The Rockies Will Interview Outside Candidates For Vacant Manager Post

In a move that is surprisingly surprising, the Colorado Rockies announced that they will interview outside candidates for their open managerial post before making a new hire. Bench coach Tom Runnells and current-but-maybe-soon-to-be-retired slugger Jason Giambi are the two in-house candidates who have formally interviewed up to this point.

It is possible that Sandy Alomar Jr. will be included on the list of outside candidates whom the Rockies ask to interview to be their new manager. Image: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

There was some thought that the Rockies might announce a manager during the first couple days this week, in the gap in between the NLCS’s conclusion and the beginning of the World Series. This would have mostly been a concession to MLB’s wish that teams refrain from making major announcements during the World Series, but perhaps on a subterranean level it would have been an excuse to hand the job to a

yes man

in-house candidate without even bothering to interview those outside the organization.

The list of potential candidates (as provided by Troy Renck) is not terribly exciting, even if some of the names are familiar. It includes Sandy Alomar Jr., Brad Ausmus, and Mike Gallego, all of whom have previous ties to the Rockies. But even with the dreariness that was the state of the franchise during their previous tenures, none of them know the doom and gloom that currently besets the club. Combined with the front office structure that finds assistant general manager Bill Geivett in the locker room, it’s entirely feasible that some of these candidates will decline to interview with the Rockies, even with limited manager vacancies this offseason.

Before I conclude, I am obligated to at least note the news out of Miami today, where the Marlins fired Ozzie Guillen (after they traded for him just one year ago). This probably impacts the Rockies because it means outside candidates have one more vacancy to consider (in addition to them and the Toronto Blue Jays). This probably does not impact them in terms of their list of candidates; it is hard to imagine them being interested in a manager who is an absolute certainty to speak up if he disagrees with something, like, say, an “innovative” front office where his boss travels with the team.

The World Series starts tomorrow, which means we can all take a breath and wait for a while to learn who the new manager will be.