Walt Weiss Steps Down As Rockies Manager After Four Seasons

Walt Weiss stepped down as the Colorado Rockies’ manager, and general manager Jeff Bridich concurred with the decision, both announced on Monday.

Walt Weiss Steps Down As Rockies Manager After Four Seasons

Weiss’s contract expired on Sunday, the final day of the regular season, and whether he would continue or not was up to a decision between him and the organization. Weiss was 283-365 in four seasons as Colorado’s manager. The Rockies finished this season 75-87, their best record since 2010.

Rockies chief baseball officer Dan O’Dowd hired Weiss to replace Jim Tracy after the 2012 season, although Weiss never worked directly with O’Dowd, because the team was run by senior vice president of Major League operations Bill Geivett. Weiss was in place when Bridich was promoted from player development director to GM following the 2014 season.

When Weiss, 52, took over, the Rockies were coming off their worst season in franchise history. At the time, he was a high school coach with no major league coaching experience.

In a recent interview, the former big league shortstop stated he was content with the direction the team was heading.

“There’s a lot to look forward to here, especially from where we came from,” Weiss said. “Coming in right after the worst season in the history of the franchise, I feel like that if it wasn’t rock bottom, it was pretty darn close. But there’s a lot to feel good about.”

Colorado was strong coming out of the All-Star break this season, and the team spent much of the second half within reach of a National League Wild Card spot. Nevertheless, the fact that the Rockies and Weiss never negotiated an extension was an indication that the relationship was not strong. Bridich agreed that the organization needed to start fresh.

“I would agree with Walt that it was time to move on, and I think over the course of two years with he as manager and me as the GM, we put in a lot of work to try to make the relationship work,” said Bridich, who did not put a timetable on the search for a new manager. “I’m proud of that — that we committed to each other moving forward. It could’ve been different when changes were made in the front office two years ago.”

Bridich added the team is considering “internal and external” candidates, although even before Weiss stepped down, Triple-A Albuquerque manager Glenallen Hill was rumored to be a potential candidate.

Hill has managed the Rockies’ Triple-A clubs for the past four seasons. He was on the Rockies’ Major League coaching staff 2007-2012, and has worked in the Rockies’ system since 2006. However, Bridich stressed that “there have been no formal plans put in place.”

The Rockies players expressed appreciation for Weiss’ laid-back style, with All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenadao crediting Weiss for keeping the team on the right track. On Sunday, Arenado called him a manager that “every player respects, everyone around the game respects. You don’t find those people too often.”

The next manager will be inheriting one of the game’s top leadoff hitters in Charlie Blackmon, an RBI pro in Arenado, another deep threat in Carlos Gonzalez, a rising star in shortstop Trevor Story and a young yet talented pitching rotation led by Jon Gray. 

Colorado also has a rather unstable bullpen, which blew 28 save opportunities. The Rockies went 24-36 in games decided by two runs or less this season.

“I like the group that we have. I think we are close,” said Arenado, who led the league in RBIs (133) and tied for the NL home run title (41). “I want fans to know that so they don’t lose hope. I feel bad. They come out every day, to see us lose the way we do sometimes. It upsets me. I want them to know that I truly believe we’re close.”

DENVER, CO – JUNE 24: Manager Walt Weiss of the Colorado Rockies smiles prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on June 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The Diamondbacks defeat the Rockies 10-9 (Photo by Bart Young/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena