Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss has resigned, the team announced Monday.
Weiss, 52, just completed the final year of a three-year contract.
The Rockies have gone 283-365 in Weiss' four years as manager, failing to reach the postseason during his tenure. The team went 75-87 this past season.
His disappointing record may have been enough for the Rockies to decide a change was needed. But as Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reported Sunday, the manager's relationship with general manager Jeff Bridich had also become strained:
A significant gulf has developed between Weiss and Bridich, according to multiple sources within the organization, some of whom said Weiss has been been left out of the loop regarding major decisions dating to the offseason — when he was not consulted about the acquisitions of relievers Jason Motte, Chad Qualls and Jake McGee or outfielder Gerardo Parra, all of whom have had disappointing seasons this year.
That relationship made Weiss' decision to resign more predictable, as did his comments when asked if he was bothered about managing this past season without a contract extension in place.
“It doesn’t necessarily bug me,” he said, per Saunders. “I only want to be where I’m wanted. If I’m not wanted, I just leave. It’s one of my rules in life. I don’t stay anywhere where I’m not wanted. I just go, I just disappear. ... I want to make sure that people want me, from top to bottom. If not, I don’t want to be here.”
Weiss told Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports that he spoke with Rockies owner Dick Monfort about the relationship with Bridich, adding that it "wasn't healthy, wasn't productive." Weiss said he talked about "possible compromises" before stepping down.
With the four losing seasons under Weiss, the Rockies have now had six straight losing campaigns. But the team has plenty of talent, namely offensively, led by Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu, Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story and Carlos Gonzalez. There is reason for optimism in Colorado, though it will be a new manager's job to harness the team's potential next season.
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