There may be a lockout preventing the Colorado Rockies from improving their on-field talent, but that hasn’t prevented them from adding a notable free agent to their front office.
On Thursday, it was announced that Clint Hurdle would be returning to the organization as a special assistant to the general manager.
Manager for the beloved 2007 Rockies that won 14 of 15 games to close out the season and swept their way through the National League playoffs to reach the franchise’s only World Series, Hurdle is back with the club where he’s had his biggest success.
“We are extremely excited to welcome back Clint Hurdle to the Rockies organization,” Senior Vice President and General Manager Bill Schmidt said in a press release. “Clint has a long history with the Rockies and in this game, and he brings a wealth of knowledge that will be incredibly valuable to this organization and our players.”
Hurdle most recently managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2011-19, taking them to the playoffs in three consecutive seasons from 2013-15 to end a 21-year postseason drought for the franchise. He won the 2013 NL Manager of the Year and finished with the fourth-most games managed for the 140-year-old organization.
With Colorado, he managed for parts of eight seasons, most of anyone in team history. His 534 wins – and 22 ejections – remain franchise records.
“I am thrilled to return to an organization that I love,” said Hurdle. “I’m looking forward to working with Bill (Schmidt) and his staff and helping out wherever they need me.”
Hurdle, 64, will assist with player development as well as with the MLB Draft, not to mention offering his signature positive attitude to anyone who will listen to a former manager with 1,269 career wins, 40th-most in Major League history.
Colorado has been busy over the past few months with some interesting hires from both within and outside the organization.
Since the final month of the 2021 season, Schmidt became the official general manager, Danny Montgomery was promoted to vice president and assistant general manager of scouting, Scott Van Lenten was added from the Washington Nationals as the new director of research and development, not to mention several new members of the analytics department.
With Hurdle, the Rockies are hoping they’ve put together the pieces for a winning front office that can translate to more victories on the diamond in the coming years.
