Bud Black is making a return, and for Rockies fans, that’s some news to take note of. Announced on Tuesday, the Rockies confirmed that Black would be coming back for his ninth season as the team’s manager. What’s even more exciting? He’s sticking around through the 2025 season, having agreed to a one-year contract extension.
For a team that’s had its fair share of ups and downs in recent seasons, keeping a familiar face like Bud Black at the helm feels like a steadying move. Sure, the Rockies haven’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard or stacking up wins lately, but General Manager Bill Schmidt sees things differently. In his own words, "While our recent results on the field did not meet expectations, we believe this team is heading in the right direction with the growth of very talented young players." Schmidt is clearly optimistic about the future of the Rockies, expressing confidence that Black's leadership, combined with the rising talent from the farm system, can turn things around.
Now, let’s be honest. Rockies fans haven’t had much to cheer about for a while. We’re talking two straight 100-loss seasons and six consecutive years of posting a losing record. Those numbers are tough to swallow. Many even speculated that Black, whose previous contract expired at the end of the season, might not return. But at 67 years old, Black remains optimistic and ready for the challenge. He firmly believes the Rockies can bounce back, much like the Royals, who just last year lost 106 games but made a surprising playoff push this fall.
In Black’s words, "I think anything is possible," and that optimism is a crucial part of why he’s returning. His confidence isn’t unfounded either. He’s got a few aces up his sleeve with young stars like shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle, both of whom he believes have All-Star potential. And the team’s defense? Black is all in on it. He’s seen positive signs from the bullpen too, particularly in the last five weeks of the season, where they showed some much-needed improvement.
But here’s the thing: Black’s got a massive uphill battle ahead. This past season, the Rockies went 61-101, one of the worst seasons in franchise history, and that’s saying something. The pitching staff? It struggled, big time. Offensively, the team wasn’t much better. In fact, they set a record nobody wants to break, tying with the Mariners for the highest strikeout rate in all of baseball at a whopping 26.8%. That’s a lot of swings and misses. And with 1,617 total strikeouts, they fell just eight shy of the Mariners. Unfortunately, both their strikeout rate and total number of strikeouts were the highest in Rockies history.
But Bud Black isn’t the kind of guy to back down from a challenge. He knows the team’s pitching needs to be more consistent. As he pointed out, "The consistency of the starting pitching has to be there ... and our pitching was not that, especially earlier in the year." Black understands that a team’s success hinges on good pitching, and he’s not sugarcoating things. The Rockies' pitching was too variable, and that hurt them when they needed to string together wins.
As for the offensive struggles, Black has spoken about it “ad nauseam,” according to him. Those strikeouts? They’ve got to come down. There’s no sugarcoating it. The roster might see some changes in the offseason, but if many of the same players come back, Black knows they’ll need to focus on making better contact at the plate. It’s that simple.
Now, despite the team’s struggles, Black has a lot of pride in his ability to communicate with his players, the staff, and even the media. He’s approachable, affable, and remains highly respected in the clubhouse. His tenure with the Rockies hasn’t been all bad, though. He’s the only manager in team history to lead the Rockies to the postseason in back-to-back years, something he accomplished in 2017 and 2018. His overall record in Colorado stands at 537-657, a figure that reflects both the highs and lows of his time with the team.
Yet, while he holds the title of winningest manager in Rockies history, he also holds the unfortunate distinction of having lost the most games. Injuries and a lack of overall talent have plagued the team, leading to some painful seasons, including back-to-back 100-loss campaigns, a feat that’s only happened twice in the team’s 32-year history.
Speaking of long-term managers, only four other current MLB managers have been with their teams as long as Bud Black has been with the Rockies: Kevin Cash of the Rays, Dave Roberts of the Dodgers, Brian Snitker of the Braves, and Torey Lovullo of the Diamondbacks. All of them have experienced more recent success than Black, but that doesn't shake his resolve.
Black was originally hired by the Rockies in November 2016, stepping into a role previously held by Walt Weiss. Under Weiss, the Rockies had posted a 75-87 record in 2016, their best since 2010, but still far from playoff contention. Black faced the daunting task of turning around a franchise that hadn’t seen a winning season since 2010 or a playoff appearance since 2009.
Fortunately for the Rockies, Black brought with him a deep understanding of pitching. With a background as a longtime player, coach, and manager, he helped build a strong rotation in 2017-18, featuring pitchers like German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, and Antonio Senzatela. This group of young arms played a critical role in the Rockies’ success during those years.
Black’s attitude toward pitching at Coors Field—one of the toughest parks to pitch in due to the altitude—was refreshing. "You need talent, but also need guys who are mentally tough," Black said. He emphasized the importance of drafting players who could shrug off a bad outing, bounce back, and not obsess over their ERA. For him, it was about outpitching the other team and finding a way to win, regardless of individual stats.
During Black’s first two seasons with the Rockies, the team saw real success. They earned a wild-card playoff spot in both 2017 and 2018, marking a rare achievement for the franchise. Black even finished third in National League Manager of the Year voting in both of those years. Notably, the Rockies managed to post winning road records in both seasons, a feat they had only accomplished twice before in franchise history.
The postseason, however, proved to be a different story. In 2017, the Rockies lost the wild-card game to Arizona, and in 2018, they nearly dethroned the Dodgers in the National League West, only to lose the division crown in a one-game playoff. While they did manage to beat the Cubs in the wild-card game at Wrigley Field, they were swept by the Brewers in the National League Division Series.
Things started to unravel for the Rockies after that, particularly with the departure of key players like DJ LeMahieu and the controversial trade of star third baseman Nolan Arenado to St. Louis in February 2021. Those moves left a hole in the team’s lineup that has yet to be filled.
Despite all the setbacks, Black remains a steady hand guiding a young, evolving roster. His return signifies a belief that the Rockies can once again find success, and with his experience, there’s reason to hope that brighter days are ahead for Colorado baseball fans.
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