Colorado Rockies news and links for Friday, April 18, 2025
Eighteen games into the freefall that is the 2025 season, the Rockies finally pulled the cord on the parachute. It may be too soon to know if the parachute works, but at least they did something to slow the death spiral.
On Thursday, with a 3-15 record and ranking 30th in runs (52 for 2.89 per game) and 29th in strikeouts (195 for 10.83 per game), the Rockies fired hitting coach Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens. Meulens was hired in 2023, just in time for the Rockies to record their two worst seasons in franchise history. While Meulens found success in his tenure as a hitting coach with the Giants, the same results never came close to happening in Colorado.
Clint Hurdle, who has spent 20 years of his professional life with the Rockies, most recently as a special assistant to general manager Bill Schmidt since 2022, will be stepping in as the hitting coach “for the remainder of the season,” according to Schmidt.
Another in-house promotion, the announcement was nonetheless surprising, coming just 21 days into the season. Hurdle, an outgoing storyteller who radiates positivity and relishes the chance to work with young players, could bring a much-needed shift in vibe and mindset to the dugout. Coincidentally, this is all evident in Hurdle’s new book Hurdle-isms: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Baseball, which was reviewed by Purple Row’s own Skyler Timmins.
Of course, the change doesn’t reconstruct the roster or change operations in the front office. It doesn’t solve the Rockies pitching problems or present the solution to playing at altitude to sea level and back again. It doesn’t mean the Rockies are suddenly competitive, but it is a change and that matters in an organization that is all too often opposed to change of any kind. In that light, the move fits a pattern the Rockies often fall back on.
The Rockies have had 12 different hitting coaches in their history. The list includes famous baseball names like Ken Griffey, Sr. and Art Howe, in addition to former Rockies Dante Bichette and Alan Cockrell. Hurdle isn’t the first Rockie to hold two different stints as a hitting coach as Cockrell and Duane Espy both did it as well. Hurdle isn’t even the first former manager to take the role as Don Baylor, the organization’s first manager (1993-98), returned as the hitting in 2009 and 2010.
The move could bring an interesting power dynamic to the coaching staff as Hurdle will be joining Bud Black’s staff. Between the two, they’ve managed the Rockies for 17 years of their 32 seasons of existence. Both are 67 years old and now have to try to rediscover a Rockies offense that’s M.I.A.
One positive is that Hurdle knows about playing in Major League Baseball as a young, top prospect. He debuted at age 20 in 1977 with the Kansas City Royals as a first-round draft pick. The next year, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Injuries ended up plaguing his chances at success and by 1982 his back problems prevented him from being an everyday player. He retired from MLB after the 1987 season.
Transitioning to coaching, Hurdle found his way to the Rockies minor league system in 1994. In 1997, Hurdle first held Colorado’s hitting coach role under Don Baylor. He stayed for five and a half years through managerial changes with Jim Leyland and Buddy Bell. When Bell was fired in 2002, Hurdle was named manager where he stayed in to the 2009 season when he was fired and replaced by Jim Tracy. He left with a 534-625 record as Rockies manager for a .461 winning percentage, which is higher than Black’s .446 (540-672).
Hurdle took over as manager of the Pirates in 2011, where he stayed before being fired in 2019. He took the Pirates to the postseason three times and posted a 735-720 record. He stepped away from the game for a bit, but soon began talks with Dick Monfort about joining the Rockies in a role that suited him. A baseball lifer, he just couldn’t resist the call to come back when Schmidt
“My wife will tell you that I failed retirement,” Hurdle said at Rockies Fest prior to the 2024 season.
At the same session, Hurdle also made it clear he was happy to put his managing days behind him.
“I have been blessed with a lot of Major League time. I have over 30 years of Major League experience. So the bright lights, I don’t need to be under the bright lights,” adding that he liked having more time with his family. “The Major League thing – it’s in the rear view mirror. I enjoyed it and I want to put in all my efforts and energies into bringing back and helping building a championship team. A world championship team here at Coors Field. That’s easier to say when you are not the manager.”
With Hurdle’s comments and Schmidt’s inclusion of the words “the remainder of the season,” it’s likely safe to say this is not intended to be a long-term solution.
Perhaps Hurdle has been tasked with being a life vest on Black’s sinking ship?
Perhaps he’s serving as a bridge to a new future with a new coaching staff?
Regardless of the internal discussions, intentions and long-term plans, at least the Rockies front office did something. The bar may be low, but Meulens’ dismissal and Hurdle’s title shift reveal that a .167 winning percentage isn’t acceptable.
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On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 11, El Paso Chihuahuas 8
Despite jumping out to a 6-1 lead, the Istopes found themselves down 7-6 after the top of the sixth innings, but Albuquerque rallied back for the win on Thursday. Warming Bernable homered twice, once on a two-run shot and a solo bomb, Keston Hiura hit a two-run shot, Aaron Schunk added three hits and two RBIs including an RBI triple, Jordan Beck hit a run-scoring triple, Owen Miller hit a sacrifice fly and drew an RBI walk and Ronaiker Palma had a three-hit night and scored two runs. The run support helped Tanner Gordon avoid the loss despite giving up five runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts. Ryan Rolison picked up the win after throwing 1 1⁄3 scoreless innings and Zach Agnos picked up his second save of the season.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 6, Portland Sea Dogs 3
Small ball paid off for Hartford on Thursday. Down 3-0, Jose Torres singled and Jose Cordova doubled to jumpstart a three-run second inning and small ball in the fifth inning fueled another three-run frame that helped the Yard Goats rally back for a win. GJ Hill added an RBI bunt single, Dylan Jorge hit an RBI sac grounder, Juan Guerrero reached on a fielding error with the bases loaded and Torres also added an RBI sac fly.
High-A: Hillsboro Hops 4, Spokane Indians 3 (10)
Druw Jones hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to help the Hops win on Thursday. Skyler Messinger had two hits and scored a run, Tevin Tucker also added two hits and drove one in and Jared Thomas posted a hit a scored a run in Spokane’s loss.
Single-A: Lake Elsinore Storm 9, Fresno Grizzlies 4
After six scoreless innings, Tommy Hopfe hit a two-run double in the seventh and Kelvin Hidalgo hit a two-run homer, but it wasn’t enough to allow the Grizzlies to come back. Hopfe went 2-for-3 with a walk. Brody Brecht had a rough start, giving up five runs on five hits, including two homers, with five strikeouts. Fresno pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts on the night.
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Troy Renck is in favor of the Rockies latest move, hoping that Hurdle’s style brings change. But he also hints of worries of more of the same with an internal hire.
Rockies fans might be sold on torpedo bats | KDVR FOX 31
A study published by RotoGrinders show that Rockies fans rank No. 4 in favorable opinions on torpedo bats.
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