Latest news with #BudBlack
Al Arabiya
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Rock bottom? Rockies try to avoid worst mark over 162-game season as they emerge from All-star break
The Colorado Rockies had a projected top pick slide to them at No. 4 in baseball's amateur draft last weekend. It's a win, and these days they'll take any W they can get. At 22-74, the Rockies are in the midst of a historically dismal season. They're on pace for 125 losses a year after the Chicago White Sox went 41-121, which is the worst mark since baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. The Cleveland Spiders have the most losses in a season, going 20-134 in 1899. Colorado's struggles led to the firing of manager Bud Black in May. Recently, the team announced plans to restructure the front office. Last Sunday, a glimmer of hope for down the road as they drafted Ethan Holliday, an 18-year-old infielder from Oklahoma. His father Matt remains an icon in the Mile High City after sparking a magical late run in 2007 (dubbed 'Rocktober') that delivered the franchise's only World Series appearance. Since that time, there have been nearly as many 100-loss seasons (two in 2023 and 2024) for Colorado as playoff spots (three, the last in 2018). Meanwhile, winning is happening in the city all around the Rockies. The Colorado Avalanche hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2022, and the Nuggets earned the franchise's first NBA title a season later. The Broncos broke an eight-year playoff drought last season behind rookie QB Bo Nix. 'You start getting a reputation,' said Tom Zeiler, a professor of history at the University of Colorado who's written several books on baseball. 'Honestly, if the Rockies turned it around and became a playoff team… they'd look back and laugh about this kind of thing. Winning changes everything.' Few wins – There just hasn't been much winning this season, especially at Coors Field. The Rockies have yet to win back-to-back home games in 2024. They've lost 17 straight home series dating to last season. Should they drop two of three this weekend against the Minnesota Twins, it would be the longest home losing series streak in league history, according to OptaSTATS. 'It's been a year of ups and downs. A lot of downs,' said Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak, whose team trails the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by 35 1/2 games. 'We're just trying to learn from everything.' The team's 74 losses prior to the All-Star break are the most since 1933 (the first All-Star Game). It's a mark that had belonged to the White Sox, who were 27-71 last season at the break. 'We're all in it together,' Colorado first baseman Michael Toglia said. 'Everyone's grinding.' Black's dismissal – Jobs though have been the fallout. Black, the all-time winningest manager in team history, was let go. Taking over on an interim basis has been Warren Schaeffer who's gone 15-41. Last month, the Rockies announced a change in the front office and promoted Walker Monfort, the oldest son of team owner Dick Monfort. Walker Monfort will serve as the executive vice president of the Rockies and work alongside outgoing president and COO Greg Feasel, who's stepping down at the end of the year. Between the losing and the lucrative deals that haven't panned out (See: Kris Bryant), a growing number of fans are calling for the Monfort family to sell the team. 'We're frustrated as well,' Walker Monfort said in a recent interview with Denver's KUSA-TV. 'We know we can be better… There's no reason to do this if you're not going to try to win.' Youth movement – Nine players have made their debuts this season, including outfielders Zac Veen and Yanquiel Fernández, shortstop Ryan Ritter, and pitcher Chase Dollander. Charlie Condon, the third overall pick a year ago, could be an arrival at some point this season. The experience of a year ago certainly helped All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, who's hitting .277 with 17 homers this season. 'That was something I was looking to hopefully take place,' general manager Bill Schmidt said of the growth from younger players. 'I'd say they're like your kids – they don't always mature when you want them to.' The humidor – Maybe it's time to ditch the humidor? Let the baseballs soar again. The Rockies installed a humidor room at Coors Field in 2002 to control the moisture level in baseballs, which helps keep them from becoming dried out in Denver's thin air. They scored 658 runs at cavernous Coors Field in 1996 compared to 396 last season. 'I don't see it,' Schmidt said, eliminating the humidor. 'It was a different game.' Steady attendance – One thing that really hasn't been hurt by the slide is attendance. The Rockies are currently averaging 30,128 fans at Coors Field this season. That's on pace with last season (31,360) and higher than their World Series run in 2007 (28,979). Part of the explanation for steady attendance is the opposition: The New York Mets and Dodgers for instance remain big draws when they come to town. Part of it is promotional: The Rockies invited every Ryan to attend a game on June 20 for a gathering of Ryans. Fittingly, Ryan McMahon homered on Ryan Day in a 14-8 loss to Arizona. And part of that is simply setting: Coors Field, which opened in 1995, remains a popular gathering place. It boasts The Rooftop in right field with a view of the Front Range. Baseball, Zeiler said, is wonder. Improving play – Since a 9-50 start, the Rockies have gone 13-24. Should they keep winning at that rate (.351 winning percentage) they would avoid surpassing the White Sox's loss mark. But that doesn't factor in the trade deadline later this month where the Rockies have players such as McMahon and reliever Jake Bird who might garner interest from contending teams. 'We've got two options,' Moniak explained. 'We can tuck our tails between our legs and hide or we can face this head on and try to grow and try to get better from it. I think every person in this clubhouse is choosing the latter.'
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rock bottom? Rockies try to avoid worst mark over 162-game season as they emerge from All-Star break
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies had a projected top pick slide to them at No. 4 in baseball's amateur draft last weekend. It's a win, and these days they'll take any 'W' they can get. At 22-74, the Rockies are in the midst of a historically dismal season. They're on pace for 125 losses a year after the Chicago White Sox went 41-121, which is the worst mark since baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. The Cleveland Spiders have the most losses in a season, going 20-134 in 1899. Colorado's struggles led to the firing of manager Bud Black in May. Recently, the team announced plans to restructure the front office. Last Sunday, a glimmer of hope for down the road as they drafted Ethan Holliday, an 18-year-old infielder from Oklahoma. His father, Matt, remains an icon in the Mile High City after sparking a magical late run in 2007 (dubbed ' Rocktober ') that delivered the franchise's only World Series appearance. Since that time, there have been nearly as many 100-loss seasons (two, 2023 and 24) for Colorado as playoff spots (three, the last in 2018). Meanwhile, winning is happening in the city all around the Rockies. The Colorado Avalanche hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2022 and the Nuggets earned the franchise's first NBA title a season later. The Broncos broke an eight-year playoff drought last season behind rookie QB Bo Nix. 'You start getting a reputation,' said Tom Zeiler, a professor of history at the University of Colorado who's written several books on baseball. 'Honestly, if the Rockies turned it around and became a playoff team ... they'd look back and laugh about this kind of thing. "Winning changes everything.' Few wins There just hasn't been much winning this season, especially at Coors Field. The Rockies have yet to win back-to-back homes games in 2025. They've lost 17 straight home series dating to last season. Should they drop two of three this weekend against the Minnesota Twins, it would be the longest home losing series streak in league history, according to OptaSTATS. 'It's been a year of ups and downs. A lot of downs,' said Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak, whose team trails the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by 35 1/2 games. 'We're just trying to learn from everything.' The team's 74 losses prior to the All-Star break are the most since 1933 (the first All-Star Game). It's a mark that had belonged to the White Sox, who were 27-71 last season at the break. 'We're all in it together,' Colorado first baseman Michael Toglia said. 'Everyone's grinding." Black's dismissal Jobs, though, have been the fallout. Black, the all-time winningest manager in team history, was let go. Taking over on an interim basis has been Warren Schaeffer, who's gone 15-41. Last month, the Rockies announced a change in the front office and promoted Walker Monfort, the oldest son of team owner Dick Monfort. Walker Monfort will serve as the executive vice president of the Rockies and work alongside outgoing president and COO Greg Feasel, who's stepping down at the end of the year. Between the losing and the lucrative deals that haven't panned out (See: Kris Bryant ), a growing number of fans are calling for the Monfort family to sell the team. 'We're frustrated as well,' Walker Monfort said in a recent interview with Denver's KUSA-TV. 'We know we can be better. ... There's no reason to do this if you're not going to try to win." Youth movement Nine players have made their debuts this season, including outfielders Zac Veen and Yanquiel Fernández, shortstop Ryan Ritter and pitcher Chase Dollander. Charlie Condon, the third overall pick a year ago, could be an arrival at some point this season. The experience of a year ago certainly helped All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, who's hitting .277 with 17 homers this season. 'That was something I was looking to hopefully take place,' general manager Bill Schmidt said of the growth from younger players. 'I'd say they're like your kids — they don't always mature when you want them to.' The humidor Maybe it's time to ditch the humidor? Let the baseballs soar again. The Rockies installed a humidor room at Coors Field in 2002 to control the moisture level in baseballs, which helps keep them from becoming dried out in Denver's thin air. They scored 658 runs at cavernous Coors Field in 1996 compared to 396 last season. 'I don't see it,' Schmidt said eliminating the humidor. 'It was a different game.' Steady attendance One thing that really hasn't been hurt by the slide is attendance. The Rockies are currently averaging 30,128 fans at Coors Field this season. That's on pace with last season (31,360) and higher than their World Series run in 2007 (28,979). Part of the explanation for steady attendance is the opposition: The New York Mets and Dodgers, for instance, remain big draws when they come to town. Part of it is promotional: The Rockies invited every 'Ryan' to attend a game on June 20 for a gathering of 'Ryans.' Fittingly, Ryan McMahon homered on 'Ryan Day' in a 14-8 loss to Arizona. And part of that is simply setting: Coors Field, which opened in 1995, remains a popular gathering place. It boasts 'The Rooftop' in right field, with a view of the Front Range. 'Baseball," Zeiler said, "is wonder.' Improving play Since a 9-50 start, the Rockies have gone 13-24. Should they keep winning at that rate (.351 winning percentage) they would avoid surpassing the White Sox's loss mark. But that doesn't factor in the trade deadline later this month, where the Rockies have players such as McMahon and reliever Jake Bird who might garner interest from contending teams. 'We've got two options," Moniak explained. "We can tuck our tails between our legs and hide or we can face this head on and try to grow and try to get better from it. 'I think every person in this clubhouse is choosing the latter." ___ AP freelance writer Craig Meyer contributed. ___ AP MLB:
Associated Press
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Rock bottom? Rockies try to avoid worst mark over 162-game season as they emerge from All-Star break
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies had a projected top pick slide to them at No. 4 in baseball's amateur draft last weekend. It's a win, and these days they'll take any 'W' they can get. At 22-74, the Rockies are in the midst of a historically dismal season. They're on pace for 125 losses a year after the Chicago White Sox went 41-121, which is the worst mark since baseball adopted a 162-game schedule in 1961. The Cleveland Spiders have the most losses in a season, going 20-134 in 1899. Colorado's struggles led to the firing of manager Bud Black in May. Recently, the team announced plans to restructure the front office. Last Sunday, a glimmer of hope for down the road as they drafted Ethan Holliday, an 18-year-old infielder from Oklahoma. His father, Matt, remains an icon in the Mile High City after sparking a magical late run in 2007 (dubbed ' Rocktober ') that delivered the franchise's only World Series appearance. Since that time, there have been nearly as many 100-loss seasons (two, 2023 and 24) for Colorado as playoff spots (three, the last in 2018). Meanwhile, winning is happening in the city all around the Rockies. The Colorado Avalanche hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2022 and the Nuggets earned the franchise's first NBA title a season later. The Broncos broke an eight-year playoff drought last season behind rookie QB Bo Nix. 'You start getting a reputation,' said Tom Zeiler, a professor of history at the University of Colorado who's written several books on baseball. 'Honestly, if the Rockies turned it around and became a playoff team ... they'd look back and laugh about this kind of thing. 'Winning changes everything.' Few wins There just hasn't been much winning this season, especially at Coors Field. The Rockies have yet to win back-to-back homes games in 2025. They've lost 17 straight home series dating to last season. Should they drop two of three this weekend against the Minnesota Twins, it would be the longest home losing series streak in league history, according to OptaSTATS. 'It's been a year of ups and downs. A lot of downs,' said Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak, whose team trails the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by 35 1/2 games. 'We're just trying to learn from everything.' The team's 74 losses prior to the All-Star break are the most since 1933 (the first All-Star Game). It's a mark that had belonged to the White Sox, who were 27-71 last season at the break. 'We're all in it together,' Colorado first baseman Michael Toglia said. 'Everyone's grinding.' Black's dismissal Jobs, though, have been the fallout. Black, the all-time winningest manager in team history, was let go. Taking over on an interim basis has been Warren Schaeffer, who's gone 15-41. Last month, the Rockies announced a change in the front office and promoted Walker Monfort, the oldest son of team owner Dick Monfort. Walker Monfort will serve as the executive vice president of the Rockies and work alongside outgoing president and COO Greg Feasel, who's stepping down at the end of the year. Between the losing and the lucrative deals that haven't panned out (See: Kris Bryant ), a growing number of fans are calling for the Monfort family to sell the team. 'We're frustrated as well,' Walker Monfort said in a recent interview with Denver's KUSA-TV. 'We know we can be better. ... There's no reason to do this if you're not going to try to win.' Youth movement Nine players have made their debuts this season, including outfielders Zac Veen and Yanquiel Fernández, shortstop Ryan Ritter and pitcher Chase Dollander. Charlie Condon, the third overall pick a year ago, could be an arrival at some point this season. The experience of a year ago certainly helped All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, who's hitting .277 with 17 homers this season. 'That was something I was looking to hopefully take place,' general manager Bill Schmidt said of the growth from younger players. 'I'd say they're like your kids — they don't always mature when you want them to.' The humidor Maybe it's time to ditch the humidor? Let the baseballs soar again. The Rockies installed a humidor room at Coors Field in 2002 to control the moisture level in baseballs, which helps keep them from becoming dried out in Denver's thin air. They scored 658 runs at cavernous Coors Field in 1996 compared to 396 last season. 'I don't see it,' Schmidt said eliminating the humidor. 'It was a different game.' Steady attendance One thing that really hasn't been hurt by the slide is attendance. The Rockies are currently averaging 30,128 fans at Coors Field this season. That's on pace with last season (31,360) and higher than their World Series run in 2007 (28,979). Part of the explanation for steady attendance is the opposition: The New York Mets and Dodgers, for instance, remain big draws when they come to town. Part of it is promotional: The Rockies invited every 'Ryan' to attend a game on June 20 for a gathering of 'Ryans.' Fittingly, Ryan McMahon homered on 'Ryan Day' in a 14-8 loss to Arizona. And part of that is simply setting: Coors Field, which opened in 1995, remains a popular gathering place. It boasts 'The Rooftop' in right field, with a view of the Front Range. 'Baseball,' Zeiler said, 'is wonder.' Improving play Since a 9-50 start, the Rockies have gone 13-24. Should they keep winning at that rate (.351 winning percentage) they would avoid surpassing the White Sox's loss mark. But that doesn't factor in the trade deadline later this month, where the Rockies have players such as McMahon and reliever Jake Bird who might garner interest from contending teams. 'We've got two options,' Moniak explained. 'We can tuck our tails between our legs and hide or we can face this head on and try to grow and try to get better from it. 'I think every person in this clubhouse is choosing the latter.' ___ AP freelance writer Craig Meyer contributed. ___ AP MLB:
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
As Rockies spiral towards historic losing season, front office shakeup could be looming
Et tu, Rockies? The idea of Colorado moving on from general manager Bill Schmidt is generating chatter within the industry and drawing public acknowledgment from ownership. But before Sunday, the possibility of Schmidt getting dismissed or more likely reassigned before the amateur draft and trade deadline seemed remote. Advertisement It might still be remote, but baseball often is a copycat industry. And the Washington Nationals, operating without regard for the baseball calendar, just fired president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez one week before the draft and less than a month before the deadline. If anything, the Rockies have even more reason to act. At 21-70, they are on pace to finish 37-125 and break the 2024 Chicago White Sox's mark for the worst record in modern major-league history. When it comes to the draft and deadline, it would be almost impossible to do any worse than they have for the past decade. Schmidt, 65, ran the scouting department for more than 20 years before becoming GM in May 2021. The Rockies already have instituted changes, replacing manager Bud Black with Warren Schaeffer on May 11 and installing Walker Monfort, the son of owner and CEO Dick Monfort, as executive vice-president on June 26. Schmidt, sandwiched between the two, almost certainly will be the next to go. Every draft and every deadline is potentially transformative. The Rockies hold the No. 4 overall pick. Their major-league roster includes players other teams want. But the franchise is so far gone that its decisions over the next month will carry only so much importance. The Rockies' next head of baseball operations needs to come from outside their weird little world, but possess a feel for the challenges of building a winner at Coors Field. And the first task for that person should be to gut virtually the entire organization. Walker Monfort, through a team spokesperson, declined comment Monday on Schmidt's status. A move in the coming days would be as curiously timed as the Nationals' firing of Rizzo, not that the Rockies ever seem to care about departing from industry norms. But whether the team would be confident elevating an interim replacement the way the Nats did with assistant GM Mike DeBartolo is not known. As recently as March, Dick Monfort, chairman of the owners' labor policy committee, sounded more comfortable calling for a salary cap than addressing his own failures as an owner, telling the Denver Gazette, 'the competitive imbalance in baseball has gotten to the point of ludicrosity.' Teams in smaller markets than Denver – notably, the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers – find ways to compete. But Dick and his brother, Rockies co-owner Charlie Monfort, finally seem to be seeing the light about their own operation, at least by the standards of an organization that takes peculiar pride in operating with the shades down. Advertisement Charlie Monfort told the Denver Post last month, 'We need a new set of eyeballs.' Dick Monfort did not disagree, saying, 'That's not only Charlie's opinion, it's the public's in general, and I get it. There is a criticism, which is fair, that we are very loyal, insular, and we promote from within.' Dick Monfort also made the point that baseball at altitude is different, saying, 'We have this dynamic of playing somewhere where nobody else plays.' The Rockies certainly have not figured out how to achieve sustained success at Coors, making the playoffs only five times in their 33-year history, and back-to-back only in 2017 and '18. The park's offensive tendencies, combined with the way players wear down at altitude, might exasperate even the most brilliant baseball minds. Across the sport, rival executives have gamed out theories for how to conquer the elements in Colorado. But the ideal choice for the Rockies would be someone who is intimately familiar with the Coors experience, someone who previously worked for the organization, then went onto other clubs. Thad Levine, who was in the Rockies' front office from 1999 to 2005 before becoming assistant GM of the Texas Rangers and GM of the Minnesota Twins, fits the profile. So do Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto, who pitched for the Rockies and served two stints in their front office, and Mariners assistant GM Andy McKay, who was Colorado's peak performance director before joining Seattle as farm director. Levine, whose people skills and leadership ability might make him more suited to a team president's role, currently is available after agreeing to part ways with the Twins last October. The Rockies could hire him immediately and give him time to learn the organization, similar to what the St. Louis Cardinals did with Chaim Bloom. Advertisement Dipoto might not want to leave Seattle, where he has headed baseball operations since Sept. 2015, for a lateral position with a downtrodden franchise. McKay, who according to major-league sources, interviewed for the Miami Marlins' managerial position last offseason, might prefer a role that bridges the gap between the front office and players. Milwaukee Brewers special advisor Billy Eppler, who served a nine-month suspension last year for fabricating injuries to create open roster spots for the New York Mets, began his career in baseball as a Rockies scout. A number of former GMs with no ties to the Rockies, from Dayton Moore to James Click to Ruben Amaro Jr., also could be candidates, both in Washington and Colorado. The task will not be easy for whoever the Rockies choose, not when the team lags in so many areas. Take the draft, for example. In the past nine years, the Rockies have had five top 10 picks and nine others in the top 42. Those 14 picks have combined for -1.7 bWAR, though the number could rise in the future. Right-hander Chase Dollander holds considerable promise and last year's first rounder, outfielder Charlie Condon, was No. 14 in Keith Law's latest top 50. On the trade front, the Rockies for years refused to engage on many of their better players, missing one opportunity after another to maximize on those players' values. They plan to be more open-minded at this deadline, entertaining offers for third baseman Ryan McMahon, right-hander Germán Márquez and reliever Jake Bird, among others, according to a source briefed on the club's plans. More open-minded, though, is not good enough. The Rockies need to be completely open-minded, willing to trade anyone and everyone. Such is not the case, the source said. The Rockies remain unwilling to move younger players such as Dollander, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle; right-hander Ryan Feltner and relievers Seth Halvorsen and Zach Agnos. Tovar, signed through at least 2030, might be a building block. Doyle might be, too. But goodness gracious, the Rockies are only (14-36) under Schaeffer after going 7-33 under Black. If some team wants to give up a monster package for Dollander, whom the Rockies optioned to Triple A on Monday, why not listen? Neither the team's major-league roster nor farm system is teeming with talent. After a crushing 2024 in which many Colorado prospects either were injured or underperformed, Law recently rated the system 23rd out of 30. If the Rockies don't want to make like the Nationals and remove Schmidt immediately, OK. But it's not enough for Dick Monfort simply to recognize that change is necessary. He needs to pick the right head of baseball operations, then empower that person to overhaul the organization. Anything short of that, to borrow one of Monfort's favorite words, would be ludicrosity. (Top photo of Schmidt with Rockies infielder Kyle Farmer: AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rockies rumors: Bud Black could return, with a catch
The post Rockies rumors: Bud Black could return, with a catch appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Colorado Rockies are mired in a disaster of a season. Colorado is on pace to set a MLB record for the most losses in a campaign. While the team parted ways with their former manager Bud Black, it seems Black may not be done with the team. Black is a possible candidate to work as the team's director of pitching, per USA Today. Advertisement 'Black, a former pitching coach for Mike Scioscia with the Angels, has let friends know he has no interest in retiring and wants to remain in the game,' Bob Nightengale wrote for the outlet. Colorado is expected to lose their current director of pitching, Steve Foster. Foster is headed to the college level to work as pitching coach at Texas Tech. Before being fired as manager, Black had been with the Rockies for eight seasons at the position. Colorado is 17-60 on the year. The Rockies are in total rebuild mode The Rockies are the worst team in baseball this season. It doesn't help that they are also in probably the toughest division, the National League West. The NL West is home to four other teams who all have winning records, including the World Series champion L.A. Dodgers. Advertisement Colorado is currently managed by Warren Schaeffer, who is making the best of the situation. His club has won five of their last 10 games. His goal at this point is likely to just make sure the club doesn't lose more than 120 games, like the Chicago White Sox did last season. 'I know these are hard times. I understand that, but I know there are a lot of guys in that clubhouse who believe in the process and believe that we are going to march forward, get through this thing and come out the other end and start winning games by putting a good culture together,' Schaeffer said in May, per the Denver Gazette. Colorado plays the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. Related: 3 Rockies who must be on trade block ahead of 2025 deadline Related: Rockies' Hunter Goodman reveals pregame change that sparked hot streak
