Colorado Rockies Report: Clint Hurdle in Tough Situation

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle is faced with a very difficult situation going into the 2009 season.

Owners Dick and Charlie Monfort have made it clear that Hurdle, as well as general manager Dan O'Dowd, will have to prove themselves this season in order to keep their jobs beyond 2009.

Both Hurdle and O'Dowd are entering the final year of a two-year extension that they signed on opening day of 2007, a year in which Hurdle led the team to their first World Series appearance in franchise history.

The Rockies faced huge expectations entering the 2008 season.  They faltered in the early weeks and never recovered.  They finished with a 74-88 record, only good enough for third place in the weak National League West.

In the final weeks of the season, upper management made it clear that the results were not good enough and announced that a decision would be made along the lines of coaches in the dugout.

The message was sent loud and clear.  The men that Hurdle had personally hired to lead his team would be let go, and O'Dowd and the Monforts would have more of a voice in who would be coaching underneath Hurdle.

The results are two former Major League managers sitting in the dugout: Jim Tracy, serving as bench coach, and former Rockies manager Don Baylor, the new hitting coach.

The writing is on the wall for Hurdle: Start strong or be replaced.

The hot seat is never a surprise to a Major League manager.  However, a manager must hope that while on the hot seat, ownership will open its wallet to put a quality team on the field.

As the 2008 season came to a close, most people following the Rockies knew that Hurdle would not get a chance to defend his job with the services of slugger Matt Holliday and closer Brian Fuentes, both three-time all-stars. 

Most pundits thought, however, that Holliday would be moved only for a Major League-ready prospect who projected to be a number two or number three starter.  Rumors swirled that the Rox were discussing Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz, a young starter who already has notched a no-hitter.

The thought behind Holliday was that the Rockies would wait until Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira had signed deals with teams, making the losers of the bidding desperate for a slugging outfielder.

The result was anything but that.

The Rockies traded Matt Holliday two weeks after the World Series ended, before free agents could sign with new teams.

To make matters worse, the Rockies, while receiving three highly touted players, did not receive a front-of-the-rotation starter.

Garrett Atkins becomes the next issue for the Rockies, as reports are saying that they are waiting for Casey Blake to sign before they plan to deal Atkins as well.

The loss of Holliday, Fuentes, and potentially Atkins puts Hurdle in a very difficult situation.

Holliday and Atkins combined for 46 home runs and 187 RBI, each ranking most and second-most in these categories for the team.

The loss of Fuentes, the Rockies' all-time saves leader, means the Rox lose 30 saves and 82 strikeouts, only receiving two compensation draft picks in return.

That means that for the Rockies, they will be entering the 2009 season with essentially the same starting rotation, but without their all-time saves leader in the bullpen, and without their two biggest threats in the middle of the lineup.

While Chris Iannetta made strides to show that he is ready to be a force in the middle of the lineup, he is still young and the jury is still out on how his body will react to a full season behind the plate.

The moves were huge money saving moves for the Rockies brass, something they have been extremely concerned with since the failed signings of pitchers Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle.

While Hurdle needs to take his fair share of the blame for the failed 2008 season, it seems slightly unfair to place two ready replacements in the dugout with him, and then trade away his best and potentially second-best hitters, and not even attempt to sign the best closer the franchise has seen.

The message seems extremely clear to Hurdle: Win now, with less talent, or be the scapegoat for another three to five years of rebuilding.