Colorado Rockies give Bud Black another year to skipper rudderless ship
Feb 15, 2023, 12:03 PM
The Colorado Rockies are giving Bud Black another year, well two more years actually, announcing a one-year contract extension through the 2024 season on Wednesday.
Black, 65, is one of the more successful managers in club history. Colorado’s seventh manager owns a 417-453, ranking third in wins and games managed. If he makes it to the end of his contract he will have managed the most games in franchise history.
Black led the Rockies to two Wildcard games, one win and a loss earlier in his tenure. He even high-pointed the Rockies to a tiebreaker game for the NL West crown. The last few years have gone off the rails as the talent on the club has dissipated.
Now with a high-water mark for the season of .500 ball, there’s no reason not to keep Black. He’s a good guy that happens to be really solid at his job. Is he the best manager ever? No. He also isn’t a hindrance, helping to coach some of the best pitching the club has ever seen over his time in purple.
At his worst, he might cost you a game or two over 162 contests, at his best he might win you a handful. The truth is, Black isn’t going to have much impact on the Rockies trajectory this coming season or next as they are deep into a rebuild while they refuse to actually rebuild.
Oddsmakers see the Rockies winning around 66 or 67 games this coming season, about the same as last year’s 68-win campaign, which was the fifth-worst season in franchise history.
Before the Rockies, Black led the Padres for parts of nine seasons, pushing his hometown team to 649 wins and earning an NL Manager of the Year honor in 2010. Black is the 66th person to manage over 1,000 big league wins.
Black was a really solid MLB pitcher, hurling for 15 years and winning a World Series with the Royals. He won another title as a pitching coach for the Angeles.
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