Rockies' road is anything but smooth

Sporting News, The, August 11, 1997 by Jerry Crasnick

A Denver newspaper recently polled fans, asking their opinion of Colorado's dinosaur mascot. Of 1,600 respondents, more than 90 percent suggested Dinger should be declared extinct by 1998.

Selected writers, players and team employees might say the same thing about general manager Bob Gebhard. But the boss likes him, and that's all that matters for now.

When you asked owner Jerry McMorris to assess Gebhard's performance, it becomes clear his status is secure. McMorris sometimes gives the impression he wouldn't mind adopting the guy.

"Geb is the hardest-working, most loyal, bright, energetic executive I know in baseball," McMorris says.

Gebhard's work ethic is beyond question. His favorite pastimes are smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee and gnashing his teeth. When the Rockies went 2-16 to begin July, he routinely sprang out of bed in the dead of night, paced the floor and tried to formulate solutions in his head. He was lucky to get two or three hours of sleep per night.

If Gebhard has a flaw, it's his unwillingness -- or inability -- to delegate authority. He's the quintessential one-man band, a hardball negotiator whose approach tends to wear on players.

"He thinks he's the general manager, the trainer, the pitching coach and the head groundskeeper," says one player, who understandably prefers to remain anonymous.

Gebhard spends half his time in the clubhouse and manager Don Baylor's office. To his detractors, he is a control freak. To his supporters, he's a "hands-on executive."

He spent the bulk of July with his hand on a telephone receiver, but dozens upon dozens of conversations failed to generate desired results.

Gebhard wanted to send second baseman Eric Young to the Dodgers for Pedro Astacio, but his only summer trades barely rate a blip on baseball's radar screen. He acquired Frank Castillo from the Cubs for minor league pitcher Matt Pool and added pitcher Mark Hutton from the Marlins for infielder Craig Counsell.

That leaves Rockies fans with three options for August and September. They can watch Larry Walker make a run at MVP; they can watch rookies Todd Helton and Neifi Perez try to establish themselves in the big leagues; or they can watch the Broncos try to replace injured defensive players Tory James and Jumpy Geathers.

Colorado's baseball team is suddenly at a crossroads. The Rockies continue to draw 50,000 fans, but management does not seem to know where it's headed. Do the Rockies exercise patience, declare a sense of urgency or a little of both?

The Rockies have a young, inexperienced rotation. But until recently, when Walt Weiss went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury and was replaced at shortstop by Perez, all eight regulars were 30 or older.

In the team's five-year history, Andres Galarraga and Dante Bichette have been its most popular players. But Galarraga turned 36 in June and Bichette will turn 34 in the offseason. Galarraga will be eligible for free agency this winter, and he just happens to play the same position as Helton, the organization's golden child.

Gebhard would be happy to trade Bichette to free up left field for Helton, but Bichette will make $4 million-plus next year and he has had increasing problems defensively since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery in October.

Of Bichette's first 84 RBIs, 60 came at Coors Field. Every time Gebhard makes a call, opposing general managers throw high-altitude numbers like that right back in his face.

Gebhard's winter priority will be finding a No. 1 starter and a closer. Good luck. Any free-agent pitcher with options is bound to laugh heartily when Denver is mentioned.

"Sure, I'll make a call about (Greg) Maddux," Gebhard says. "But how long do you think that conversation is going to last?"

The Colorado franchise has progressed quicker than anyone had a right to expect, but for all the astute calls Gebhard has made on position players, he has muffed a lot of pitching decisions.

Greg Harris, who was acquired from San Diego in 1993, went 4-20 for Colorado before fading from view. Bret Saberhagen made nine starts before hurting his shoulder. The Rockies gave Bill Swift $13 million, and he has given them 14 victories. Gebhard gave Kevin Ritz $9 million, and he was disappointing before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in July.

The Rockies' original plan was to draft and develop pitchers -- and watch hitters line up for the privilege of playing in Denver. But when the stadium is packed every night and you've already been to the playoffs, it's tough to tell fans, "We're an expansion team. Be patient."

The Rockies are out of this season's race and now Gebhard must assess the patchwork roster and devise a coherent plan for '98 and beyond. There could be a lot more sleepless nights in his future.

Rebel without a cause

What's new with Drew? The good news out of Philadelphia: No. 1 draft pick J.D. Drew is not free to test the market.

In ruling that the Phillies satisfied major league rule 4(e), baseball's executive council said: "Mr. Drew's professional contract rights remain with the Philadelphia Phillies, and he will not be granted free agency."