ST. LOUIS -- Bryan Shaw hit upon the elusive right pitch: a changeup that the Cardinals’ Dexter Fowler lined to right field on a hit-and-run situation for a double play to end the sixth inning of Saturday night’s 6-0 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Shaw’s big contract and high ERA have made him a maligned figure during the Rockies’ rough season. Fans looking for a bright spot instead see Shaw’s 2-1 record and 5.58 ERA over 58 appearances, on the heels of a difficult 2018. But given his contract, he’s likely to be around for a while. So it may be best, when there are little successes like Saturday, to celebrate with him when he slaps his glove in triumph.
Shaw wasn’t happy with home-plate umpire Paul Emmel’s call that led to a leadoff walk to Harrison Bader, putting him at risk for another tough outing. Ultimately, he was able to escape unscathed -- about the only bright spot in a doleful performance for a team that was in contention before its current 18-38 run.
“I was just trying to get a ground ball, trying to get a double play,” Shaw said. “I got the double play, just not the route that we normally try to go for.”
At a time when the Rockies’ accomplishments are individual stat-builders or messages to management, Shaw is in the odd spot of trying to foster belief.
If Shaw pitches in 110 games over this year and next -- Saturday was his 58th this season -- he can claim a $9 million option for 2021, as long as he is healthy on that season’s Opening Day. Either way, he is due $9 million next year to finish his original three-year, $27 million deal.
But it’s going to take a run of good appearances -- preferably with the Rockies contending next year, the way they did the last two and expected to this time -- for him to make fans happy when he takes the mound.
Shaw’s first season with the Rockies was difficult (4-6, 5.93 ERA in 61 games), and while his 2019 started out solid, numbers-wise, he began to struggle as the Rockies fell out of contention. Compounding the focus on Shaw are the struggles of the other two big-contract relievers signed through next year -- righty closer Wave Davis (three years, $52 million) and lefty Jake McGee (three years, $27 million).
Shaw went to the suburban Seattle Driveline performance center during the offseason and fashioned a curveball that kept his ERA below 3.00 through May 29 and essentially out of the 4.00s through June.
Then, Shaw’s performance turned south with the rest of the club. He admitted that the possibility of being moved at the Trade Deadline affected his performance.
Since July 2, Shaw has appeared in 15 games and given up runs in seven, including six multi-run outings. But in there have been solid performances that allow the Rockies to see some of what led them to sign him to the big contract. Given that it would take a whale of a deal to trade him -- the Rockies would have to find a team who believes a change of scenery will bring consistency and isn’t scared of the aforementioned vesting option -- the best bet is for Shaw to become the pitcher he was with the D-backs and Indians.
“If you look at his overall numbers, there’s one hit per inning pitched,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “The strikeouts are sort of where Bryan normally is, but his walks are a little high. His stuff is good. He’s been the victim of some outings where there have been some big runs. He hasn’t been able to string six, seven, eight appearances of no runs.
“His stuff is much better, the movement on his pitches is much better [than last year]. So that’s encouraging.”
Shaw can’t afford to be overwhelmed by the numbers during his self-evaluation.
“Overall, the pitches have been better pitches,” Shaw said. “Even the runs that I’ve given up over the last couple weeks have been good pitches that have been hit. It’s not balls that are over the middle of the plate, up. It’s good pitches down in the zone, good pitches in, good pitches away that are getting hit and falling in there, not necessarily missing over the heart of the plate.
“I’ve always been confident, regardless of the situations I’ve been going through. I’ve pitched in big situations with other teams before. I’d love to get this team back in that spot, even farther than I did with Cleveland and the Diamondbacks.”