The Colorado Rockies were expected to name their new head of baseball operations this week. After Bill Schmidt and the organization agreed to part ways in early October, it was announced that Walker Monfort would spearhead the search for an outside hire to lead the organization.
After a historically bad season in 2025 that saw the Rockies lose 119 games while setting numerous dubious records along the way, it was refreshing to see some of the team begin to acknowledge that change was needed. As the playoffs raged, nuggets of news would drop about candidates that had had preliminary interviews with the team. Eventually, it was narrowed down to two known finalists: Arizona Diamondbacks assistant general manager Amiel Sawdaye and Cleveland Guardians assistant general manager Matt Forman
Then proverbial things hit the fan.
As the World Series concluded and the start of the offseason began, reports quickly flooded in that neither Sawdaye nor Forman was in the running anymore and that the Rockies were starting the search over. Additionally, it was reported that former Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino has been in touch with owner Dick Monfort about the openings in the front office for some reason.
At first, it was unclear what had happened to stall everything, but MLB insider Jon Heyman reported on Tuesday that one declined an offer and the other dropped out of consideration. Now, with roster moves already starting to happen and the clock ticking faster before the GM meetings in Las Vegas this weekend, the Rockies are proving to still be the same dysfunctional mess as they have always been.
There was hope that the embarrassment of the 2025 season had finally opened the eyes of the owner to relinquish control and let baseball people make baseball decisions. There was some hope that change would come, thanks to his son, who could have at least learned from the sins of the father.
The search was led by Walker, but league sources indicated to Brittany Ghriloli of The Athletic that Dick was involved in the interviewing process. It’s pretty standard for the owner to be involved in hiring his GM or President of Baseball Operations, but history indicates that his involvement has likely undercut his son and imposed his meddling ways on the operations of the team.
Monfort has continually tried to insert himself into a prominent decision-making role with the team. Since he and his brother took control of the majority ownership in 2005, Monfort absorbed more duties of the team as he became CEO due to Charlie Monfort’s struggles in his personal life. After the untimely death of team president Keli McGregor in 2010, Monfort essentially absorbed that job out of respect for his friend, until he promoted long-time employee Greg Feasel to club president in 2021 before promoting his son to the position over the summer.
It was Monfort who was adamant about signing Kris Bryant a year after trading Nolan Arenado because he wanted a star face to sell tickets. He has constantly nixed trades for players and blocked the organization from pursuing specific routes of hiring people and effectively changing the operations of the team. Even now, after the worst season in Rockies history, he remains stuck in his ways, believing that he knows best.
Why would two qualified finalists bail on a major career promotion? Troy Renck of The Denver Post reported a source indicated that candidates might have balked at being restricted in personnel moves. The claim isn’t outlandish due to the fact that Monfort likes control. He had delegated the hiring process to his son and look how long that lasted. He didn’t go a month before he stuck his hands and potentially killed the momentum of hiring someone.
After three decades of ineptitude, Monfort is still unwilling to relinquish control and let someone fix his team. It has always felt to me that he’s desperate to be loved in the city of Denver, as he continues to build things in LoDo. A fancy hotel or nice bar doesn’t change the fact the Rockies are the worst team in baseball. There is a sense of ego and pride that he wants to be the one to fix the problem and make them a winning team by doing things his way, and his way only.
That notion has been backed up by his comments about how tough it is to compete with big-spending teams like San Diego and Los Angeles. Reports have also indicated that Monfort will be vocal in the Collective Bargaining Agreement next offseason, fighting not just for a salary cap for players, but a salary cap for all spending in an organization. He doesn’t want to overhaul the front office until there is a new labor agreement in place.
According to a “representative” of one of the candidates that DNVR’s Christian Saez talked to, offers stalled out because the Rockies did not want to offer new contracts to new staff hired in the front office and have to pay those people with a presumed lockout in 2027.
Hesitating to do anything because there might be new rules in place in 2027 or because you are worried about paying for better front office personnel is not the way to run a baseball team. Acting like the kid on the playground who tries to change the rules because he is failing is not an indication of an innovative or competitive mindset. 2025 was a clear indication of what Monfort’s leadership has done for baseball in Colorado. It’s stagnant, boring, and reeks of failure.
Monfort is stuck in his ways, and as long as he tries to meddle with baseball operations, the team is going to have a tough time getting someone from the outside who is qualified and capable of changing baseball at 20th and Blake. Sure, the job may be enticing for many executives, but the realization that an owner will be leering over their shoulder, blocking them as they see fit to do anything, is not a healthy work environment.
There certainly could be more to this beyond Monfort usurping his son’s decision-making process, but the fact of the matter is that the 2025 regular season was a disaster, so it’s only fitting that the offseason be one as well. It’s time for ownership to stop getting in its own way and instead surround itself with modern baseball people who can make modern baseball decisions.
Monfort continues to seem to truly only care about his revenue streams rather than putting together a competent and competitive organization. And now, the team’s back is against the wall with no clarity of direction. The team can cry poverty and complain about the league’s landscape, but no change in the CBA is going to fix this team. Trying to hire a short-term GM or a simple “yes man” who will accept the restraints of running baseball operations is a recipe for failure.
Otherwise, Monfort just needs to name himself GM and end the charade.
Surprise Saguaros 14, Salt River Rafters 8
After a strong start on the mound for the Salt River Rafters, the bullpen ended up coughing up 12 runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to cost the Rafters the game. Welinton Herrera appeared in relief in that eighth inning, and while he didn’t have any runs attributed to him, two inherited runners came in to score. Offensively, Jared Thomas and Charlie Condon had good games once again. Thomas went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI as well as two walks. Condon went 2-for-6 with an RBI.
Prospect Vargas turning a corner after Tommy John surgery | MLB.com
Jordy Vargas had a lengthy recovery this season, trying to get back into shape from his 2023 Tommy John surgery, but 2025 proved a good year of growth and learning for the young righty. He is Rule-5 Draft eligible this offseason if the Rockies don’t add him to the 40-man roster.
Affected by Altitude Episode 186: Sometimes the Bad Guys Win | Rocky Mountain Rooftop
Evan Lang and I talk about the Dodgers World Series win and then dive into the confusion about the GM search. Be sure to find the show on your favorite podcast platform and on YouTube for the video version.
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