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Colorado Rockies Hit A Home Run With Bud Black

By Steve Contursi

May 10, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; General view of a Colorado Rockies glove and hat during the seventh inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Dodgers defeated the Rockies 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
May 10, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; General view of a Colorado Rockies glove and hat during the seventh inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Dodgers defeated the Rockies 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Wherever Bud Black has been and no matter what his responsibilities have been, good things have happened.  He’s now the choice of the Colorado Rockies to move the team from the depths of mediocrity to a genuine contender in a division that is there for the taking. And he just might do it.

When you are talking about Bud Black, you have to ask the question – which Bud Black are you talking about? Do you mean the Bud Black who pitched in the major leagues for 15 years averaging twelve wins a season? Or, do you mean the Bud Black who was the pitching coach for the Los Angeles Angels for six years and won a Championship in 2002?

Or, maybe you mean Bud Black the front office Special Assistant to the General Manager of the Los Angeles Angels. Actually, at the moment all we’re interested in talking about is Bud Black’s appointment as Manager of the Colorado Rockies .

The Colorado Rockies have never really put a bad team on the field. But it’s also true that they haven’t put a good product on the field since 2007 when, over the course of 29 days in September and early October, the Rockies won 21 games and lost just once, shocking the baseball world en route to the World Series.

In between and more recently, they’ve just sort of been there. They’re a team you play on the schedule. The challenge for Bud Black, at first anyway, is to make the team relevant. He’s well equipped to do that because he takes to heart the need for a 21st Century manager to be a commentator, essentially with the 25 men who will largely determine his fate when all is said and done.

Managing 101 In The 21st Century

Those of you who have been following along know that (I count) the ability to communicate as the primary skill set that a manager must have. And you’ll recall Andrew Miller speaking out regarding his use by Joe Girardi when he was a Yankee. Joe Girardi, the stoic non-commentator. Versus Joe Maddon, Mr. Motivator , the man who practices the art of communication day and night.

In his own words , Bud Black puts it this way:

"“That’s what I do; I talk to my players,” Black said. “People have asked, ‘What’s your managerial style?’ Open communication is important. In this day and age, players are curious about what’s going on, and it has to come from the manager and the coaches.”"

At the moment, it’s unclear what the front office’s plans are for the 2017 Rockies. But it’s almost a lock that Black would have made the point that he expects to be involved in the player personnel decisions that are made.

Rockies Strategy Includes Matt Holliday?

Of immediate interest is the status of Matt Holiday who declined the Qualifying Offer of the Cardinals and is now a free agent. ESPN is reporting that Holliday may be interested in a return to the Rockies because “Holliday began his MLB career with the Rockies in 2004 and helped them reach the World Series in 2007. He finished second in National League MVP voting that season, which ended with Colorado ultimately coming up short against the Boston Red Sox in the Fall Classic”

Next: Potential Landing Spots for Trumbo

But it’s comments like this one that will define the future of both the Rockies and Bud Black from a story posted on MLB.com:

"“Onetime Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes played his final big league games with Black’s Padres in 2015, quietly scrapping for time behind the younger Alexi Amarista. Barmes didn’t ask, but Black explained his playing-time decisions and checked in with Barmes periodically. Barmes noticed that Black’s treatment of a player didn’t swing with the player’s performance.”"

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