The Colorado Rockies made a major offseason addition when they signed set-up reliever Bryan Shaw in free agency, adding to their ‘super bullpen’ that they expect to have in 2018.
Convincing a free-agent pitcher to come to Colorado has been a challenge in previous years. With visions of cheap home runs hanging over Coors Field like dark clouds, pitching at altitude has been more of a way to scare a candidate off then an enticement — but Shaw says that reputation is vanishing quickly.
In an interview with Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro of Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 from the Rockies’ spring training clubhouse at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Shaw says the stigma of not wanting to pitch in Colorado is fading away for multiple reasons.
“It was always a fun park to be at, a fun park to pitch at… It seems like a good place to play,” Shaw said.
“Relievers and starters alike have had success over the last few years with the pitching coaches and managers that we have here… I think they’re getting rid of that reputation of being a park where pitchers don’t have success in. They’ve shown over the last couple years that you can do that, so I think a lot more guys are putting aside that stigma of Colorado and wanting to come here.”
It’s rare when a pitcher uses the word ‘fun’ when describing Coors Field, but that’s exactly what Shaw described.
“It’s a fun stadium. I’ve enjoyed the stadium, especially the visiting side… I’m excited to be here with these guys, we got something special here, and hopefully we do what we need to do.”
Shaw says pitching is where it starts and the planting last year of Colorado’s young rotation could harvest major rewards this year.
“It starts with pitching. You have a starting rotation [like] we have here, it’s a young group of guys with the talent that they have, the mentality that they have, obviously they showed a little of bit last year. All those guys are a year older, a year more experienced. A year more of failure and success, learning from all that stuff. Hopefully it puts them in a position this year to get into a spot to help us win.”
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