The Colorado Rockies announced today that the club has named Walt Weiss as the club’s sixth Major League manager in franchise history.
Weiss, 48, returns to the Rockies where he spent four years as the club’s shortstop (1994-98) and then seven seasons (2002-2008) as a Special Assistant to the General Manager. Walt played parts of 14 seasons in the Major Leagues with Oakland (1987-1992), Florida (1993), Colorado (1994-97) and Atlanta (1998-2000). In those 14 seasons he compiled a batting average of .258 (1207-for-4686) with 182 doubles, 31 triples, 25 home runs, 386 RBI, 96 stolen bases, 658 walks and 658 strikeouts in 1,495 games. Weiss joins the Rockies after spending last season as the head coach of the Regis Jesuit High School baseball team, leading the Raiders to a 20-6 record and the 5A semi-finals of the state championship.
The Tuxedo, NY native was a member of four World Series teams, including the 1989 World Champion Oakland Athletics. Weiss was named the 1988 AL Rookie of the Year after hitting .250 (113-for-452) with 17 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs and 39 RBI in 147 games, all at shortstop, for the Oakland Athletics. The switch-hitter made his lone All-Star Game appearance in the 1998 game played at Coors Field after a first-half where he hit .286 (34-for-119) with 4 doubles, 2 triples and 10 RBI in 49 games for the Braves.
In his 14 year career, Weiss posted a .970 fielding percentage in 1,462 career games, including turning 854 doubles plays and logging 11,932.1 innings all at shortstop.
Weiss becomes the sixth manager in Rockies franchise history, joining Don Baylor (1993-1998), Jim Leyland (1999) Buddy Bell (2000-2002), Clint Hurdle (2002-09) and Jim Tracy (2009-12).
Weiss resides in Franktown, CO with his wife, Terri, and four sons, Blake, Brody, Bo and Brock.
I can live with it-hope Walt can.
Of the candidates – Walt was the won I hoped for, even though I thought for a while they were going to hire Giambi. Seems like Bob McClures remains the likely for pitching coach. So who will become hitting coach?
Another former Oakland Athletics joins the Rockies. Not that there is anything wrong with that – just saying.
Now if we could talk another Oakland A (Billy Beane) into coming, we might just be all right!
Congratulations to Walt Weiss, and good luck! Prediction: Walt will be seen as a very successful first-year manager by this time next year. The Rockies are bound to be considerably better than last year’s model — that’s usually what happens when a team has such an awful season. Detroit, 2003: 49-113. 2004: 72-90. That’s 23 more wins. Arizona, 2010: 65-97. 2011: 94-68. That’s an amazing improvement of 29 more wins. That’s unlikely to happen here (I cherry-picked a couple amazing… Read more »
Agree with your Helton assessment, and also your proposed solution.
I like the hire. I hope he puts a strong emphasis on defense. I think a great part of the team’s 2007 success was that phenomenal field play. Like Ag says, Tulo probably won’t be quite that good again, but we need the whole team to try and excel again. It keeps runners off base and keeps the pitchers in the game longer.
Off topic here, but word is out that the Denver Post is looking to unload their 7% stake in the team. With Forbes placing a value of $464 million on the Rox, the DP’s monetary value is about 33 million. Any chance we here at RWO can put together a team of investors and buy that 7% share? I’m in for the first $20. First we buy the 7% and a few years later we can coerce the Monfarts to… Read more »
Put me down for $20. If we fail, Mark Cuban should take it. He’d light a fire in the front office!
Cuban needs to buy the 93%!
I was thinking the same thing when I saw the DP sale article. So I’ll be the big spender here and offer to contribute $30.
Ag wrapped up most of my thoughts above. I like the hire, just hope he’s not too much of a ‘puppet’, (that’s more aimed at management than WW). I was wondering, and carp mentioned it above, about hitting coach. Saw the Dodgers hired McGuire. Didn’t think much of it until the radio started chirping about how St. Louis lead in a lot of hitting categories (?). Not sure if that’s McGuire or talent or both. Anyway, Go Rockies! Oh–Will it… Read more »
WW choice summed up well by other posters. Now my attention turns to the pitching coach. We better get McClure here. As for 1B, simply move Cuddy or Colvin to 1B. Prefer Cuddy because I want to eliminate other teams trotting out lefty specialists by taking Helton out of the lineup. Somebody mentioned we need to improve defense; that’s correct to a point but I have to point out that many errors were a result of standing around in the… Read more »
One more idea – hire Steve Hess away from the Nuggets and make all players train in Colorado Springs during the off season instead of going home (except for winter ball).
Anybody else think that, just like Tracy, Walt is too good for this organization?
I’m curious of the 1 year contract. What does it mean?
Doesn’t signal much confidence…but maybe that’s the final bell tolling on management.
Sort of leaves open the possibility of a complete overhaul of everything at year end so that the new GM can hire who they want.
I like how one of the first things he stated was the Rockies should have a considerable home field advantage in Coors Field and they should play that way. NO EXC– USES!! I like that attitude. Good luck Walter.
Did you expect him to say something different? That has been the topic of discussion for some time. I’m with Prog. What’s up with the 1 yr. deal?
Of the four candidates, Walt was my choice as well. I’m anxious to see if he’s allowed any input as to the coaching staff. In the ESPN article about Weiss taking over, Geivett was the Rockies spokesperson. I’ll be interested to see who speaks for the Rox at the GM meetings this week. If it’s Geivett, does that mean O’Dud is in line for his coveted title of president or that he’s being pushed to the back of the bus… Read more »
I love the hire. I also understand the legitimate criticisms that are being spoken (mostly on other websites and stations). But the minute I heard Walt was in the running, I got excited. Always liked him very much (and a Web Gem MACHINE! :)). I think he has the right qualities, and plenty of steadfastness to work through and learn on the job.
Of the four names mentioned as the finalists, Weiss was my number one choice. Now I’m worried that my thought process is the same as the Rockies management and ownership because I don’t think they have a clue what they are doing. My wife already thinks I’m going off the deep end.
I guess if I make enough predictions, one will come true. This one was not the one I wanted though. No problem with the Weiss hiring, I like it. However, then I read that they offered the batting coach job to Dante. Now they are offering it to Giambi. Looks like they will staff the staff with popular former Rockies just to keep butts in the seats, no matter how bad the team turns out. Hope I’m wrong about it,… Read more »
Maybe they got the idea from the CU Buffs.
Iggy, I really hope that thing about Giambi as hitting coach is just a PR thing they’re sending out. I don’t want him around anymore. Other than that September 2009 run, I’d have to say he’s been a negative influence on the club. Enough of him. It was fun for a month, then kind of an amusing diversion until the club fell out of contention in 2010, and just a miserable distraction ever since. And we don’t need the Giambi… Read more »
You’re right, Ag. However, I am not suggesting what is right for a (supposed) MLB team, I’m saying what they are going to do. The 2013 is going to be the Montfort’s version of Ringo’s All Starr Band, a bunch of guys who once had glory, but are brought back so that we’ll come by to relive the warm and fuzzies. Not fair to Weiss, but I really think that is the marketing strategy for 2013. Don’t be surprised if… Read more »
As noted in earlier threads, there is no denying Weiss would be the clear fan favorite. Not my 1st choice but I certainly have no issue with it other than trying to understand why a 1 yr. deal. Also, interesting posts by doc and Iggy. Got to say I have to agree with both of you. “May I have your attention please? May I have your attention please? Will the real GM/manager please stand up? I repeat, will the real… Read more »
Please don’t anyone align the recent vote decriminalizing marijuana with the Colorado Rockies. It was still illegal when this clown show began. lol Of course, if you ask Charlie, that (or other prohibitions) wouldn’t have mattered one way or another! The one thing that I haven’t railed about here is likely the most important. We bought them a freaking stadium… a nice one. They have profited by how much… $60 or $600 mil? OK, maybe not $600 M. What has… Read more »
Hiring Weiss is better than hiring a guy who has been fired 3 or 4 times. Managing a baseball game is not rocket science although Jim Tracy thought it was. A good manager, like a good coach or any good boss, is a good leader. He knows how to delegate authority. We have no idea if Walt can do that. As for a one year contract it does seem strange but I don’t see it as all bad. If he… Read more »
Hey guys, just a heads up…the site has been VERY naughty! It has been offline, not loading correctly, etc…i’ve been working on some cool updates to it now that we are in the off-season, but it is very obvious that i need to move it to a better hosting/server solution after getting pretty upset at the provider over the shared hosting solution i’m on now…i have been researching the best route and found one that i’m comfortable with…thanks to the… Read more »
You DA MAN!
I just thought it was my old age and the vodka.Always appreciate your hard work.Hope you get to relax alittle over the holidays.
No wonder why I kept waiting for the refreshes watching the hourglass forever!
Good work everbody, ‘specially jare.
Here’s how I see the one year contract.
Why time up $$ for a high school coach?
Oh and while we’re at it, before the wheelin’ and dealin’ howz ’bout a Turkey day prediction for next year?
77-85, an improvement but like Jim Morrison sang,
“Been down so very damn long that it looks like up to me”
So Walt makes his first big move at manager. Nice job. Dante is another huge fan favorite.
I like the idea of hiring guys from the 1995 team. DOD can’t use his altitude excuse with them.
Dante could flat-out hit with two strikes… I like the new Weiss attitude…think outside the box(inside the box has been an abject failure), let’s see what happens in April and May…not many think there is going to be much of a change anyway, so… let’s see what happens in the early part of 2013… say, fifty or sixty games in. I, for one, am more than happy to “let the chips fall where they may” for early next year… DLR,… Read more »
I’m o.k. with Dante as the hitting coach. As with the manager, I’m not sure the hitting coach makes a whole lot of difference. But why not Dante then?
But one wish: no more 1995 Rockies. That’s it. Stop now. Don’t make this a Class of ’95 Reunion joke to distract fans from the team’s performance. I think Cisco or Prog? suggested that’s what’s going on, and now I’m seeing that he has a point.