Is Bud Black a fit for the Colorado Rockies?

Even before the expected news of the Rockies and Walt Weiss parting ways broke, fans were already trying to figure out who the next manager of the Colorado Rockies should be. A popular name from the start was Bud Black, the former manager of the San Diego Padres. Because Black may be one of the most experienced names being bandied about, his track record lets us examine what kind of manager he would most likely be.

Bud Black is an old-school manager who is more like Weiss than I think many fans realize. Padres fans complained that he bunted too much and he didn’t mind hitting some of his worst hitters second in the lineup because they could move runners over. While not as bad as the Rockies (second in the NL) the Padres were still above average (fifth in the NL) in their non-pitcher bunt attempts during his tenure.

Black also was a firm believer in bullpen roles and keeping guys in a predetermined inning regardless of leverage or situation.

While Black has a good reputation of being able to handle the pitching staff, which is a plus, it was his pitching staff that got him fired in 2015. Also it’s tough to discern how much of the Padres and Angels (where he was a pitching coach and now a special assistant) pitching staff being good is simply a reflection of the parks they play in. Looking at the Padres team pitching numbers from 2004 till now and it’s tough to pinpoint where Black started and was fired.

Nolan Arenado wants next Rockies manager to be fiery, but have players’ backs | Denver Post

Nolan Arenado wants a new manager with more fire than the last one. This isn’t surprising considering the fiery episode he had in the dugout against the Padres earlier this year. Arenado saw that the team was lacking fire and no one else was stepping up to get the team to play with more energy.

Colorado Rockies Manager Search: What About Eric Young Sr.? | RoxPile.com

Kevin breaks down Eric Young Sr. as a candidate. Because there is no managerial track record it’s tough to know exactly what kind of manger he would be. He was a fan favorite during his time playing with the Rockies, and would be a choice that the casual fan would immediately know.

I’m not opposed to the Rockies hiring from within if the person is genuinely the best candidate after an exhaustive internal and external search. However, Glenallen Hill would probably be my top internal candidate at this point.