As Rox Fan in NY points out in the comments to the thread below, the Rockies have been making a couple of organizational moves to prep for the upcoming free agent season. First, Jeff Bridich replaces Thad Levine as director of Baseball Operations andn also, Danny Montgomery has been promoted within the scouting department to Assistant Director of Scouting according to the official site. Montogomery had been a national cross-checker for the Rox, and probably one of the more important people for us to retain. The Mets had expressed interest, but were rebuffed. Speaking of scouts, this is a little off topic, but I also hope we've retained area scout Damon Iannelli, who's doing a bang up job for us in the Southeast. Iannelli's name is attached to several of our brightest early round prospects, like Chris Nelson and Seth Smith, but also to hidden gems drafted later like Jim Miller, Scott Dohmann, and Corey Wimberly -as well as the surprising Jud Thigpen, who wasn't drafted at all (scroll down in this Rick Cleveland article from the Jackson Clarion Ledger for more on Thigpen). So I just want to give props to an unsung figure in the organization who's done a lot to strengthen it in the last few years.
There have been some bigger rumblings around the division, Dan O' Dowd acolytes Paul DePodesta (recommended by O'Dowd to Oakland's Billy Bean as an assistant GM) and former Rockies' assistant GM, Josh Byrnes are headed in opposite directions. DePodesta was DePosed as Dodgers' GM, while Byrnes was hired as the Diamondbacks new guy. Earlier in the summer in the comments to this Larry Bigbie diary, Rockiesbiggestfan had linked this article by Tracy Ringolsby in the News concerning Byrnes and his involvement in the deal with Boston that went sour so fast. I think there's a natural rivalry slowly fomenting between the D-backs and Rockies -at least I've noticed it since about the time of the failed Larry Walker for Matt Williams trade- and this hiring to me is seen as added fuel to the fire.
Update [2005-11-1 11:34:22 by Rox Girl]:Now according to ESPN's Sean McAdam the Larry Bigbie/Shoppach trade fiasco has played a part in Theo Epstein's break with the the Red Sox. It will take some sleuthing, but it will be interesting to learn the complete truth of this seemingly insignificant messed up deadline deal that's taken down a nation. Well, a Red Sox Nation at least.
As far as DePodesta, I think the Dodgers acted somewhat rashly, but DePo and Mr. Dodger himself, Tommy Lasorda, locked horns on several issues and that can't ever be a good thing in LaLa land. I would think that DePodesta will get another GM shot fairly soon (maybe Denver? Wouldn't that be ironic?) and he has all the tools to be successful at it.
More on the field news and rumors tomorrow - including the possible return of Shawn Estes- until then, ciao!