The good will generated by "Rocktober" is officially over, at least for me.
After today's 11-4 loss in Pittsburgh, Hurdle's record as the manager of the Rockies stands at a paltry 530-619. That's a .461 winning percentage in 8-plus seasons at the helm since taking over for Buddy Bell 22 games into the 2002 season.
With only one winning season in that bunch, largely the result of the aforementioned run in 2007, it's time for a change in leadership. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca should be sent packing as well.
Watching the inconsistent efforts of this team has led me to believe that it's not an issue of talent. I firmly believe this lineup and pitching staff are capable of better than what we've seen the first six weeks of this year.
Despite the team's struggles and a number of opportunities that would have made a lot of sense, Hurdle has yet to be tossed from a game in 2009. The call against Seth Smith the other night in Pittsburgh would have gotten most managers riled enough to get sent packing, if for no other reason than to try to light a fire under the team.
Not Hurdle. Bobby Cox, he ain't.
I get the fact that baseball is a game played best when you're under control. That said, sometimes you need to lose it to let people know you have a pulse and care about the outcome on the field. We almost never see Hurdle exhibit that sort of concern.
Hurdle is a stand-up guy, and part of me wonders if he has ever gone to Dan O'Dowd to tell O'Dowd to fire him for the sake of the team and organization. Honestly, that would not surprise me.
The Rockies progressed from "Todd and the Toddlers" to World Series participants and then took a giant step backward in 2008. That slide has continued into the start of the 2009 season and does not appear to be letting up anytime soon.
Change has to start at the top, and that means Hurdle should be relieved of his duties immediately.
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