Players often arrive at spring training and declare they are in the best shape of their lives. Zac Veen arrived in Scottsdale in a shape that might have saved his life. Veen is bigger, dramatically so, telling friend Thomas Harding of MLB.com that he weighs 245 pounds, roughly 45 more than he finish ed last season. Such gains draw suspicions in a sport haunted by performance-enhancing drugs. But Veen, a former Rockies top prospect, offered a plausible explanation. He said he is no longer abusing marijuana and alcohol for the first time since 2021. “I had a pretty big substance abuse problem for a few years. But I’m completely clean and sober. There were times last year where it was out of hand,” Veen admitted. “Looking back, a lot of my meals were smoke – and things that shouldn’t have been. I was smoking weed every day. If I couldn’t find any weed, I was drinking every single day. … Coming home in the offseason, I had to look in the mirror and make some adjustments. And I definitely got closer to God, and it made me want to be the best version of myself in every aspect.” Veen, the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft, finally reached the big leagues last April, and crash landed. He managed four hits in 34 at-bats with 14 strikeouts. He could not lay off a high inside fastball, struggled with routes in the outfield and ruined one one of his best moments by celebrating a double at Coors Field by pretending to take a bong hit. I talked with Veen in May a few weeks after the Rockies shipped him back to Triple-A. The experience humbled him. He knew he had to change beyond replacing his purple and blond hair with a crewcut. He needed to develop power, but not until, it turns out, he gained control of his life. An offseason spent in Florida with friends, former coaches and faith helped put him in a different place. “I love his new look,” assistant hitting coach Jordan Pacheco texted The Post on Friday. “And where he is at mentally.” Veen provides a cautionary tale of what can go wrong in idle time without discipline and direction. In some ways, his journey, now that he has gone public, sounds similar to that of Josh Hamilton. Hamilton became an addict after an injury, leaving him out of baseball for three years because of drug suspensions. Sobriety helped him reach five all-star games before injuries and relapses forced him to retire. Last May, interim bench coach Clint Hurdle invited Hamilton to speak to the Rockies hitters about his experience. Hamilton was a generational talent, the first overall pick in 1999. Veen has only shown promise, alternating flashes of stardom with maddening displays of immaturity. Related Articles Renck: Brian Griese is bullish on Bo Nix — and using sports to help better the world Renck: Kris Bryant looks done in Colorado. That is one of many good things happening for Rockies Is former Broncos assistant Klint Kubiak making a mistake coaching Raiders? Renck: Seahawks will leave Patriots Sea Sick in Super Bowl — and reveal where Broncos need playmakers Health of Aaron Gordon threatens to spoil Nuggets’ championship dreams | Renck File Veen understands he must regain the trust of the organization, of his teammates. Relying on a routine with a clear head can help him reach the big leagues, if not with the Rockies, then another team. Perhaps that is naive. But he is just 24. Leave room for hope, especially for his life beyond baseball, now that he has shown the courage to get help. F on Report Card: The NFL owners have great lawyers. So, perhaps it was no surprise that the league won its grievance against the NFLPA, banning the union from making public player report cards on organizations. The NFLPA was found in violation of collective bargaining language preventing “disparaging NFL clubs and individuals.” Fine. What it really means is that owners are thin-skinned. Those report cards helped produce meaningful change. The Broncos owners have received A grades in recent seasons, boosted by adding a new family room at the stadium. In the end, bad owners, like Woody Johnson, got their way. Fans at MetLife Stadium should change their “J-E-T-S!” chant to “S-O-F-T!” May-Be He’s Not All That: It is funny how Patriots fans ripped Bo Nix, believing he wasn’t in the same stratosphere as Drake Maye. Good thing Maye did not win MVP honors based on his underwhelming Super Bowl performance. The only question after the Patriots’ loss was who was worse: Maye or offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels? Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams. ...read more read less