Will the Colorado Rockies lose more games than any other team in the history of MLB? (Probably not but it’s still on the table.)
Will they give up the most runs? Have the worst run differential? Will they be truly, epically, and historically terrible? Or can they end the season with some wins to earn the moniker of merely being extremely bad?
Does any of that matter?
Kind of an odd question, I get it.
It’s professional sports. Technically. Winning and losing are the things that matter the most. It’s the reason for the playing of the games and stuff. Being the absolute worst team in the incredibly long history of this sport, by any measure, is embarrassing and, to put it in the simplest possible way, bad.
It matters that the Rockies are this bad in the same way that it mattered a year ago when the White Sox were hitting dubious milestones. We have a league where the rich keep getting richer while the relative poor keep getting poorer. These are the results of a league where tanking and rebuilding for long periods of time became the only way out of predicaments. Though, to their “credit” these teams got themselves here through mismanagement.
You don’t need to search long through MLB History to find poorly run teams with aloof owners. But it is to some extent a sign of the times that the gap is growing. Those conversations, however, are best left to what sadly will need to be many conversations about a looming lockout in 2027.
When it comes to the local ballclub, it also matters that they are this bad because of what it does to the fan culture. Namely, taking a sledgehammer to it. Yes, plenty of fans still show up, yes, many of them are from out of town. And no, neither of those things is a problem. As I’ve written before, this fanbase has been through enough and could really use a break.
I’ll answer the question one last time. Yes, it does matter that the Colorado Rockies are flirting with history in all the wrong ways, whether they end up making it or not. So let’s reframe it.
What does any of this change?
What will all of the losses amount to in the long run?
So far, it’s already changed a few things. The departures of longtime manager Bud Black, and longtime third baseman Ryan McMahon. Perhaps, most importantly, Greg Feasel’s decision to step away from the role of team Vice President. These were all shifts for the franchise toward a new and younger generation.
And the three men who replaced them represent a fascinating microcosm of who the Rockies are right now.
At the hot corner, Kyle Karros brings an exciting mix of athleticism, ability, and family history. That pairs nicely with some of the most consistently professional at-bats anyone in purple pinstripes has put up all season.
On the flip side, he hasn’t gotten much in the way of results at the plate yet. He has only five extra base hits (one home run) in 28 games thus far. It looks like the Rockies may have yet another wizard with the glove over at third, but it remains to be seen whether he can stick with the stick.
New manager Warren Schaeffer has clearly made the most of a mucky situation. The on-field play and in-clubhouse vibes have shifted positively since he took over. His style seems to mesh well with the remarkably young team he has. Like with Karros, though, it’s hard to say that Schaeffer has taken MLB by storm. Or that he has already proven that he should be “the guy” for the foreseeable future.
Then there is Walker Monfort. His promotion has the chance to be truly transformational, bringing a new perspective to the decision-making process. But his name is Monfort, and fair or not (it’s not) his name is all that most people will see until real change comes to 20th and Blake.
Are more changes to come?
Schaeffer may have at least earned one more season, especially with it likely to be a lame duck season. The Rockies are still building a young core and the aforementioned CBA negotiations will take center stage. Deciding on a more seasoned manager might well be a task better left until after all of that has settled. In the meantime, it makes sense to see what Schaeffer can do with a full season. It actually makes sense to go in either direction on this one.
Attention will be on GM Bill Schmidt who, by most accounts, has done a nice job with the farm system and drafts. But he’s also the man who signed Kris Bryant and has been at the helm of a ship sailing the wrong way for three years. The Rockies’ reluctance to admit they are rebuilding has done him no favors in the eyes of many fans and media who would cheer to see a change in that chair as well.
Whether or not Schmidt gets a chance to see this next group of prospects through to fruition or someone else is called in to give it the final boost it needs, the same central truth about this team that has been true for over a decade will remain so. They need a President of Baseball Operations.
Even if it’s an in-house candidate, with Clint Hurdle being the only option that really makes sense, this change will be the one that matters most. It would be more encouraging if it’s someone like Thad Levine or Jerry Dipoto, sure. But the most important element is that this person be in charge of all baseball decisions and Dick Monfort is not.
If there can be a silver lining to this mushroom cloud of a season, let it be that.