Colorado Rockies: 5 things we learned from Bud Black and Bill Schmidt

1 of 3

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MAY 01: Trevor Story #27 of the Colorado Rockies warms up in the dugout during the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 01, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks 14-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Prior to Wednesday afternoon’s getaway game, Colorado Rockies manager and newly tabbed interim general manager Bill Schmidt spoke to the media, including Rox Pile.

We learned five things from them about how Schmidt views the team and how the Rockies will look going forward.

Here’s what they had to say.

Bill Schmidt on what could happen with Trevor Story and Jon Gray

Schmidt was asked multiple times by multiple reporters on Zoom about what the future of Trevor Story and Jon Gray will be with the Rockies.

After all, if Schmidt ends up just being the interim GM and the Rockies find another GM this offseason, his tenure will end up being known for what he ended up doing with Story and Gray and, ultimately, on whether or not Schmidt helped the Rockies find a path to take since they are currently at a crossroads.

So, here’s what he had to say about the future of Story and Gray in a Rockies uniform.

“We’ll address that at the appropriate time and now is not the appropriate time,” said Schmidt.

That was the entire quote for the first time he was asked. He doubled down when somebody else asked about it in a different way.

“Like I said, we’ll address that at an appropriate time,” said Schmidt. “Right now, he’s a Rockie. When you draft and develop kids, yes, you fall in love with them. You care a lot about them, because you’ve known them when they’re 17, 18 years old and your intent is always, as a scouting director, that they’re going to be with the Rockies forever (but the) reality is, as we know, is not case. There will be an appropriate time to (discuss that)”.

When asked if it would be him, owner Dick Monfort, and/or Rockies President Greg Feasel in charge of trying to extend him, Schmidt said “I’d like to think that I’d be a part of that conversation and we’ll do it as a group.”

DENVER, CO – APRIL 8: Relief pitcher Yency Almonte #62 of the Colorado Rockies delivers to home plate during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on April 8, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

Rockies interim GM Bill Schmidt on the term “rebuild”

When Nolan Arenado was traded this offseason, Rockies fans and media read the tea leaves and said that it looked like the Rockies were rebuilding. Nolan Arenado said himself that he thought the Rockies organization looked like they were rebuilding.

However, Dick Monfort and then-GM Jeff Bridich said that they didn’t believe that they were in a rebuild and Monfort even said that he thought that they had an “exceptionally talented team.”

Thus far in 2021, the Rockies have, once again, not shown that on the field, after they went 71-91 in 2019, 26-34 in 2020, and, entering Wednesday, had the worst record in the National League at 11-19.

But the Rockies still do not believe they are in a rebuild, according to Schmidt.

“I wouldn’t use the term ‘rebuild,'” said Schmidt. “I think there are pieces here that can help us going forward. We’re always going to be a ‘draft, sign, and develop’ organization. That’s who we are. There’s going to be players that come and go but we’re going to rely on the majority of our players are going to be acquired through international (signings and) the (Amateur) Draft.”

Black on Kyle Freeland, Yency Almonte, and Brendan Rodgers injuries

Before Schmidt spoke, Rockies manager Bud Black provided a few updates on things, including injury updates on Kyle Freeland, Yency Almonte, and Brendan Rodgers

Black said that he was “encouraged” by Freeland and Almonte’s simulated games on Tuesday. Freeland threw two innings and Almonte threw a 16-pitch simulated inning. Rodgers also faced them in their simulated games.

All three will travel with the team to St. Louis this weekend to have simulated games and ABs and if all goes well for Freeland and Rodgers in those this weekend, they would be sent out on minor-league rehab assignments.

DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 20: Dom Nunez #3 of the Colorado Rockies hits a solo home run against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Coors Field on April 20, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Black on Dom Nunez’s spot in the lineup

In Game 1 of the doubleheader on Tuesday and Wednesday’s game, Bud Black has had Dom Nunez hitting 7th, instead of the customary 8th spot, so we asked him whether or not we may see this more.

He said that we likely will but we still may occasionally see him in the 8th spot. He said he doesn’t plan on hitting him higher than sixth in the lineup due to his strikeout rate so far (42.2 percent of the time, entering Wednesday).

Nunez also has the second-highest whiff percentage of any player to be on the Rockies in 2021 (Sam Hilliard is number one and he’s back in Albuquerque for a reason) and that whiff rate is in the bottom one percent of the league.

Nunez is in the top 9 percent in barrel rate (16.7 percent compared to the league average of 6.5 percent) but he is in the bottom 13 percent in average exit velocity. So, in other words, he has been striking out or hitting home runs.

In fact, he has had one of those two things happen in 56.14 percent of his at-bats, entering Wednesday.

Black on the taxi squad moving forward

Bud Black also filled us in on how the Rockies will likely use the taxi squad for their upcoming road trip.

And it will likely look different than previous roadtrips.

“Well, what we’re planning on doing–and this can change–but we’re planning on having most of our players play (in the minor leagues) and not have them away from competition,” said Black. “So we’ll probably have a lesser taxi squad and I think most teams are doing that, because they want their players playing. It will be very similar to what we normally do for the pandemic, of course, (with) a lot of these protocol restrictions in place. “(But) if we need to make a move, or access to player, we’ll do what we did two years ago, in 2019: call Albuquerque or Hartford and say ‘we need someone’ so then, our people who make that happen (can) get that player on a plane and get him to whatever point (like it has been) done for 100 years.”

So instead of a five-man taxi squad, we will likely see a smaller taxi squad of players going forward and depending on the location of the minor league teams and where the Rockies are playing in relation to them, we may not even see them utilitze it.

The worst-case scenario is happening for the Rockies rotation. dark. Next

The Rockies will have an off-day tomorrow before going to St. Louis for what will likely be an emotional series before, again, returning home but for a longer homestand with three against the Padres and four against the Cincinnati Reds. The Rockies will then head to San Diego for three games and an off day … just to return home for another three-game homestand and go back on the road again to end May.

Home / Colorado Rockies News

Colorado Rockies notebook: Five things we learned from Bud Black and interim GM Bill Schmidt today

Bill Schmidt on what could happen with Trevor Story and Jon Gray

Rockies interim GM Bill Schmidt on the term “rebuild”

Black on Kyle Freeland, Yency Almonte, and Brendan Rodgers injuries

More from Rox Pile

Black on Dom Nunez’s spot in the lineup

Black on the taxi squad moving forward

Schedule