There’s a little more than a month left in the MLB regular season, and the biggest question the Colorado Rockies face is can they string some wins together to vault into the thick of the National League Wild Card race.
It seems highly unlikely. As of Monday afternoon, they sat 6 ½ games out. Four teams — the Cardinals, Pirates, Marlins and Mets — are ahead of them. Fan Graphs gives the Rockies a 0.3 percent chance to nab one of the Wild Cart spots. So don’t hold your breath on that one.
There is, however, another massive question lingering: Who will the Rockies’ manager be in 2017? Walt Weiss’ contract is up after the season, and it remains unclear whether the Rockies want him back.
Weiss was asked prior to Monday’s game against the Dodgers if any progress had been made on a new deal. He offered a one-sentence response:
“There won’t be any conversations until after the season.”
Unless the Rockies make a miraculous playoff run, the season will wrap up Oct. 2 against the Brewers. The Rockies' 62-68 record as of Monday afternoon puts them on pace for a 77-win season, which would be their highest win total in Weiss’ four seasons at the helm.
Weiss took over for Jim Tracy in 2012. Colorado went 74-88 that year, then won 66 and 68 games in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The team has seemed to turn a corner this year. Young players such as Trevor Story (prior to his season-ending injury), David Dahl, Jon Gray and Tyler Anderson have showed promise, and veterans like Charlie Blackmon and D.J. LeMahieu are playing the best ball of their careers.
The Rockies might be serious contenders in the Wild Card race if it weren’t for injuries, most notably to Story and Mark Reynolds. They reeled off a 14-5 stretch of baseball immediately after the All-Star break. Then the injuries and bullpen issues hit them.
Unless something changes, we probably won’t know Weiss’ fate until the season is over. General manager Jeff Bridich will have a decision to make. It should be noted that Bridich wasn’t the GM when Weiss was brought aboard in 2012 and then offered a three-year extension in 2013. It’s possible, despite the progress Colorado’s made this season, Bridich wants to go in a different direction with a manager of his choosing.
We’ll know more in October.
