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Black perfect for young Rox club on the rise By Richard Justice / MLB.com | November 7th, 2016

The Rockies could not have hired anyone better than Bud Black to be their next manager. He pretty much checks off

every box.

These are exciting times for baseball fans in Colorado. There's so much young talent that the Rockies are positioned to

take a significant step forward over the next two seasons

In Black, 59, general manager Jeff Bridich has added another important brick in the wall. Here's who they're getting: He's

a people person and a terrific communicator. To know Bud Black is to like him.

Black engenders a loyalty among the people who've played for him or worked for him, and they remain close to him long

after they've gone their separate ways.

What has Black done in baseball? Better to ask what he has not done.

Black pitched for 15 seasons for five teams, including the Royals for seven seasons. He was on the 1985 Kansas City

team that won the World Series, and he later earned another ring as Mike Scioscia's pitching coach on the 2002 Angels.

Black has been a front-office executive and a Minor League instructor. During seven seasons on Scioscia's staff, he

worked alongside two other future Major League managers: Joe Maddon and Ron Roenicke.

MEDIA CLIPS – November 8, 2016

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When the Padres hired Black as their manager in 2007, he lasted eight-plus seasons and distinguished himself in almost

everything he did. His teams played hard and smart. Effort was never an issue. There may have been a lack of talent at

times, but Black controlled the things he was able to control.

At a time when managers have reams of data available regarding optimal lineups, defensive alignments and pitching

matchups, one part of the job description remains critical: It's still a people business. Managers must get a consistent

effort from players and convince them that what's best for the team is more important than their individual goals or

numbers.

This is where Black is at his best. He has had the respect of his players. He has an open door and a willingness to explain

decisions. He's a listener, to a point.

From the moment San Diego let Black go 18 months ago, there was never a question that he would manage again. In

fact, the Nationals nearly hired him last offseason before contract negotiations fell apart.

Managing Colorado is as interesting a gig as Black could hope to get. For perhaps the first time in their history, the

Rockies have gifted pitching prospects lined up in their system. Unlike previous generations of Colorado pitchers, they

seem comfortable pitching at Coors Field, where the thin air tests the poise and resolve of young guys. In Jon Gray, Tyler

Anderson, Eddie Butler, Tyler Chatwood and others, the Rockies have the nucleus of a staff that could give the franchise

a sustained winner.

Black's insight and patience will serve these 20-somethings well. They won't experience anything he hasn't already

experienced himself.

Colorado has established stars in right fielder Carlos Gonzalez and third baseman Nolan Arenado, as well as second

baseman DJ LeMahieu, coming off a breakout season. Rockies fans were also introduced to shortstop Trevor Story and

center fielder David Dahl in 2016, two other potential cornerstones.

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Bridich has a lengthy to-do list including upgrading the bullpen and adding a veteran bat or two to the bench, but the

Rockies are in the best place they've been in years. The National League West is more competitive than ever, with the

Dodgers and Giants both coming off playoff seasons and a new baseball operations staff taking over in Arizona.

Successful organizations are assembled in layers, and the Rockies have lots of pieces in place already. Black represents

another.

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Rockies players like what they hear about Black Colorado's new manager well respected around Majors By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | November 7th, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- On an 81-degree Monday, about 20 players -- Major Leaguers and prospects alike -- gathered at

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick to take the "off" out of the offseason. Pushed by the belief that even brighter times are

coming for the Rockies, they lifted and ran, as they will most weekdays until Spring Training begins.

But shortstop Trevor Story said Monday was a little more special when, between exercises, they peeked at the television

at the coverage of Bud Black being introduced at Coors Field as the seventh manager in club history.

"We saw the news on MLB Network -- it's pretty exciting to see the move that we made," Story said. "I've never met him. I

know he's very well respected throughout the game. That's cool to see. I'm excited to meet him, talk to him and get this

thing rolling.

The Rockies have had six straight sub-.500 finishes, including 75-87 in 2016. Walt Weiss, the manager the last four years,

stepped down at the end of his contract.

But as shown by the scene at the Rockies' training facility Monday, this is not a dispirited group looking to be led from out

of the wilderness. Black, who managed the Padres from 2007 until June 2015 and was National League Manager of the

Year in 2010, inherits an offense that led the NL in batting average (.275), runs (845), hits (1,544), doubles (318) and

slugging percentage (.457), and a pitching staff that posted the Rockies' lowest starter ERA (4.79) since 2013.

Story set an NL record for a rookie shortstop with 27 home runs before suffering a season-ending left thumb injury on July

30.

"At the end of the year we got to say bye to Walt," Story said. "I didn't know for sure. I love Walt and loved playing for him,

but that's something -- we control what we can. We just go fight behind the guy that's leading us."

No one on the club has played for Black, who was pitching coach with the Angels before becoming the Padres' manager.

For a team that has been struggling with pitching throughout its 24-season history, in large part because of the odd effect

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of playing at 5,280 feet above sea level, going to Black -- who pitched in the Majors from 1981-95 -- represents a fresh

strategy.

"I've heard he's a players' manager," said third baseman Nolan Arenado, following the news while on a vacation. "A lot of

people respect him. He lets players go about their business -- there were a lot of things I've heard around the baseball

community. I don't know him, but the people I've asked about him said you will want to go hard for him. So I'll see that

firsthand."

Now the Rockies have a three-headed approach to pitching, with Black, plus pitching coach Steve Foster and bullpen

coach Darren Holmes returning from Weiss' staff (along with third-base coach Stu Cole).

"When the article came out on the select few managers that were possibly going to get the job, I started looking into it,

and I like Bud Black," Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis said. "He's got some pitching experience that will definitely be of

use for us as a staff.

"You get to pick everybody's brain. Everybody's a little bit different. He's got a lot of experience, not only managing, but

pitching in the game. He pitched for about 15 years. It's exciting, especially with a young staff like we have."

Black won't have to look far to find his pitchers. Bettis was joined Monday by fellow rotation member Tyler Chatwood and

rotation hopefuls Jeff Hoffman and Eddie Butler. Jon Gray and reliever/starter Chris Rusin will be in any day.

Catcher Tony Wolters, who grew up in the San Diego area while Black led the Padres, said Black is walking into a fertile

atmosphere. Players established text groups and FaceTime conversations not long after the season ended to discuss

offseason preparations, Wolters said.

"We're keeping in contact; we're a family," Wolters said. "We came this close this year. We feel like we should have won

20, 25, 30 more games than we [did]. There were games once, twice a week where we were like, 'Man, we should've

[won].' We win one or two more games every month, we're going to be where we need to be.

"I went to some Padres games and he was managing, so that was kind of cool. And I've heard nothing but good, and

better, things about him. Our team is very excited, and we're blessed to get him."

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Rockies could address first base, 'pen in free agency By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | 12:20 AM ET

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DENVER -- The Rockies finished the 2016 season believing they were closer to contending than their 75-87 record would

indicate. As has been the case most offseasons, the Rockies aren't expected to spend big in free agency, but some

shrewd moves here and there could settle a first-base question and improve a bullpen that wasn't strong enough to keep

the team in contention.

BIGGEST POTENTIAL FREE-AGENCY LOSS: Lefty Boone Logan (3.69 ERA in 66 games) was solid while the team

was in contention, after battling injury for the first two years of his three-year deal. Logan said at season's end he is open

to returning.

POTENTIAL FREE-AGENCY TARGETS: There are options at first base, where Mark Reynolds is a free agent. The club

can stick with him on an economical deal and possibly platoon him with a lefty bat, or go for a veteran such as Matt

Holliday or Mike Napoli on a short-term deal, or Mark Trumbo or Brandon Moss on a longer deal and have him make a full

conversion from the outfield to first base.

As for the bullpen, the Rockies will seek either power or the ability to force ground balls. They'd be wise to avoid pitchers

who battled injury last season. After all, three veteran acquisitions last year -- Jake McGee in a trade, Jason Motte and

Chad Qualls via free agency -- spent considerable time on the disabled list this year after being hurt late in 2015.

WILD CARD SCENARIO: The tempting move would be for the Rox to deal some of their outfield depth for help at first

base and/or in the bullpen. But all of general manager Jeff Bridich's statements have centered on holding onto the outfield

depth.

Black excited to be Rockies' new skipper Ex-pitcher NL Manager of Year in '10; GM Bridich calls it 'proud day' for franchise By Manny Randhawa / MLB.com | November 7th, 2016

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DENVER -- Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich introduced Bud Black as the franchise's seventh manager on Monday

morning at Coors Field.

The 59-year-old Black, who pitched in the Majors from 1981-95, managed the Padres from 2007-15 and served most

recently as a special assistant to Angels general manager Billy Eppler this past season.

Black replaces Walt Weiss, who went 283-365 over four seasons, including a third-place finish in the National League

West with a record of 75-87 in 2016.

"This franchise, I've seen from its inception, from the other side, for a long time," Black said. "I've seen it up close for the

last nine seasons, minus last year. I've watched with a lot of anticipation this young pitching that has come on board. I'm

excited about this group of players, this franchise, and where it's headed."

Black compiled a record of 649-713 as manager of the Padres. In his first season in San Diego in 2007, the club finished

89-74, losing to the Rockies in a NL Wild Card tiebreaker at Coors Field before Colorado went on to win the NL pennant.

Black was named Manager of the Year in '10 after guiding San Diego to a second-place NL West finish at 90-72.

"He's no stranger to the National League West, no stranger to this ballpark and no stranger to some of the rivals we have

playing in this division, so it's nice to bring him aboard," Bridich said. "It's a proud day for the Rockies' franchise."

Black was also the Angels' pitching coach for seven seasons, including 2002, when they won the World Series. He is the

first former pitcher hired as manager of the Rockies, whose bullpen ranked last in the Majors with a 5.13 ERA last season.

Black expressed excitement about inheriting a young and talented starting rotation that features hard-throwing right-

hander Jon Gray -- MLB.com's No. 33 overall prospect heading into 2016 -- and Tyler Chatwood, who posted a 1.69 road

ERA last season.

"I see the game through the pitcher's eyes," Black said. "I was a pitcher, and I see the game that way. It's easier for me to

have a conversation with a pitcher about mechanics and mindset that can aid young pitching."

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Black said he isn't considering anything unconventional when it comes to strategy in the thin air of Denver.

"Is there a certain style of pitching that works here [at Coors Field]? I don't think so," Black said. "You know what works

here? Good pitching, and making pitches and getting outs. That's what we have to do. I don't think we have to change

anybody; we have to make guys better -- and these guys are pretty good to start with.

"I like conventional. I think good starting pitching and a solid bullpen works anywhere. I've seen that work across the

game, and I think that will work here."

Black also inherits a roster of position players that scored the most runs in the NL last season (845), second in the Majors

only to the Red Sox (878). Such a potent offense is something Black didn't have during his managerial tenure in San

Diego.

"The players feel it, and they should feel it," Black said. "This is a good group of position players, and I'm excited about

that. ... For me, I've seen enough of Nolan Arenado diving down the line and throwing guys out, I've seen DJ LeMahieu

get a base hit to right on a very tough pitch, I've seen Charlie Blackmon hit a leadoff home run. ... Get me their phone

numbers; I want to give these guys a call."

Black nearly became the manager of the Nationals last October, but contract negotiations fell through and the club hired

Dusty Baker. Instead, he rejoins the NL West a year later, a division he is very familiar with.

"Good things are ahead. There are a couple of teams we've got to chase down, which I think we're going to," Black said.

"We're going to do everything we can to get back to where this team was in '07, and that's the World Series. And that's a

good thing. I can't wait for that. Because it definitely can happen."

Kiszla: Rockies get serious about winning the World Series with hire of manager Bud Black Dick Monfort says Rockies will have a record year in payroll By MARK KISZLA | mkiszla@denverpost.com PUBLISHED: November 7, 2016 at 10:32 pm | UPDATED: November 8, 2016 at 7:40 am

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After 24 seasons of unremarkable baseball devoid of expectations, dare we say it? The Rockies have finally started to act

like a real big-league team instead of operating like your friendly neighborhood mom-and-pop store on Blake Street.

When the Rockies hired Bud Black as manager Monday, nobody in the major leagues laughed at them for hiring a skipper

off the high school sandlot. But more than solid baseball cred, what Black gives Colorado is something this franchise has

never really had. Black is a manager who will be disappointed if this team doesn’t play in the World Series someday.

At 59 years old, Black is too old to mess around. He’s here to win. Now.

Yes, the Dodgers and Giants have owned the National League West. Black doesn’t care. His aim is true. And his aim is

nothing less than the playoffs. In 2017. And beyond.

“There are a couple of teams we’ve got to chase down, which I think we’re going to do. We’re going to do everything we

can to get back to where this team was in ’07, and that’s the World Series. And that’s a good thing. I can’t wait for that,

because it definitely can happen,” Black said after being introduced as the seventh manager in team history.

None of Black’s six predecessors got out of the Colorado dugout with a winning record. Jim Leyland, Jim Tracy and Walt

Weiss grew so frustrated with the organization, they quit before being shoved. The Rockies haven’t enjoyed a winning

record since 2010. Too often, it has seemed the primary job of the guy filling out Colorado’s lineup card was to draw a

smiley face on a losing organization that incessantly preached the patience of waiting until next year.

“Out payroll will be higher this year,” Rockies owner Dick Monfort said. “It will be a record this year.”

The great Rockies tradition is to make excuses rather than embrace ambition. There was grumbling in the Colorado

clubhouse that while Weiss was a pro who treated players like men, he was reluctant to light a fire under players who

weren’t producing.

Will Black hold the Rockies accountable for failure?

“I think he’s a tough guy,” Monfort said.

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In addition to third baseman Nolan Arenado, who will become an MVP candidate the instant the Rockies become serious

playoff contenders, the team has legitimate all-star talent in second baseman D.J. LeMahieu and outfielder Carlos

Gonzalez. Pitchers Jon Gray, Tyler Chatwood and Chad Bettis have the making of the most talented starting rotation in

club history.

“There’s a difference between talented and good. We have talent,” Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said. “The next

step is to become a good team, a good and consistent team.”

The Rockies finished last season with a 75-87 record. The bullpen needs a facelift. There’s serious work to be done. But

the next step for Colorado? It’s having a manager who not only demands his team plays hard but demands his team wins.

Refreshing, isn’t it?

“This is a real team,” Black said.

The buzz is back on Blake.

Bud Black introduced as Rockies’ new manager: “I’m just a piece of the puzzle to help these guys along” In San Diego, he posted a 649-713 as a manager By PATRICK SAUNDERS | psaunders@denverpost.com PUBLISHED: November 7, 2016 at 11:13 am | UPDATED: November 7, 2016 at 3:00 pm

Bud Black, a longtime baseball man with a rich pitching background, experience managing in the National League West

and first-hand knowledge of the travails of playing at Coors Field, was officially named the Rockies manager Monday

morning at a news conference.

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Black, 59, becomes the seventh manager in franchise history.

“What an opportunity, I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart,” Black said, referring to his new bosses. “It was a

great process to get to know you and your baseball operations guys.

“I’m honored to be the Rockies manager. I’ve learned about these men at the top of the organization and their

commitment. It was real. I felt that through this process.”

Black takes over for Walt Weiss, who stepped down a day after the 2016 season ended when his contract expired. The

Rockies finished 75-87 this season, their best record since 2010. But Black faces a tough task in trying to turn the Rockies

into a playoff contender. The Rockies haven’t had a winning season since going 83-79 in 2010 and haven’t been to the

postseason since 2009.

General manager Jeff Bridich said, “We look to this man to take us where we want to go. … He shares our excitement for

the future of the organization.

“We’re proud to welcome Bud to our family.”

Black is familiar with the Rockies and the NL West, having managed San Diego from 2007-2015, where he went 649-713.

He posted a 33-45 record at Coors Field. He was named National League manager of the year in 2010 after the Padres

went 90-72. Black also had a 15-year career as a major league pitcher.

The Washington Nationals nearly hired Black after the 2015 season before contract talks broke down. The Nationals then

hired Dusty Baker.

Black’s major-league pitching career spanned 15 seasons, after which he became a pitching coach. He was on the staff of

the Angels when they won the 2002 World Series.

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Black has a lot of work ahead of him to turn around Colorado’s pitching issues. The Rockies had a 4.91 ERA this past

season, tied with Cincinnati for 13th out of 15 National League teams. Arizona, with a 5.09 ERA, was the only club that

pitched worse.

Colorado’s bullpen was its Achilles’ heel. The Rockies blew 28 saves and their 5.13 bullpen ERA was the worst in

baseball and the worst for the Rockies since 2004.

However, there is promise in a starting rotation led by Jon Gray, who set a club record for strikeouts by a rookie, and Tyler

Chatwood, who posted a 1.69 ERA on the road, the best in the major leagues. Starters Chad Bettis and Tyler Anderson

also made big strides this past season.

“I’ve watched as this young pitching has come up,” Black said. “I’m excited about this group of players and this franchise

and where it’s headed.

“There’s a couple of teams we need to chase down, which I think we’re gonna.”

Asked how he wants to build his pitching staff for Coors Field, Black said, “The depth of the pitching staff has to be solid.

You can’t have that weak link. The starting staff is very critical, if they’re able to throw more pitches, it has less of an

impact (on the bullpen). To me it’s a depth of talent issue, every guy is important.”

Bridich, asked how important it was to find a new manager with a pitching background, said, “It’s a big job. There’s a lot of

responsibilities. We were first and foremost looking for the right leader.”

Black said, “I see the game through the pitcher’s eyes. … The information I’ve gathered is we have some talented

pitchers. I’m just a piece of the puzzle to help these guys along.”

Black inherits a team with a talented young lineup that includes all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado, shortstop Trevor

Story, second baseman DJ LaMahieu and outfielders David Dahl, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez.

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“I’m really excited and really happy to hear the news,” third baseman Nolan Arenado said. “I think this can be a huge plus

for us.”

On having a manager with a pitching background, Arenado said: “Absolutely that’s a good thing. I think that will be huge.”

Black won 121 games during his career as a pitcher and was a member of the World Series champion Kansas City

Royals in 1985. He also pitched for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco

Giants.

Rockies manager history

Manager Years Wins Losses Pct.

Don Baylor 1993-1998 440 469 .484

Jim Leyland 1999 72 90 .444

Buddy Bell 2000-2002 161 185 .465

Clint Hurdle 2002-2009 534 625 .461

Jim Tracy 2009-2012 294 308 .488

Walt Weiss 2013-2016 283 365 .437

Owner Dick Monfort says Rockies’ payroll will set a record high in 2017 Rockies’ 2016 payroll obligation was $112.6 million on opening day By PATRICK SAUNDERS | psaunders@denverpost.com November 7, 2016 at 8:26 pm Rockies owner Dick Monfort did not take center stage Monday at Coors Field Monday as Bud Black was introduced as the

team’s new manager. As Black and general manager Jeff Bridich fielded questions, Monfort hung to the side, watching

and listening.

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Later, when Monfort was asked about the club’s hopes to be a playoff contender in 2017, he said, “Our payroll will be

higher this year. It will be a record this year.”

According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Rockies’ 2016 payroll obligations for the 25-man roster on opening day was

$112.6 million, 19th in the majors but the highest in franchise history. That figure, however, included the $15.6 million the

club had to pay shortstop Jose Reyes, even though the Rockies released him. The Rockies will owe Reyes another $22

million in 2017.

Filling the staff. Black will not get to select all of his own coaches, and he said he’s OK with that. Bridich chose to retain

pitching coach Steve Foster, bullpen coach Darren Holmes and third-base coach Stu Cole from former manager Walt

Weiss’ staff.

“This was the same situation that happened in San Diego when I came there,” said Black, who managed the Padres from

2007 through June 2015. “We had a great relationship. And I know from talking with Jeff that his praise of Steve and

Darren went a long way with me.”

As for filling out the rest of the staff, Black said: “It will be a collaborative effort between me and Jeff and other people

involved. We talked about a number of names during the interview process and those will be discussed. I think that’s fair. I

want to be inclusive and I want to share ideas.”

Did Holliday touch home? In Game 163 of the 2007 season, Black’s Padres led the Rockies by two runs entering the

bottom of the 13th inning at Coors Field. But the Rockies scored three runs against Padres closer Trevor Hoffman to win

9-8, get into the playoffs and eventually make the World Series. The winning run scored on a sacrifice fly, with Matt

Holliday diving onto home plate. But did Holliday actually touch the plate?

“Part of the interview was up in a suite, maybe Dick (Monfort’s) suite,” Black said with a wry smile. “There were pictures of

Rockies history … and staring me right in the face was the Rockies dog pile of Holliday in the 163rd game.”

Then Black paused and said: “To this day, I don’t think he touched it.”

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Rockies counting on Bud Black’s pitching expertise to lift them to playoff contention Black signed a three-year contract Monday By PATRICK SAUNDERS | psaunders@denverpost.com PUBLISHED: November 7, 2016 at 5:34 pm | UPDATED: November 8, 2016 at 9:10 am

Dressed smartly in a dark suit, white shirt and purple tie, Bud Black enthusiastically embraced his new job Monday at

Coors Field.

After being introduced as the seventh manager in Rockies history, there was a lot of peppy talk about the organization’s

shared vision and the optimistic belief that the Rockies can compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco

Giants for the National League West title in 2017.

“There are a couple of teams we have to chase down, but I think we are gonna,” Black said after signing a three-year

contract, terms of which were not announced. “I was pumped to get this call, to get this chance.”

The overriding theme of the day was Black’s knowledge and experience with major-league pitching and how he might

help improve the Rockies in that area. Colorado posted a 4.91 ERA this year, tied with the Cincinnati Reds for 13th

among 15 National League teams. Colorado’s bullpen blew 28 saves and put up a 5.13 ERA, the worst in the major

leagues.

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“I see the game through the pitcher’s eyes,” said Black, a left-hander who pitched 15 years in the majors. “I see the game

that way. It’s easier for me to have a conversation with a pitcher about mechanics and mind-set that can aid young

pitching.”

Black, 59, is the first manager in Rockies history who was a pitcher at the professional level. He spent a large portion of

his playing career with Kansas City and helped the Royals win the 1985 World Series. He won 121 big-league games and

upon retirement became the pitching coach for the Angels, spending seven seasons under manager Mike Scioscia before

taking over as San Diego’s manager before the 2007 season.

Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich, who led the search to replace Walt Weiss and interviewed six candidates, said

Black’s pitching pedigree was a major factor in his decision.

“It’s a big part of who he is,” Bridich said. “It’s part of his strength and what he brings to the baseball part of his job. I think

we have the elements of a good thing going with our young pitching, and I think he’s going to add to that.”

With right-handers Jon Gray, Tyler Chatwood, Chad Bettis and Jeff Hoffman, along with left-hander Tyler Anderson, the

Rockies have the foundation for a good, young rotation.

“I’m very happy and definitely excited to hear about this hire,” Bettis said. “It will be completely different now, for me,

because (Black) is going to bring a whole new perspective. I think it’s awesome, because he has a sense of what we are

going through.”

Added Chatwood, who had a major league-best 1.69 road ERA this year: “I have heard nothing but great things about him

from his former players. I’m looking forward to learning from him next year.”

Black, of course, is well aware of the challenges of managing at Coors Field. During his tenure in San Diego, the Padres

ranked sixth in the majors in ERA (3.82) at pitcher-friendly Petco Park. During that same span, the Rockies ranked last in

the majors with a 4.55 ERA.

Still, Black said he isn’t considering anything unconventional when it comes to taming Denver’s thin air.

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“Is there a certain style of pitching that works here? I don’t think so,” Black said. “You know what works here? Good

pitching, and making pitches and getting outs. That’s what we have to do. I don’t think we have to change anybody; we

have to make guys better — and these guys are pretty good to start with.

“I like conventional. I think good starting pitching and a solid bullpen works anywhere. I’ve seen that work across the

game, and I think that will work here.”

In recent years, the Rockies have embraced the idea of getting their pitchers to induce as many groundballs as possible

to reduce the effect of playing at high altitude. Black, however, believes a pitcher must use his strengths, so he doesn’t

want to tinker too much.

“I think each pitcher has their own style, how they get their outs,” Black said. “I think any style can work here — if the

pitcher makes his pitches. If a guy is a four-seam fastball guy at the top of the zone, that can work. It’s a big outfield at

Coors.

“If he pitches at the top of the zone, but he’s got good stuff and he misses bats, that’s fine. I don’t think we have to turn a

four-seam guy into a sinkerball guy. What works is the ability to command the fastball for a strike, throw a breaking ball

when needed, bounce a curve when needed and use a changeup. I think it’s unfair to have a pitcher change who he is.”

One thing Black will have with the Rockies that he never had with the Padres is a potentially dynamic offense. In Black’s

tenure in San Diego, the Padres ranked last in batting average at home (.234), slugging percentage at home (.358) and

runs per game at home (3.6).

Now Black inherits a roster that scored the most runs in the National League this year (845) and hit 205 home runs, the

fifth-most in franchise history.

“This is a good group of position players, and I’m excited about that,” Black said.

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Rockies managerial hiring process met with litany of endorsements for Bud Black Bridich interviewed six candidates By NICK KOSMIDER | nkosmider@denverpost.com PUBLISHED: November 7, 2016 at 4:07 pm | UPDATED: November 8, 2016 at 6:30 am

Jeff Bridich didn’t have to make much of an effort to gather outside input once he had identified Bud Black as a candidate

to take over as manager for the Colorado Rockies.

And it took even less to gauge the reaction to his first managerial hire as the Rockies’ general manager.

“People literally won’t leave me alone,” Bridich said Monday. “They won’t leave my phone alone. They haven’t left my

phone alone during the process or since (news of Black’s hiring) leaked out late (Sunday). The amount of people who

have already either weighed in with respect to Bud and his family or who are dying to weigh in with congratulations for

that, I think it’s very telling.”

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There were no shortage of endorsements to be found for Black, who was eager to have a second crack as a manager.

Black managed the Padres from 2007 to 2015 before spending last season as a special assistant to the front office of the

Los Angeles Angels.

He had also served as the Angels pitching coach for seven seasons from 2000 to 2006, which included a world

championship in 2002. He worked on that staff with Mike Scioscia, Ron Roenicke and Joe Maddon, all of whom have

since reached the postseason as major league managers.

“There was a breadth of experience there that was an important and defining part of our final decision,” Bridich said.

Black said he was “pumped” when he was first contacted by Bridich about the job because he wanted to get back into

managing and because of his love for the Denver area. His mother-in-law and sister-in-law live in the area. He was in

Keystone in February for his daughter’s wedding. Black’s experiences in Denver date back to 1993 — the Rockies’

expansion season — when he pitched in Mile High Stadium as a member of the San Francisco Giants.

But Black wanted the job most because of the potential he sees with the Rockies.

“I’m excited about this group of players, this franchise and where it’s headed,” he said. “I got a lot of congratulatory texts

last night, but a lot of them were about the team and how people in our industry view where this team is. I feel as though

I’m in a great spot.”

Bridich kept a low profile during his search. He interviewed six candidates. He would not confirm Monday who the other

men were. Rockies owner Dick Monfort said he sat in on five of the six interviews for about an hour each.

Ultimately, Monfort left the decision in Bridich’s hands.

“I told Jeff that if they find their guy, he’s my guy, too,” Monfort said. “I think it’s important that the baseball front office and

the manager work in good stead, so I left that up to them.”

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Bridich praised his front office staff and Monfort for their collaboration.

“The information-gathering, the impression-making, that doesn’t just happen with the snap of a finger and overnight,”

Bridich said. “That’s a long process.”

Bud Black bio

A closer look at Bud Black, who the Rockies hired Monday as the seventh manager in franchise history:

Age: 59

Born: San Mateo, Calif.

Education: Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash.; San Diego State.

Major-league career: 15 seasons (1981-1995). Selected in the 17th round of the 1979 draft. Played for Seattle (1981),

Kansas City (1982-88), Cleveland (1988-90, 1995), Toronto (1990) and San Francisco (1991-94).

Record: 121-116

Career ERA: 3.84

Coaching career: Los Angeles Angels, pitching coach (2000-06)

Managing career: San Diego Padres (2007-2015)

Record: 649-713 (.477)

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Is Bud Black the right manager for the Rockies? Let's use the benefit of hindsight to compare Bud Black to Walt Weiss, all the while trying to figure out what to expect with the new guy. By Bryan Kilpatrick Nov 7, 2016, 1:28pm MST/ Purple Row

It's 2010, and the National League West is as strong as it has ever been.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, the previous year's winners, stumbled early in the year but are playing spoiler late. The San

Francisco Giants, who eventually won it all, finally put together the team they'd been trying to muster up since their last

postseason appearance in 2003. The Colorado Rockies appear primed to put together a second consecutive postseason

run and third in the last four seasons.

And the San Diego Padres, led by manager Bud Black, are coming out of nowhere to upset the whole thing.

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Black's Friars that year were 76-49 in late August and held a 6½-game lead in the division, only to lose 10 consecutive

games before eventually getting back on track. San Diego, not long after taking a crucial three-game series against the

spiraling Rockies, took the Giants to the final game of the season before having its postseason hopes dashed -- not

entirely unlike a certain Game 163 a few years prior -- but that the Padres even got as far as they did with an anemic

offense and the sixth-youngest pitching staff in baseball was admirable at worst and, at best, exceptional.

Twenty-two-year-old Mat Latos emerged as the ace of a staff that saw great performances from a trio of pitchers aged 26

and younger. Another group of 20-somethings led by Luke Gregerson, Edward Mujica and Ernesto Frieri anchored the

league's best bullpen.

Fast forward to 2016. When talking about the prospects of Black as Rockies manager, a position he officially took over on

Monday, many have brought up concern about his lack of winning in San Diego. And they're not wrong; Black finished

with just two winning seasons -- and no postseason appearances -- in his eight-plus years at the helm. But the perennially

stuck-in-neutral (where have we heard that before?) Padres regularly trotted out the least-talented offenses in the game

and a revolving door of pitchers that never seemed to have success outside the hurler-friendly confines of Petco Park.

Outside of those obvious wins and losses, it can be hard to truly evaluate managers. Fortunately in this case, we have a

large sample and the benefit of hindsight to which we can refer. Nine years of Baseball Prospectus manager comments

for Bud Black can help us figure out what to expect from the longtime big league pitcher-turned-skipper.

First, if you're looking for Black to be more fiery and intense than Walt Weiss, whose relaxed demeanor was the stuff of

legend, you will probably end up disappointed. From the 2012 BP annual:

Watching him "argue" with umpires is fascinating. There are no histrionics; he just strolls out of the dugout and

chats with them, as one might chat with old friends over tea and miniature cucumber sandwiches.

So, don't expect to see Black go all Bobby Cox and get ejected a bunch of times. Not much of a change there. But what

about his bullpen strategies? As everyone who's reading this probably knows, the Rockies weren't good in that area over

the last couple of seasons (results wise, if nothing else). Can Black right the ship? From the same annual:

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As a former pitching coach, Black is attuned to the needs of his moundsmen and tends to have a quick hook with

his starters. Like most managers of his era, Black's usage of relievers borders on mechanical and he seldom

deviates from the established order of things. Pitchers are given a defined role and left there, although he has

adopted the Earl Weaver strategy of breaking in young arms out of the bullpen, with Tim Stauffer, Cory Luebke,

and Anthony Bass being three recent examples.

Other than throwing young starters into the fire via relief, that doesn't sound a lot different than Weiss, who often drew

criticism for pulling starters too early and failing to go outside the box when it came to bullpen roles.

Another thing plaguing the Rockies is their inability to win despite seemingly having a decent collection of talent. Here's

where we start to see some separation. Look no further than the review of Black's 2012 campaign in the 2013 annual:

Considering Jason Marquis, Ross Ohlendorf, Eric Stults, Jeff Suppan, Kip Wells, and Andrew Werner combined

for more than a third of the club's starts, 76 wins and a fourth-place finish seem remarkable. As in 2009, before

San Diego's improbable run the following year, the team performed very well in the second half with Black letting

the kids play and run wild.

That was not 4-WAR, 2009 Jason Marquis, mind you. The Padres' front office had a knack for bringing in just about every

washed-up veteran available during Black's tenure, and the results were predictably not great. But when Black chose to

go with young players over the journeymen, things seemed to work a little better, as noted above. This was a recurring

theme throughout his time in San Diego. Back to the 2012 book:

He shows ... patience working with young players, whether it be sticking with Kevin Kouzmanoff through his early-

season struggles in 2007 or giving Cameron Maybin a full complement of plate appearances despite periodic

slumps. Black even kept running Anthony Rizzo out to first base long after it had become evident that more minor-

league seasoning was needed, which is a downside of such patience.

That excerpt sounds similar to what Weiss was able to accomplish last season, remaining patient with Trevor Story and

Tony Wolters during a dreadful May for both players while perhaps sticking with a struggling and inexperienced Carlos

Estevez for too long.

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The most recent set of BP comments on Black, while a little more vague than some of the excerpts above, point to the

real reason why the Rockies felt he was the right person to bring in as Weiss' successor. If some of the strengths and

weaknesses appear to be even to this point, this section of the 2015 annual might sway you:

Shy of owning the team, Connie Mack-style, or playing for it, Jimmy Dykes-like, how do you explain Black

retaining his job with that record? The same way you explain the gap between his reputation as one of the best

and his career winning percentage, which places him south of Ned Yost: Managers have a limited impact on their

team's success. Black has worked miracles throughout his tenure with San Diego rosters that were average on

the rare occasions when they were healthy. Factor in the constant change above him -- at the management and

ownership levels -- and he's been the franchise's lone stabilizing force for most of the past decade.

A closer look reveals why many industry folk adore Black. Whether it's his California cool personality, allowing him

to relate to the modern player, or his willingness to eschew tradition in favor of logic -- i.e. bat the spot-starter

eighth so he can be pinch-hit for earlier, as was the case with Donn Roach in May -- it's easy to wonder just how

good he would be with a better roster at his disposal. Turns out we might get an answer soon.

I think we've reached a verdict. As we suspected earlier, Black never had much talent in San Diego, but throughout his

tenure there, it was widely agreed that he got the most he possibly could out of it. That, combined with the success he had

with his bullpens and his apparent willingness to cooperate with Jeff Bridich's vision for the team (read: maybe a little

analytical, maybe a little unconventional but definitely not tinfoil hat stuff), makes him an upgrade over Weiss. Whether

Black turns out to be a significant upgrade remains to be seen, but from the improvement we saw at the big league level

last season, significant might not be necessary.

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Colorado Rockies introduce Bud Black as manager The veteran manager is the seventh skipper in Rockies history. By Jordan Freemyer Nov 7, 2016, 6:34pm MST / Purple Row

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies introduced Bud Black as the seventh manager in club history at a press conference

Tuesday.

“I’m very honored to be the Rockies manager,” Black said. “I’m looking forward to it with a great deal of excitement, this

city in a lot of ways is special to me.”

Black comes to Colorado after a 14-year big league career on the mound and nine years managing the San Diego

Padres, a tenure that saw him win the NL Manager of the Year award in 2010 and compile a 649-713 overall record.

“It’s not necessarily what Bud has done,” Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said. “But what Bud will do, and that’s

what’s so exciting.”

Bridich said he heard positive things about Black from all corners of the baseball world, both during the hiring process and

after the news of Black’s hiring broke Sunday night.

“It was easy to see through this process how much respect the industry has for both Bud Black and his wife, Nan,” Bridich

said. “People literally won’t leave me alone, they won’t leave my phone alone and they haven’t left my phone alone.”

Black said he was excited to come to a team with a fan base that covers a large portion of the country rather than just one

local area.

“That’s sort of cool, you know Wyoming, you think about New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, I dig that, that’s cool. I like the

regional-ness of this franchise,” Black said.

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Black managed 78 games at Coors Field with the Padres, going 33-45. Among those games was the Wild Card tiebreaker

in 2007 in which the Rockies beat the Padres 9-8 in 13 innings when Matt Holliday scored on a sacrifice fly.

“To this day, I don’t think (Holliday’s) touched (the plate,)” Black said.

Black said he is undaunted by managing at Coors Field full time, acknowledging that while some things may be different

at altitude, it is still the same game.

“It’s a little different here because of the conditions,” Black said. “But it’s still baseball and at one time it’s one nine guys

against the other nine guys and we’re hoping that on most nights whether here or on the road our nine guys are better

than theirs.”

With that in mind, Black said he did not think that there was any sort of magic formula for success pitching at Coors Field,

except for one.

“You know what works here?” Black said. “Good pitching, and making pitches, and getting outs. That’s what we have to

do, I don’t think we have to change anybody, we gotta make guys better, and these guys are pretty good to start with.”

With the Rockies slant toward analytics under Bridich, Black said that is a part of the game his is familiar with and is not

afraid to use.

“There’s no doubt that analytics today is a part of our game,” Black said. “I think it’s great, I embrace it. I love information, I

love the data, I like numbers. I was much better at math than I was in English.”

Black knows who three of his staff members will be, as the Rockies retained pitching coach Steve Foster, bullpen coach

Darren Holmes and third base coach Stu Cole. Black said he will work with Bridich and the Rockies’ front office to select

the rest of the team’s coaches.

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This is the first time since hiring Buddy Bell for the 2000 season that the Rockies have brought in a manager with no

previous experience in the organization. Bridich said that was not a consideration in the hire, but that he will appreciate

another perspective.

“It’s important for us to continue to keep learning,” Bridich said. “I can’t tell you how many people, to a man, have told me,

‘It’s tough for me to explain how much I’ve learned from Bud Black.’”

Black was certainly not shy about his ambitions with the Rockies, as he set an ambitious, but realistic, end goal.

“We’re going to do everything we can to get back to where this team was in ‘07, and that’s the World Series,” Black said.

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Rockies name Bud Black manager The Rockies hired former Padres manager Bud Black to lead the team. By Eric Garcia McKinley Nov 6, 2016, 6:20pm MST/ Purple Row

The Rockies will name Bud Black the team’s next manager, according to Fan Rag Sports’ Tommy Stokke and confirmed

by Ken Rosenthal.

Black was most recently the special assistant to the general manager for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He

previously served as the Angels’ hitting coach from 2000 to 2006, winning a World Series ring with the team. After his

tenure there, he managed the Padres from 2007 to 2015. He accrued a 649-713 record for the Padres, for a winning

percentage of .492. He won the manager of the year award in 2010, when the Padres went 90-72.

Black is a well regarded manager whose reputation does not match his record. His San Diego teams were never loaded

with talent, but they were usually more competitive than observers thought they would be. His 2010 season is a great

example, as nobody expected anything from the Padres that year, and they held maintained first place in the National

League West for most of the year before fading in September and missing the division title and the playoffs to the

eventual World Series winners, the San Francisco Giants.

We’ll learn more soon about when Black’s hiring will be made official, as well as his first exposure to the press.

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Colorado Rockies Rumors: Mike Napoli a Target at First Base? By Kevin Henry – November 8, 2016 / Rox Pile

The Colorado Rockies may have a new target acquisition at first base after the Cleveland Indians did not make a

qualifying offer to Mike Napoli.

We’ve detailed four potential fits for the Rockies at first base in this article. However, the recent addition of Napoli into the

market is certainly something to consider.

Napoli was a key component to Cleveland’s recent run to the World Series after earning $7 million last season. The 35-

year-old right-handed slugger saw action in 150 regular-season games in 2016, putting together a .239 average with 34

homers and 101 RBI.

He did struggle in the postseason, however, never hitting above .188 in the ALDS, ALCS or World Series last year. He

also struck out 11 times in 26 at-bats in the World Series against Chicago Cubs pitching.

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Strikeouts were a problem for Napoli all of last season as he whiffed a career-high 194 times. Also, at the age of 35,

Napoli could be a gamble for the Rockies because of his age.

So there are the bad points that might come with a Napoli signing in Denver. However, there are plenty of good points as

well.

Napoli would give the Rockies a right-handed power hitter that they so desperately needed last season at times. He would

also provide veteran leadership in a clubhouse that is young. Additionally, now with Bud Black named as the Rockies

manager, Napoli would provide another name in the clubhouse with plenty of postseason experience.

Consider this … teams with Napoli have made the playoffs in eight of the past 10 seasons. His trip to the World Series

with Cleveland was the third time he’s been in the Fall Classic in the past six seasons. Oh, and by the way, those three

appearances have been with three different teams (Texas, Boston and Cleveland). As one article puts it, “Napoli rubs off

on a team.”

Sometimes there are more parts of a player to look at than just batting averages and home run totals. Napoli seems to be

one of those players, a guy who can bring a team together and provide a spark on the field and in the clubhouse. For a

young team like the Rockies who many consider to be primed for a 2017 postseason run, something like that could prove

extremely valuable.

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Colorado Rockies Snubbed Among BBWAA Award Finalists By Kevin Henry – November 8, 2016 / Rox Pile

On a day when the Colorado Rockies announced their new manager in Bud Black, some things didn’t change, including a

lack of respect for the franchise from the national media.

Finalists for each of the Baseball Writers Association of America’s major awards were announced on Monday night and

the Rockies were sorely missing from the list. Candidates for each league’s Most Valuable Player, the Cy Young Award,

Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year were unveiled … and there were some notable omissions from the Mile High

City.

In the race for the National League MVP, the Baseball Writers Association of America narrowed down the list to Chicago’s

Kris Bryant, Washington’s Daniel Murphy and rookie shortstop Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those are

three good players to be sure, but where is Nolan Arenado on the list?

Arenado paced Major League Baseball with 133 RBI and paced the National League for the second straight season in

homers. He recently won his second consecutive Fielding Bible Award for his defensive prowess at the hot corner. He’s

also up for his fourth Gold Glove honor in four seasons.

One thing that Arenado did not have this season that the other three candidates did is postseason experience. If getting

your team to the postseason contributes to the MVP discussion, fine. If it doesn’t, it’s hard to believe that Arenado doesn’t

fall into one of the three best players this season in the National League.

In the National League Rookie of the Year competition, Trevor Story didn’t make the top three despite establishing a new

National League record for homers with 27. Obviously Story’s season-ending injury hurt his chances at Rookie of the Year

as he played in just 97 games. But think of what he did in those 97 games! Besides the homers, he also logged 72 RBI

and 101 hits overall, including 21 doubles.

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Washington’s Trea Turner is one of the three finalists despite playing in just 73 games. He’s joined by Seager and his Los

Angeles teammate Kenta Maeda.

All winners will be announced next week.

Bud Black isn’t afraid of coaching at altitude By Michael Jaycox - November 7, 2016 / Mile High Sports

This morning Bud Black was introduced as the Colorado Rockies manager. This morning ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote a

piece on why Bud Black is “set to take on [the] most difficult manager job in MLB.”

That didn’t take long.

There’s no getting around it: Coaching at altitude is a challenge. The game of baseball simply isn’t the same 5,280 feet

above sea level, and everyone knows it. But Bud Black isn’t about to use it as an excuse.

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“Once the game starts, it’s baseball,” Black told Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro of Afternoon Drive on Mile High Sports

AM 1340 | FM 104.7. “It’s nine guys against nine guys. It’s hitters and pitchers and making plays and running the bases. I

think that if we outplay the other team, we’re going to be fine. … If you make pitches in Coors Field, if you play defense, if

you throw strikes, if you hit cutoff men, all those things, good teams can win here. And I think we’re on the verge of being

pretty good.”

As anyone who has looked at the Rockies’ offensive statistics over the last two decades can attest, the long ball rules at

Coors Field. And that’s not exactly great news for those pitchers unfortunate enough to have to play here 81 times a year.

But if pitchers let that get into their head, that’s when the altitude goes from a consideration to a problem.

“It starts with the mindset of pitching aggressive,” Black said. “If there’s any tentativeness in our pitchers because they’re

pitching here, we have to stop that.”

Of course, you can’t ignore the altitude entirely. Like it or not, it is a factor.

“When you talk about altitude, you talk about rest and recovery,” Black said. “You have to take into account the toll it takes

on players as the season progresses. We have to have a critical eye on our pitchers’ arms and fatigue and rest, and make

sure guys are really taking care of themselves, and we’re doing the best we can as an organization to stay on top of those

things.”

To hear more from Black, including his thoughts on sabermetrics in baseball, check out the podcast below …

Catch Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro Monday-Friday from 4p-6p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or

stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.

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Guidelines for a Successful Rebuild: 3 lessons from the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs By Ben Karp - November 8, 2016 / BSN Denver

Disclaimer: This article was written before the Bud Black hiring. While the opinions expressed on potential managerial

options are now irrelevant, the points made along with them are not.

I can barely believe I just typed that headline. Just as my voice has yet to return from reacting to the swinging pendulum

of win probability known as Game 7 (and subsequent celebration in triumph with the large Chicago contingent here at

DU), my mind has yet to accept what has happened. My existential bout with lifelong Cubs fandom has conquered, finally

taming the haunting memories of Cubs games passed. I’m only 21, so I can only imagine what a Cubs fan that lived

through the entire 108-year drought has endured.

The purpose of this piece is not to reminisce, though. If that’s what you came for, my good friend Shap decided to tackle

his feelings on the matter. Rather, this is an examination of the process that got the Cubs where they did from a Rockies

perspective. From these last five years, I have identified three underlying principles essential to a functional rebuild and

implemented perfectly by Theo Epstein and company.

No, not all rebuilds are equal. Yes, the Cubs are in one of the largest markets, and can flex their financial muscle

seemingly at will. On a micro scale, the Rockies should not be stealing from any other team blueprints. Coors Field

doesn’t allow for conventional wisdom to thrive. However, these three concepts would go a long way in creating a

contender out of the boys on Blake Street.

Don’t Deal from the Farm…Yet

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During the 2016 season, the Cubs parted ways with four notable prospects: Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, Arismendy

Alcantara, and Dan Vogelbach. But when faced with the same issue in previous seasons, Cubs brass opted to hold on to

what they had. Why did they wait until 2016 to unload prospects? This is an especially puzzling question at first glance in

the case of Vogelbach considering his star is not shining nearly as bright as it once was. It would have made sense, as we

were fully aware of his Prince Fielder-like limitations on defense at the time. But now Vogelbach’s offensive potential has

also been tempered. With Anthony Rizzo locking down a long-term role at 1B with the big-league club, why wasn’t

Vogelbach traded in 2014?

The reality of the situation, however, is that an organization in rebuilding mode won’t trade a prospect simply because

they are seemingly at peak trade value. At least a smart organization wouldn’t do such a thing. The difficult part of making

such a decision before contention is that you don’t quite know what you have or what you need. The 2016 Cubs

established themselves as contenders from the get go, and with a clear mission for rounding out the roster. With a much

clearer picture of how to improve the team further, the Cubs pulled the trigger on trades for Aroldis Chapman and Mike

Montgomery.

So, if waiting until contention is the key to more efficient allocation of assets, then why didn’t the Cubs make similar moves

in 2015? Before we answer that question, a more specific definition of “contention” is needed. In 2015, the NL Central

finished with 3 of the top 4 records in baseball. The Cubs were slowly but surely improving as the season went along, and

weren’t considered to be of a similar caliber to the Cardinals or Pirates until after the trade deadline passed.

Unless the Cubs could conceivably catch the Cards, the Wild Card game was inevitable. In the Wild Card game, there is a

50% chance your team is playing its last. Those odds are not worth the investment. The 2016 Cubs were playing for a

division title, and playing as odds-on favorites to win the World Series. In defining “contention”, it becomes clear that

departing with prospects won’t provide much present benefit unless there are division title implications.

Entering this offseason, I have heard many calls for Bridich to move the likes of Riley Pint, Forrest Wall, and Raimel Tapia

in favor of contention in 2017. I am not necessarily advocating for keeping these players for the long term. Rather, I am

suggesting to wait until the Rockies have a clear shot at the NL West crown before considering anything more than a

king’s ransom for impact prospects.

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Establish Company Culture and Philosophy

Just over a year into his tenure as President of Baseball Operations, Theo Epstein announced the completion of The

Cubs’ Way, a comprehensive manual for team philosophy. Inside it contains everything from scouting tips to a strategic

approach to operations in the Dominican Republic to an explanation for which foot should touch first base (the right one).

Thus, any member of the Cubs organization has a clear idea of what the organization values, and can act accordingly.

At least in terms of scouting and player development, this is considered one of Bridich’s strengths. From the Gazette’s

Paul Klee back when Bridich was hired as GM:

“Most important, Bridich can align the philosophies of the farm system with those of the big-league club. Too

often, the messages being delivered in Single-A are not the same as the messages being taught by Weiss at the

major-league level.”

During his three years as senior director of player development (where he replaced Thad Levine, who was named GM of

the Twins earlier this week) Bridich did exactly what Klee suggests he will do as GM. The difference became Bridich’s

increased sphere of influence, allowing more effective implementation of organization-wide philosophy. This cohesive

atmosphere throughout the system cannot be understated in the development of one of the elite farms in baseball.

The fact that minor league coaches have been preaching the same gospel as Walt Weiss up to this point makes it

especially easy to feel comfortable about a promotion from within. Even though the Rockies have waited until the World

Series ended to make a hiring decision, AAA Manager Glenallen Hill remains a strong candidate. However, I am going to

use this space to endorse the man they waited to interview in the first place. Dave Martinez may be behind the curve on

Rockies team philosophy. But he excels in establishing philosophy’s overly-emotional cousin—culture.

Culture, like philosophy, is also necessary to coordinate throughout an organization. But in my humble opinion, culture is

taken directly from the big-league club. Rick Renteria proved to be a good communicator with a solid background in

developing young talent when he was at the helm of the Cubs clubhouse in 2014. Still, nothing he did inspired much

confidence in the team. The same cannot be said about his replacement.

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Between Joe Maddon’s calm, cool, and collected demeanor, and Dave Martinez’s youthful passion, every young gun felt

like they could contribute to something special from the moment they hit the spring training fields. And yet, far into the

postseason, many of the young players seemed to continue emulating the personality of their coaches.

No other team would be so comfortable putting in a rookie to try and close out the World Series. Sure, Carl Edwards Jr.

succumbed to the pressure, forcing Joe to bring in Mike Montgomery. But for the first two batters of that inning, the

magnitude of the moment didn’t matter. The culture, promoted by Joe and Dave, allowed Carl, and many other young

talents, to play with confidence and embrace the target on their backs.

Last August, David Dahl made an appearance on MLB Central. In describing how the Rockies clubhouse was feeling

about the prospect of facing Stephen Strasburg later that day, Dahl used the word “fun”. While the video I linked does not

show the MLB Central team reacting to the interview afterwards, Bill Ripken said something along the lines of, “If I was

hitting 3rd in the order against one of the most dynamic arms in the game, I would never be having ‘fun'”. This reflects a

major change in the game. Treating each day at the ballpark as business as usual is no longer the prevailing method.

Just as the Cubs coaching staff empowers its players to perform on the field, they also promoted an optimal locker room

environment for the modern young athlete. Themed road trips and quirky dress codes headlined a series of ideas for

bonding, motivating, or just getting away from it all. Sure, maybe most of these were Joe’s ideas. But Dave Martinez, after

spending nine years under Joe’s tutelage, has the potential to be an outstanding player’s coach. His mere presence would

go a long way in promoting a winning culture in the Rockies clubhouse.

The Value of Experience, Leadership, Familiarity, and All-Around Mental Makeup Is Unquantifiable

At least as far as we know. Theo has been known to make attempts at creating his own methods to measure seemingly

qualitative traits. But the point remains—you can have all the analytical potential in the world, but you won’t win unless

you place some sort of emphasis on these four principles.

Experience is what allowed the Cubs to find a cheap innings eater at the 2015 deadline. Dan Haren was not a sexy

acquisition by any means. While everybody was expecting a blockbuster deal for Tyson Ross or Carlos Carrasco, Haren

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turned out to be more than serviceable, tossing a 4.01 ERA in 11 starts to close out his career. And they practically gave

up nothing for him. The Rockies will need experience in their bullpen, as it is way too easy to get flustered on the mound

at Coors. Otherwise, more and more games will slip away from the Rockies in the 7th or later.

Leadership is what allowed the Cubs to bring in David Ross. Sure, his signing was primarily supposed to entice Jon

Lester to follow suit, but the impact of Ross on the club stretches far beyond the box score. After all, if it were solely based

on numbers, Ross would have been cut long ago.

We often hear about players that are essentially extensions of coaches on the field. Ross has been integral to the

development of Willson Contreras behind the plate. In a survey of twenty players and coaches conducted by Dave Laurila

of Fangraphs, seven people named Ross as the active (he was active at the time) player who would make the best

manager. Ironically, Ross himself named Jonny Gomes as his choice. In fact, some are already speculating that Ross

could be Dave Martinez’s replacement as bench coach.

Perhaps it’s easier to buy in on a concept when a peer is preaching it instead of the coach. Perhaps leadership within the

ranks of the players helps prevent locker room dysfunction. Regardless, it would be wise for the Rockies to keep CarGo or

Hundley around, because talent alone will not take the Rockies to the next level. There needs to be a player or two that

can guide them along the way.

Familiarity is what allowed the Cubs to draft Kris Bryant over Jon Gray. Between Joe, Theo, General Manager Jed Hoyer,

and Director of Amateur Scouting Jason McLeod the Cubs made several acquisitions of players they had previously

worked with, including members on the 2016 squad in Anthony Rizzo, Jon Lester, David Ross, Jason Hammel, Ben

Zobrist, and John Lackey. These were low-risk acquisitions in the eyes of the Cubs, simply because they knew what they

could bring to the table.

If the Rockies are truly prepared to spend on pitching this offseason, they need to do their research. It’s not enough to

think you know what you are getting. In free agency, the rate of return on investment is too low to take such a risk. They

must know exactly what is coming their way. Maybe a return to Denver by Hammel or Matt Holliday could be in the works.

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Mental makeup is what allowed the Cubs to take risks. Pitching Coach Chris Bosio may be considered one of the best at

his job today, but many of the resurrection projects he has guided were not acquired from just scouting. Guys like Jake

Arrieta, Scott Feldman, Paul Maholm, and Trevor Cahill were all willing to make changes, and both disciplined and

motivated enough to put in the necessary work to make said changes.

Raw prospects, such as Jorge Soler, become worth the investment if you know they are going to put in the work, adapt,

and just generally handle the day-to-day grind of a season. Kyle Schwarber came with concerns about his ability to stick

at catcher. However, he wowed Theo and McLeod in his pre-draft interview, so much so that they drafted him with the

intention of letting him catch. But most of all, the mental makeup of the 2016 Cubs was sound. Long gone are the days of

Carlos Zambrano and Milton Bradley almost single-handedly tearing apart locker rooms. While there has been no

indication to my knowledge of such issues within the Rockies organization, all it takes is one bad seed to ruin it for

everyone else.

The Colorado Rockies are expected to turn the corner towards contention in the very near future. They certainly have the

young talent to compete year after year. But if they want to take their game to the next level, they first need to ensure they

have covered ALL their bases.

This Bud’s For You: Colorado Rockies hire Bud Black By Jake Shapiro - November 6, 2016 / BSN Denver

When the Colorado Rockies take the field in 2017 at Coors Field they will have themselves a new manger, as first

reported by Tommy Stoke of FanRagSports.com. That man is Bud Black.

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Black last managed in 2015 when he was in charge of the San Deigo Padres. He skippered the Padres from 2007-2015,

he had a 649-713 record. Black was the 2010 NL Manager of The Year when he managed the Padres to a second place

finish in the NL West, the best in his tenure.

Black is 59-years-old and is originally from Longview, WA and played baseball at San Diego State University. As a player,

he debuted on September 5, 1981, and played in the bigs until July 9, 1995. Over his 15 year career as a pitcher, he

played for Kansas City, San Fransisco, Cleveland, Seattle and Toronto. He ended his career with a 121-116 record with a

3.84 ERA and a 1.267 WHIP with 2053.1 innings pitched.

In BSN Denver’s managerial search piece we wrote:

Bud Black is at the top of the food chain in this managerial search as he is the only available candidate with MLB

managing experience. Named Manager of the Year in 2010, Black is well respected around the game and is

especially known for getting the most out of pitching staffs since he used to toe the rubber himself.

Though it should be noted, managing for so long in San Diego absolutely inflated how good his pitchers often

looked, and Black will come with a much higher price tag than anyone else on this list which might be a bit of a

risk for someone with no postseason series wins. He is the safe bet in terms of being able to handle the rigors of

the job but cost whoever he signs with more than he is worth.

Black replaces Walt Weiss who compiled a record of 283-365 over his four seasons.

Black had been working as a special assistant to the Los Angeles Angels for the past year. It remains to be seen how

much the Rockies paid Black and what that will mean for the rest of the offseason, but for the first time in over a decade

the Rockies have hired a manager with postseason experience.

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Trade market overview: Perfect storm in place for another deal-heavy winter Keith Law, ESPN Senior Writer / 6:31 AM MT This year's free-agent class is the worst I've ever ranked and written up for ESPN, which now covers 11 offseasons, and I

can't remember one being worse before that. There's some outfield help, some adequate catching options and a couple of

closers, but that's about it. If you're looking for a midrotation starter, a middle infielder or a third baseman, you're pretty

much out of luck. There's no ace on the market or anything close to it. There are almost no high-OBP options. And the

class as a whole is old, with many of its best players already well into their 30s. So for most teams looking to upgrade

their major league rosters this winter, the trade market becomes the best avenue.

The last two offseasons have shown us that just about anything is possible in the trade market, as we've seen

"unmovable" contracts moved (including Matt Kemp's) and face-of-the-franchise players traded (Todd Frazier). Whereas

three or four years ago, signing a young player to a long, team-friendly deal meant he was the player least likely to be

traded, now it simply increases market interest in his services, especially as industry revenues have increased faster than

the market can funnel the gains to players.

Greatest opportunity for trade activity

It likely will revolve around starting pitching because the free-agent starter class is so weak, with Rich Hill, who was

pitching in an independent league 18 months ago, being the best of the group.

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Interested teams: The Orioles sneaked into the second wild-card spot despite getting a 4.72 ERA from their starters, the

worst of any playoff team since the 2009 Minnesota Twins, and their current roster has just two reliable starters for 2017,

one of whom, Chris Tillman, ended the year with a quick return from shoulder problems.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have just three sure starters in their 2017 rotation and have rebuilt the farm system to the point

where they could swing a huge deal for a top-end starter and still have a strong crop of prospects left over. The Rangers

made the playoffs in 2016 with a patched-up rotation and could stand to upgrade in at least their last two spots; they still

have a lot of high-value talent in their system, including some outfield surplus they could try to convert into a starter. The

Angels have few tradable assets in their system, but they could use multiple starters in their rotation. The Dodgers,

Pirates, Red Sox and Cardinals could all be on the market for additional rotation help as well, looking just at teams that

are likely to contend or try to contend this year.

Which teams could take advantage: This looks fortuitous for teams with pitching to spare, especially the White Sox,

who hold two of the most valuable starter assets in the game in Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, both top-10 pitchers in the

American League -- perhaps even top five -- signed to very team-friendly contracts.

Cleveland could choose to part with a starter to capitalize on the shortage in the free-agent market and perhaps acquire

some minimum-salary pieces to keep their payroll down for the foreseeable future. The Twins would be out of their minds

to keep Ervin Santana, who just posted a 3.8 WAR season in 2016 and is owed $28 million over the next two years; he'd

be the best starter on the market if he were a free agent and in line for a much higher salary. This is probably the wrong

time to sell on Sonny Gray, but Oakland could at least explore his market, given his youth and previous history of

outstanding performances.

Big-name position players

The emphasis on keeping payroll down may push some big position-player names into the trade market, starting with

Pirates superstar Andrew McCutchen, who had a down year in 2016 but remains the team's most popular player and an

ambassador for the game. The Pirates have outfield prospect Austin Meadows in Triple-A, not quite ready for the majors

yet, but not far off, and could choose to deal McCutchen before he gets too near the end of his contract; he's owed $14

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million in 2017, with a team option for 2018 at $14.75 million. I know they've at least signaled to potential buyers that

they're willing to discuss a McCutchen deal.

The new regime in Arizona could put Paul Goldschmidt, a perennial MVP candidate owed just less than $20 million the

next two years with an option for 2019, on the market, where he'd be the best position player available. I'd also expect

them to at least see if a reasonable market exists for Zack Greinke, whose $34 million salary this year likely will consume

a third of the Diamondbacks' total payroll.

Colorado probably should explore a trade of superstar Nolan Arenado, who's likely to crash past $10 million in arbitration

this winter and who could net the Rockies the boatload of pitching they'll need if they're ever going to be competitive at

altitude.

Goldschmidt and Arenado are immediate difference-makers, and if McCutchen's 2016 decline was injury-related, he could

be one too.

The payroll issue appears likely to affect Detroit as well, given GM Al Avila's recent comments about getting "leaner" and

"younger" and working within the team's "means." The Tigers' roster is heavily imbalanced, with more than three-fourths of

the budget going to eight players, only three of whom -- Ian Kinsler, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera -- were worth

what they were paid. This might involve the team paying portions of the contracts of players like Anibal Sanchez or Justin

Upton to facilitate trades, but if Avila is going to keep this team respectable while cutting costs, he's going to have to be

creative.

The qualifying-offer effect

Assuming the existing CBA (collective bargaining agreement) rules remain in place for this offseason even after there's a

new agreement, there will still be a drag on some free agents this winter because of the qualifying-offer system, where

signing certain free agents will cost the signing team their first draft pick, taking with it a big chunk of the team's signing

bonus pool for the draft. I've written before how this system accomplishes nothing good -- it distorts free-agent salaries

and provides a disincentive for bad teams to get better by signing free agents. But it can only help the trade market, with

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several free agents in my top 20 likely to receive qualifying offers. I can see at least two who should consider accepting

those offers.

Great expectations

I'll be shocked (and, professionally speaking, a little underutilized) if this winter's trade market is slow. There are too many

teams that think they can contend in 2017 and have clear needs that the free-agent market can't satisfy. Demand for

certain things, like starting pitching, outstrips supply even in rich free-agent classes, but this class is broke. And with

teams like the Astros and Cubs showing that taking it on the chin for a few years is a viable path to contention, we'll see

more teams try a similar route as long as the new CBA continues to provide an incentive for them to do so. That should

lead to a busy winter, or else I shall be forced to … uh … write a strongly worded letter to the Times.

Rockies officially announce Bud Black as manager By PAT GRAHAM - Nov. 7, 2016 1:38 PM EST / Associated Press DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies formally announced Bud Black as their manager Monday.

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Black takes over for Walt Weiss, who stepped down last month when his contract expired after four years in charge of the Rockies. They finished 75-87 last season, their best record since 2010. The 59-year-old Black was the manager of NL West rival San Diego for 8 ½ seasons before being fired in June 2015. He compiled a 649-713 record and was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2010. Black inherits a potent offense that includes a batting champion in DJ LeMahieu, sluggers Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez and rising star Trevor Story. Black also has a young but talented rotation led by Jon Gray. And then there's this: Colorado's unsteady bullpen blew 28 saves last season.