Darryl Kile has a dubious distinction. He is the first player depicted in the MLB Showdown series to have died. I remember when I heard about his passing, I immediately retired his card from use out of respect. He had a pretty solid 2001 Showdown card, too, so it wasn't like I was looking for an excuse to ignore him.
Kile is far from the only Showdown player to have passed on, and as we pass a quarter century since the game debuted that list will only get longer (not to mention all the Cooperstown Collection throwback players depicted along with the other active players at the time). But there was something crazy about turning on SportsCenter and learning that an active MLB player was gone. It's one thing to find out that a former player died, it's another thing entirely to see how much more disruptive it is to their current teammates losing a brother.
So as today is All Souls Day, let us take the time to reflect on the career of Darryl Kile (1968-2002)
Rookie Darryl. Not a terrible showing for a rookie, and he put in most of a season. No late season garbage innings here.
1992 brought much higher control, but a more compromised chart. Another losing season for Kile, but he'd get things figured out the next season...
In 1993, Kile made his first all star game, posted his first winning season (15-8) and wrote his name into history when he no-hit the Mets on September 8.
Kile started '94 with a 9-6 record, but all was lost when baseball hit the strike.
Not a horrible chart in 1995, but Kile had a miserable season, going 4-12 with an ERA near 5.00.
Kile rebounded in 1996 with a 12-11 record and struck out over 200 hitters for the first time in his career.
1997 was the best season so far for Kile. He returned to the all star game and finished 5th in Cy Young voting. He also made his postseason debut this season.
Kile joined the Rockies in 1998, but was unable to repeat any of the success he enjoyed in Houston. Just like his 2000 Showdown card, here he sports a control of 0.
Kile's 1999 was as expected from a Rockies pitcher. His official Showdown card was very unflattering and the card here is only slightly better. Slightly.
In the offseason the Rockies traded Kile to the St. Louis Cardinals where he pulled a total 180. Darryl was a 20 game winner as he made his 3rd all star team and placed 5th for the Cy Young. The Cards would make the postseason where they'd give Kile the ball for Game 2 as he picked up the Win in the eventual sweep. The NLCS was a bit more problematic as the New York Mets beat him twice as the Cardinals were bounced in 5 games.
2001 saw a slight drop in victories, but a better control. He'd pitch in the playoffs again, but he'd get a no decision as the Cardinals fell in 5 games to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS.
Darryl's final season was not included in the appropriate Showdown set for that year. I can understand the logic, but today we can honor his final season with how it would look if Wizards of the Coast decided to publish his efforts for a final card.
Kile died of a Coronary Artery Disease, natural causes. The game that day against the Chicago Cubs was postponed and the team would hang Darryl's jersey up in the dugout for the rest of the season, as well as in the clubhouse as they celebrated their eventual NL Central title and victory over the Diamondbacks in the NLDS.
