The Rockies can do better than Bud Black for new manager

Kiszla: Why Bud Black makes sense as Colorado Rockies next manager – The Denver Post

Mark Kiszla's answer to the question asked in the title is because "Bud Black thinks like a pitcher." It's not clear what that means. He also implies that the Rockies don't need somebody who thinks like a hitter because "the Rockies know how to hit, always have," as if wearing a Rockies uniform imbues the wearer with the ability to square up a baseball, and as if the manager thinking like a pitcher will also somehow lead to good pitching.

Bud Black would be a fine but conservative choice because he happens to be the available manager with a lot of experience, and it's a choice I hope the Rockies don't make. I'm willing to be persuaded that Black is a good and right choice for the Rockies, but that compelling argument won't be found in this article.

The Rockies should be hiring somebody soon. My gut says that it will be either Dave Martinez or Sandy Alomar, but there's nothing behind that other than feeling and a touch of hope.

Saunders: Statistical review of Rockies season paints hit-and-miss picture – The Denver Post

Patrick Saunders passes on some of the statistically based storylines that the Rockies previously passed on to him. There are some interesting things there, but as with all statistics, there's a lot of missing context. For instance, he writes: "Good news about the offense: The Rockies’ 205 home runs were the fifth-most in franchise." That's less impressive when you consider that home runs are up league-wide. It's less a statistic about the Rockies than it is about league trends. For example, seven of the top 20 team home runs seasons from 2007-2016 took place in 2016. \\

The same goes for this: "But some bad comes with the good: Their 1,330 strikeouts were the most in franchise history, and they have now set a new franchise-high mark in strikeouts for three consecutive seasons." Strikeouts are also up league-wide and have been increasing for several years, so this is just a remark about the Rockies as they relate to baseball today without reference baseball today. Old or new, statistics need context to be meaningful.

The Shift: Redesigning Baseball’s Defense - 99% Invisible

This article and podcast has an interesting overview of the shift in baseball history, from Ted Williams to Rob Manfred's floated idea of banning it in order to increase offense.