“After a number of conversations, we decided it is time for me to step aside and make way for a new voice to guide the club’s baseball operations,” Schmidt said. “It’s been an honor to serve in the Rockies family for over 25 years. I’m thankful to the Monfort family for the opportunity, to my family for their constant support, and our staff for their tireless dedication. Better seasons are ahead for the Rockies and our great fans, and I look forward to seeing it come to life in the years ahead.”
Before his long tenure with the Rockies, Schmidt was a scout for the Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians), New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, and the Major League Baseball scouting bureau.
The Rockies finished last in the NL West in each of the four years that Schmidt served as the general manager. Despite the lack off success, Rockies Owner Dick Monfort expressed his gratitude for the longtime member of the front office.
“Bill has been an integral part of the Rockies family for over 25 years with countless contributions to the organization over that time,” Montfort said. “We are deeply grateful for his service, his friendship, and his dedication and wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.”
One thing that has been an issue for the Rockies over recent years is that they haven’t made a ton of external hires, including their most recent promotion of Walker Monfort to EVP back in June. This time, an internal candidate will seemingly be the answer, Walker Monfort himself said so in the club’s release.
“We are setting our sights on finding the right leader from outside our organization who can bring a fresh perspective to the Rockies and enhance our baseball operations with a new vision, innovation, and a focus on both short and long-term success,” he said. “This change delivers an opportunity to shape the future of our club and move forward into a new era of Rockies baseball.”
The fans have been calling for change for many years now. This might not be the news of the Monfort selling the team that they want to hear, but it’s a step in the right direction towards getting back to having a winning baseball team in the Mile High City.