Clint Hurdle given the ax today...

[McPeachy]

No longer the Manager of the Rockies. Tracy, bench coach, to take over. I posted this on the football board by accident...

 

[MrTitleist]

I don't know how I feel about this.. Hurdle was a decent manager, but he's been totally screwed over by the penny-pinching Rockies. Letting Matt Holliday go will prove to be a HUGE mistake, homegrown talent like him doesn't come around very often. Now they're talking letting Atkins go as well, also a really dumb mistake. After that it'll be Francis, and Tulo, and blah blah blah. However, Clint, you gotta be able to win, and doing that you were not. I don't think Tracy is probably the best guy to replace him though.. he couldn't win with all the money in the world over in Los Angeles.

 

[McPeachy]

I don't know how I feel about this.. Hurdle was a decent manager, but he's been totally screwed over by the penny-pinching Rockies. Letting Matt Holliday go will prove to be a HUGE mistake, homegrown talent like him doesn't come around very often. Now they're talking letting Atkins go as well, also a really dumb mistake. After that it'll be Francis, and Tulo, and blah blah blah. However, Clint, you gotta be able to win, and doing that you were not. I don't think Tracy is probably the best guy to replace him though.. he couldn't win with all the money in the world over in Los Angeles.

IMO...the Rockies lucked into the WS in 2007. But because they were there, the owner's expectations were dramatically increased. 2008 was a sham, as is 2009 thus far.

The bad thing that owner's sometimes fail to realize...it is more than just one guy (Hurdle). The team has been underachieving since October 2007. Who is the leader on the team...the captain if you will...after Holliday was sacrificed? Helton? Hawpe? Hmmm...

 

[MrTitleist]

I think Helton's been the undisputed leader for a long time, but he's battling injuries every season with his back, so how effective can he be as a leader? He's gotten his production back so far this year, but how long will he last. Atkins has forgotten how to hit a baseball, Ianetta (before he went on the DL) had a monster spring and WBC but can't find the baseball anymore, Hawpe is mashing, Tulo is fielding but not hitting.. Rocks can't seem to get De La Rosa run support, he's 0-6 now or something.. the bullpen is a mess. A lot of things are undermining the Rockies, not just Hurdle. Has been a nice start to the year for Seth Smith and Spillborghs as well. They have a long way to go, but the owners need to loosen the purse strings to keep guys like Holliday, Atkins, Tulo, etc around.