Not his fault, but Rockies still should make a change with Bud Black

The Colorado Rockies are going nowhere fast, and it’s probably not the fault of manager Bud Black.

That doesn’t mean it’s not time for a change.

The Rockies arrived back in Denver late Sunday night tied for the worst record in MLB with the lowly Chicago White Sox. A pitiful 8-26 overall.

While the talent on the roster isn’t there, it’s fair to wonder if Black’s message in the clubhouse has gone stale. The Rox are coming off a 1-7 road trip that saw them lose twice to the Astros in Mexico City, get walked-off two times by the Marlins and then manage just six lousy runs in three games in Pittsburgh.

Black is staring a sixth straight losing season in the face. He’s 484-582 in his eight years with the Rockies. Very soon, Black will be more than 100 games under .500 during his tenure as manager. Those two playoff seasons in 2017 and 2018 to start Black’s time in Denver feel like a long time ago.

In 2023, the Rockies lost 100 games for the first time in franchise history. This year, they could lose (gulp) 120 or more. We’re truly witnessing history, watching one of the worst teams ever to take the field in professional baseball.

Ultimately, the change that everyone knows is owner Dick Monfort should sell the team. That plea has been made time and time again, but Monfort isn’t going to budge. In fact, you could argue he likes being the biggest villain in town while fans fill his ballpark and line his pockets every summer.

GM Bill Schmidt has done nothing to impress in his time in that chair, but we know Monfort rarely makes a change with his right hand man. Jeff Bridich quit before Schmidt, and didn’t get really fired. Dan O’Dowd resigned before Bridich, also not getting canned.

Monfort should let go of Schmidt, but he probably won’t. If his past decisions are any indications, he makes his people throw their hands up in frustration and leave on their own accord.

Unfortunately, that really own leaves Black as the fall guy. The Rockies have to do something to show fans this losing is unacceptable, with another season down the tubes and the calendar barely reading May.

“I think Buddy and the coaches are doing a very good job, ” Schmidt told Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post over the weekend. “Because of the work ethic of the players. Our guys are playing hard. The effort level is there, night in and night out. That’s what I see.

Womp, womp.

Are they really? Do we see a lot of passion and effort from the players? If so, then Schmidt should resign. Because the talent simply isn’t there. He’s admitting he built such a bad roster there’s nothing Black can do.

What a dysfunctional and frustrating organization to have in this town.

As the Avalanche and Nuggets pursue their second championships in three years, the Rockies have become forgotten. At least people care about the struggling Broncos, trying to find solutions every day. The baseball team at 20th and Blake is an afterthought, one we’re ashamed to call our own in this amazing sports city.

Black didn’t create this mess. But he’s also not been part of the solution to get out of it.

If Schmidt and Monfort make a move at manager for the first time since 2016, at least that will let the dwindling fanbase know they’re still paying some attention.

The Rockies need to move on from Bud Black, and they need to do it soon. It might be their only hope of not losing 100 games again, which still feels like a stretch.

Sometimes, life requires a new path.

In the Rockies case, this is the best (but still extremely unsatisfying) option right now.