TUCSON - Bowie Kuhn never backed down. That wasn't always good.

The man who served longer as commissioner than anyone except the original, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, died a week ago at 80. His legacy will be a 15-year tenure in which baseball went from a game to a business.

In the wake of his death, Major League Baseball provided the spin that Kuhn "presided over the dawn of free agency and the end of the reserve system."

Yeah, right.

Two incidents underscored the misguided leadership of the owners that led to the freedom players now enjoy - arbitration and free agency.

The late Charlie Finley, then- owner of the Oakland Athletics, and the late Gussie Busch, then- owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, warned the owners that allowing an independent third party to establish a pay scale was a horrendous mistake.

Finley argued that the owners would do better to grant annual free agency to players, creating a flood of players on the market and keeping down salaries through supply and demand, a concept former players association head Marvin Miller later admitted he was fearful the owners would adopt.

Kuhn, however, always considered Finley an agitation, and the general consensus over time was Kuhn and the other owners refused to give Finley credence, which is why they willingly handed arbitration to the players.

Then the owners shot themselves in the foot over free agency when pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally sued over the reserve system. The players' case was such a slam dunk, U.S. District Judge John Oliver recommended the owners find a compromise before he made the ruling to grant free agency. The owners ignored his warning, and they continue to pay the price.

But then, Kuhn wasn't afraid to challenge his constituency.

He suspended Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in 1974 for admitting to making illegal campaign contributions to President Nixon's re-election campaign. The suspension originally was for two years and later was shortened to 15 months.

He then suspended Braves owner Ted Turner in 1976 for tampering with the contract of Gary Matthews.

The same year, he voided the attempt by Finley to sell Vida Blue, Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers for a combined price of $3.5 million, saying the deals weren't in the best interests of baseball. That added to his feud with Finley, who once described Kuhn as "the Village Idiot."

Kuhn fined the late Ray Kroc, the then-San Diego Padres owner, $100,000 in 1979 for saying he wanted to sign Joe Morgan of the Reds and Graig Nettles of the Yankees.

Overheard

• Angels right- handers Bartolo Colon and Jered Weaver will open the season on the disabled list but shouldn't miss more than a couple of starts. Colon is finishing rehabilitation from a rotator cuff tear he decided to allow to heal instead of undergo surgery. Weaver is just behind schedule because he didn't throw during the offseason after working 200 innings in pro ball last year.

• Arizona has told teams it won't pick up any of reliever Jorge Julio's $3.6 million salary. Florida, Boston and Seattle have shown interest in Julio and in Armando Benitez, who also has drawn the interest of San Francisco. The Marlins might give up right-hander Yusmeiro Petit.

• Left-hander Matt Chico not only is in line to make the Washington rotation, but he would make his major league debut in the fourth game of the season against Arizona, which signed him as a third-round draft in 2003, then dealt him as part of the package for right-hander Livan Hernandez last season.

Readers' turn

Andrew Martin writes, "So far, Jason Hirsh is looking like one of those pitchers who might be somewhat ready but ends up being called up and sent down repeatedly. His spring training appearances have been shaky and inconsistent, showing flashes of brilliance and signs of unreadiness. Is Hirsh still your No. 5 starter this year? Also, any brief thoughts on 'Cookie' getting the Opening Day nod?"

Andrew, don't be too concerned about Hirsh. He's not my No. 5 starter. He's my No. 4 starter. He has steadily improved with his velocity this spring. I don't see him bouncing back and forth to the minors. Let's take a look at him at midseason and then judge.

Was there any option other than Aaron Cook for the Opening Day assignment? I remain convinced he will be a dominant starter, sooner rather than later.

For more questions and answers and to ask questions of your own, check out the Rockies blog at Rocky Mountain News.com/rockies.

Two cents' worth

Talk about patience. When Mark Shapiro took over as general manager in Cleveland, the Indians were coming off winning division titles in six of seven seasons. In the five years with Shapiro in charge, the Indians have suffered four losing seasons.

Ownership, however, says it understands a midmajor franchise is going to have ups and downs and feels there are enough indications of things improving that Shapiro was given a five-year contract extension through 2012.

That only adds to questions about the security of manager Eric Wedge if the Indians don't contend this year.

MILE HIGH WATCH

• Larry Walker has found a baseball home in St. Louis.

Walker, traded from the Rockies to the Cardinals in August 2004, retired after the 2005 season but has remained active with the Cardinals, who surprised him this offseason by inviting him to be in St. Louis on April 3 for the presentation of World Series rings so he could receive one of his own.

"I played for 17 years and never got a ring," he said. "Then I'm retired one year and I get one."

Walker had only a minimal role with the Cardinals last year, spending some time with the team during spring training. This year, the role has expanded.

"I even have my own group of outfielders to work with each day, and I am throwing batting practice every day," he said. "And I will be with the team a few times during the season."

• Brad Lidge, a Cherry Creek High School graduate, has worked with Houston pitching coach Dave Wallace on refining his slider in his effort to re-establish his role as the team's closer.

• Shortstop Neifi Perez has had a solid spring training and appears set as the 25th man on the Detroit roster.

• Right-hander John Thomson lost out in a bid to make the Toronto rotation. So did right-hander Jamey Wright in Texas. Both are in jeopardy of not making the Opening Day rosters.

• Mike Bell, son of former Rockies manager Buddy Bell, will manage Arizona's Yakima (Wash.) affiliate in the short-season Single-A Northwest League this summer.

ringolsbyt@RockyMountainNews.com

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