Rockies Seek New Direction After Forgettable Season
DENVER – The Colorado Rockies announced this Wednesday that Bill Schmidt will not continue as general manager after one of the worst seasons in baseball history. The organization is already searching for his replacement. Schmidt, who has been with the organization since 1999, including the last four years as general manager, will leave his position after a campaign in which the Rockies suffered their third consecutive season with 100 losses, missing the postseason for the seventh consecutive year. The Rockies finished with a 43-119 record, narrowly escaping being the worst team since baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. That dubious honor still belongs to the 2024 Chicago White Sox (41-121).Monfort added that this change represents an opportunity to shape the future of the club and move towards a new era of baseball for the Rockies. Schmidt originally joined the Rockies on October 1, 1999, as a scouting director. He gradually rose through the organization until being named the fourth general manager in team history in 2021.“We are focused on finding the right leader outside of our organization, someone who can bring a new perspective to the Rockies and improve our baseball operations with a new vision, innovation, and a focus on short and long-term success,” said Walker Monfort, executive vice president of the team and son of owner Dick Monfort.
Walker Monfort, executive vice president of the Rockies
The new general manager will have to make a decision about the manager position. Warren Schaeffer has been the interim manager since taking over after Bud Black was fired in May. Schaeffer had a 36-86 record in a season that didn’t get off to a good start. Despite having a young core, the Rockies have many areas to improve. They finished with a run differential of -424, the worst since 1900, surpassing the -349 of the 1932 Boston Red Sox. The opening pitchers’ rotation recorded an effectiveness of 6.65, the highest since it became an official statistic in both leagues in 1913.“After several conversations, we decided it’s time for me to step aside and make way for a new voice to guide the club’s baseball operations,” Schmidt said in a statement. “Better seasons await the Rockies and our great fans, and I look forward to seeing them come true in the coming years.”
Bill Schmidt
Dick Monfort commented on the change in the front office: “A new voice will benefit our organization as we work to give our fans the competitive team they deserve.”
Dick Monfort
