Colorado Rockies: 3 pressing questions after the Bill Schmidt move

On Saturday, the Colorado Rockies did the most Colorado Rockies thing possible as owner Dick Monfort removed the interim tag off Bill Schmidt’s role as general manager, staying inside the organization with the all-important hire that will shape the future of the franchise for many seasons to come.

As disappointing as this announcement is for those who were wanting someone from outside of the organization to get the position, it comes as no surprise to those who regularly follow the Rockies that this decision was made.

If Monfort and Schmidt hold a press conference on the decision in the coming days, I have some hard-hitting questions that I would like to have answered.

Here are 3 questions to ask about the Colorado Rockies elevating Bill Schmidt to the general manager position without an interim tag

Question #1: What other candidates were interviewed/had interest in the position?

This question will likely be dodged, but it is very important. The reputation around the league seems to be that Monfort has created a toxic environment throughout the Rockies’ organization. If that’s the case, were there any highly qualified candidates from outside of the organization interested in becoming part of a club with such a bad culture?

Question #2: Does Schmidt have the freedom to make all of the big decisions without having Monfort sign off on them?

Monfort is known to be a very “hands-on” owner and is involved in almost every decision. Will he finally relinquish some control and let Schmidt do his job?

At the trade deadline, the Rockies made one minor move, but held onto some extremely valuable trade commodities, especially Trevor Story who will likely sign to play somewhere else this winter.  Was the lack of a move due to the lack of a trade fit or because Monfort didn’t want to pull the trigger?

Question #3: What is the biggest priority heading into the offseason?

The Rockies were better than many expected this seasons, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a ton of holes to fill on the roster. Is there any chance of bringing Story back and, if not, how is he replaced in the lineup? Will they try to resign C.J. Cron? What about the starting rotation and the possible return of Jon Gray? What can they do to restructure the bullpen?

Schmidt has a lot on his plate in order to turn the Rockies back into a winner. Rockies fans really hope he is the right man for the job.