DENVER _ Jeff Bridich will take a Big Mac. Make sure it comes with cheese and a side of fries. ("Large," he said. Go big or go home.) And throw in a Coke, will ya?
"I've got to have a Diet," the Rockies general manager said Monday when a member of the media failed to mute his phone and ordered McDonald's during a conference call.
Rockies fans are starved for the team's first winning season since 2010. The Blake Street faithful, and it's a bigger party than you might think, will get hangry if the local ballclub is not in playoff contention in 2017.
Walt Weiss is out at home.
The official word from Coors Field is that Weiss stepped down after four seasons and a 283-365 record as manager. The real word is that when Bridich was hired as GM and promptly followed up by trading away star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, Bridich had been given control of the Rockies operation unlike any executive before him and anything that doesn't fit his vision is vulnerable to the chopping block. Man's got some pull.
This is Bridich's show now. Win big or lose big, it's on the Ivy League guy who said "no" when asked if team ownership has placed any constraints on his personnel decisions.
It's my belief the Rockies have never in their 24 years of existence been in a better position to make a move to the top of the National League West _ and to take their cleats off and stay a while _ than they are right now. This is the part in the column where readers roll their eyes, jump to the Broncos article on the opposite page and LOL at the rest of this space, since everybody knows, ya big dummy, it's not possible the Rockies could be good.
That's cool. But I will be surprised if the Rockies aren't knocking on the postseason's door next September. And the moves (or non-moves) that Bridich makes this offseason will do far more to shape the team's future than which manager he taps on the shoulder.
But this was the first season I remember checking the game notes or ESPN schedule to see which starting pitcher was slated to take the mound on that particular night.
That's not for nothing. With career years from Charlie Blackmon (don't you dare move the leadoff man, Jeff) and D.J. LeMahieu (perhaps the first National League batting champ whose glove is sweeter than his bat) and another dizzying season from Nolan Arenado that deserves MVP votes, big bats are like cranes in LoDo. They're everywhere.
But now the Rockies have _ wait for it _ a corral of young arms that make a quick glance over the projected starter as much a part of the morning routine as a second cup of coffee. Jon Gray's on Tuesday? Clear the calendar. Tyler Chatwood at San Diego? G'luck luck, Pads. Anyone catch Chad Bettis? His 3.28 ERA over his final 14 starts was not to be missed.
"I think it's tough for me to say how attractive (the manager job) might be. It's tough to speak for other people. But I do think we do have a very talented team," Bridich said. "Based on Walt's comments over the last couple of months, he would agree. There's a really talented core at the major league level. We were able to graduate a number of young and talented players and start their major-league careers. Especially with some of the pitching we have seen from some of the young guys we've been able to graduate this year, I think there is some talent with this group."
This is not a rebuild, since the term suggests something was built in the first place. This is building something that never has been built in this manner.
Bridich said there's no timeline on hiring the next manager, that the new guy could come from within or outside the franchise. It needs to be the latter, preferably someone with a strong pitching background who isn't scared of balancing a bullpen over 81 games at altitude. It's not easy. Ask Walt. And we'll learn what the baseball world thinks of Colorado's future by the caliber of candidates this job draws.
Applaud Weiss for many things, first and foremost his daily professionalism in a ballpark where no one, and I mean no one, has won consistently, and mostly, how he seeded a culture of accountability that leaves the next manager in an enviable position to grow it. This time next year the Rockies should be a playoff contender. This season was browsing the drive-thru menu to see what looks good.
The next needs to be good, and that's on the general manager, not the manager.
