Cardinals Get Kile in Trade With Rockies

The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping a change of altitude will work wonders for Darryl Kile.

Kile, 30, a big-bucks bust in two seasons at Denver’s Coors Field, was sent from the Colorado Rockies to the Cardinals in a seven-player trade Tuesday.

Along with a potential No. 1 starter, St. Louis also got a new closer in Dave Veres, who had 31 saves this year, and pitching prospect Luther Hackman.

The Rockies acquired right-handers Jose Jimenez, Manny Aybar and Rick Croushore, plus minor league infield prospect Brent Butler.

“His whole approach will change once he get out of there,” Cardinal General Manager Walt Jocketty said of Kile. “Getting him out of Colorado will be a major lift for him, as it would be for any pitcher.”

The sides reached a tentative deal early Monday, contingent on the Cardinals’ restructuring the final year of Kile’s contract. Kile is scheduled to make $8 million next season.

The Cardinals were negotiating to reduce the salary to $6 million and add an option for 2001 with a $2-million buyout, and the final hang-up was negotiating incentive clauses for the option year.

Kile was 19-7 with a 2.57 earned-run average with Houston in 1997, but was a major bust in Colorado after signing with the Rockies as a free agent. He was 21-30 with a 5.84 ERA in two seasons for Colorado.

But Kile wasn’t exactly overjoyed to be leaving Denver. “I liked it here,” Kile said. “That’s why I came here a couple years ago. I can’t say I’m excited to be leaving, but I’m excited to be playing for the Cardinals.”

Veres, 33 was 4-8 with a 5.14 ERA, but was 20 for 21 in save opportunities and had a 2.52 ERA on the road. Jimenez, 26, pitched a no-hitter and two-hitter against Arizona’s Randy Johnson this year, but the rookie later spent time in the minors and was 5-14 with a 5.89 ERA. Aybar, 25, was used mostly in relief and was 4-5 with three saves and a 5.47 ERA in 97 innings. Croushore was 3-7 with a 4.14 ERA, eight saves and 88 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.

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Minnesota Twins’ catcher Terry Steinbach, 37, announced he is retiring from baseball after 13 full seasons, three with Minnesota.

He finishes his career with a .271 batting average and 162 home runs, including eight grand slams. He won a World Series title with the Oakland Athletics in 1989.

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Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman and pitcher Chuck Finley will meet this morning before Finley meets with other teams that may bid for his services. Finley, 37, has spent his 14-year career with the Angels and is looking for a three-year deal of about $26 million. Angel President Tony Tavares says Finley’s asking price is “high” and did not seem optimistic that the team could re-sign him.

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Jonathan Mariner, one of the highest-ranking black executives in major league baseball, was promoted from senior vice president and chief financial officer of the Florida Marlins to executive vice president and chief financial officer.