider trading both to Los Angeles, for Ismael Valdes).

With Valdes under contract, the Dodgers--from a trading standpoint --are in even better shape than the Rockies were with Kile. Everyone except the Braves and Yankees needs pitching.

David Cone is the best free-agent starter available. Intermittent radargun readings in the mid-80s, well-documented arm questions, advancing age and a belief he is reluctant to leave New York limit his appeal. Conversely, his resiliency and history of clutch performances could make Cone a rare free-agent bargain.

Aaron Sele, at 29, is a nice semi-young pitcher and Chuck Finley, 37, a nice older one, and both free agents are likely to get more than $8 million a year. Seven teams are chasing Finley, but Cleveland is favored in a derby that could get steep (with both New York teams involved).

The other top free-agent pitchers, a notch or two below Cone, Finley and Sele, are reaching for the moon. And as desperate as teams are, they'll probably get it. Andy Benes, Juan Guzman, Darren Oliver, Omar Olivares and Kenny Rogers don't qualify as anyone's staff ace, but no one can question their impeccable timing.

Benes reportedly is seeking about $8.5 million a year, Guzman $7.5 million and Oliver $28 million over four years. Olivares, who had a breakout year for Oakland in '99, wants $6 million annually for four years despite an injury-plagued past. Shoot, Steve Trachsel also wants $24 million over four years after going 8-18 with a 5.56 ERA for the woeful Cubs.

Here's the topper. Agent Scott Boras wants a five-year deal for Kenny Rogers, who, at 35 and with a resume that's hardly eye-popping, isn't exactly the most attractive pitcher out there. And don't be surprised if they get it.

Maybe the Kile deal doesn't seem so bad.

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