The Colorado Rockies are on the cusp of a major shift! With the Nationals snagging Paul Toboni, the Rockies are now the last team standing in the hunt for a new front office leader. According to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, the Rockies are expected to trim their list of candidates to a select group of finalists next week.
Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post adds that the Rockies are still deciding whether their new hire will be a General Manager or a President of Baseball Operations. This decision may hinge on the individual they choose. If they pluck a GM from another team, the Rockies might offer the President title to signify a promotion.
So, who's in the running? Three names have surfaced as interviewees for the top job: Scott Sharp, Assistant GM of the Royals; Matt Forman, AGM of the Guardians; and James Click, Vice President of Baseball Strategy for the Blue Jays. But here's where it gets interesting: Click is the only one with experience running a baseball operations department. He led the Astros from 2020-2022, even clinching a World Series title in his final season. However, he parted ways with the Astros after a disagreement with owner Jim Crane, who offered Click a one-year extension after the championship, which he declined.
The Rockies aren't just looking for a baseball operations head; they're also planning to hire a chief revenue/strategy officer. This person will focus on the business side, with the goal of funneling increased revenue back into the team's baseball operations.
The front office search is being led by executive vice president Walker Monfort, son of owner Dick Monfort. The current structure of the baseball operations staff is a bit unclear, as former GM Bill Schmidt and assistant GM Zack Rosenthal have both departed, and no interim GM has been named. The Rockies likely want to have their new leader in place by the end of the month, as the World Series could wrap up as early as October 28th. And this is the part most people miss: the trade market reopens the day after the World Series, with plenty of waiver activity happening in the first few days of the offseason.
Could the Rockies' choice of a new leader significantly impact their future? What are your thoughts on the candidates? Share your opinions in the comments below!
