“Honestly, I don’t open a bottle of wine without thinking about him.”
When Trevor Hoffman pulls a cork tonight, he’ll be thinking of Kevin Towers on what would have been his 65th birthday. The Hall of Fame closer won’t be alone in raising a glass in honor of KT. After all, the General Managers Meetings are underway — in Las Vegas.
“I think about him a lot when I do get to open up a bottle of wine and have a nice meal,” Hoffman shares. “He enjoyed life in that regard. He and Kelley enjoyed that part together. But, you know, I think of him every time I look at a watch or put one on — that was kind of his gig, too. He’s constantly on my mind.”
Hoffman was on the verge of establishing himself as an elite closer right around the time KT was named GM of the Padres. In 1996, Hoffman’s 42 saves earned him Cy Young consideration, and San Diego won the NL West in Towers’ first season in charge. For 13 seasons — and 498 saves — KT and Hoffy went to work together.
When KT landed in Arizona prior to the 2011 season, Hoffman was retiring. Meanwhile, a first baseman in the Diamondbacks system was months away from impressing his franchise’s new GM.
“I was a rookie. I didn’t know anything. I was in the minor leagues when I first met KT... I just remember he was so personable,” Paul Goldschmidt says.
Once his tenure as a general manager concluded and health problems set in, KT became more sentimental about the players who had positively impacted his career and his life. Hoffman and Goldschmidt were at the top, and both were gracious enough to share some memories.
Yes, both players were happy to take the time to pay tribute to their friend and teammate, but their reflections contained a depth that reveals how KT helped shape and reinforce the two men’s philosophies on leadership, fellowship, and life.
Goldschmidt recognized the span of KT’s timeline in baseball as he considered the dynamic between Towers and Hoffman: “They were together in the prime of his career until the end of his career. So it’s definitely a different perspective that he and I each have.” While Goldschmidt is absolutely right about perspective, the two players converge almost instantly when they open up about KT. Their stories are built on visceral memories; the comfort, support, and camaraderie they felt from the man affectionately known as The Gunslinger.
“KT was one of the guys even though he was the GM. He celebrated the wins and took the losses — with the players and coaches — just as hard, and he rode that emotional roller coaster we all ride. As a player, seeing that, you knew he was on your side,” Goldschmidt remembers. The stories transcend any moment and instead recall a consistent presence.
“He was one of the players. He was one of the guys in the locker room. It felt like he was on the field with you. On team flights, in the hotel, he built that trust with guys. I think players and coaches... and his front office staff would do anything for him because he would do anything for them. Building those relationships and that trust was what stuck out.”
Of course, KT wasn’t in baseball just for the relationships. Goldschmidt remembers the competitiveness that formed initial bonds:
“I think that was infectious… I always wanted to win, so it’s probably why we got along. I didn’t care about anything else. I still don’t. Just wanted to do my job, be there for my teammates, and try to win. I bet a lot of the teams where he was the GM, he wanted them to — whether he knew it or not — take that personality of, ‘We’re going to win the game today.’ There were no excuses… just that attitude of competitiveness. We’re not just here to show up and play the game. We’re here to go win every game and compete, and it didn’t matter if it was a playoff game, or a random game in June, or probably even some Spring Training games. He was not going to be happy when we lost just because of how competitive he was, and that definitely rubbed off on me.”
Goldschmidt is absolutely right about KT’s motivations. He had plenty of teams that reflected his own desire to win every competition. If KT ever felt that passion was lacking, he would look to adjust the roster and the culture as needed.
It’s fitting that the MLB Executive of the Year will be awarded tonight in Las Vegas. Towers’ influence within that room will be felt, and his birthday will be honored by those who miss him.
What a party it would have been; what a celebration it still should be.
“Everyone loved KT, probably because he was just so personable,” Goldschmidt says. “He cared about people. He didn’t have an ego. Just all the great characteristics of a human being that we want. Yeah, that’s what I remember.”