A lot of Rockies fans won’t agree with what I’m about to say.
Warren Schaefer should be Colorado’s manager for the 2026 season.
Why not an experienced outsider, they’ll ask; one with a proven record?
Well, Casey Stengel, Waler Alston and Sparky Anderson aren’t available. Billy Martin, who said he wanted the Rockies job, died before the team formed. And the Reds talked Terry Francona out of retirement before this season began, ruling him out.
So, why not?
Major League Baseball abounds with first-time major league managers whose teams will make the 2025 postseason: Dave Roberts (Dodgers) . . . Joe Espada (Astros) . . . Rob Thomson (Phillies) , . . Pat Murphy (Brewers) . . . Dan Wilson (Mariners).
More to the point, I like what I’m seeing from the Rockies’ interim skipper.
Colorado had won only seven games and lost 33 when Schaeffer was tabbed to replace understanding, patient-to-a-fault Bud Black a quarter into the ’25 season. At that point the Rockies seemed destined to break the major league record of 121 losses in a season—with ease.
(Here’s another declaration: The record set by the White Sox just last season is safe. The Rockies won’t lose more than 117.)
Through the remainder of what MLB calls its first half (before the All-Star Break) Colorado under Schaeffer won 15 while losing 41—not great, but an improvement (a winning percentage of .268 compared to .175).
In the second half the team has flirted with .500, and when the vaunted Dodgers came to town recently, Colorado actually had a better post-Break record than the big-budget defending world champs at that time.
There’s no question that the Rockies still are a long way from being a postseason contender. More pitching and at least a couple additional power bats top the list of needs.
But it’s also obvious, at least to me, that Schaeffer’s measured intensity and strong leadership have the Rockies playing more competitively and enthusiastically.
They still have their disappointing stretches, such as Pittsburgh’s three-game sweep during which Colorado scored only once in 27 innings.
But that was preceded by a four-game split with Los Angeles, and in several games recently they rallied when down. Those comebacks showed a fight that was missing earlier in the season.
Significantly, up and down the lineup hitters seem more focused on making contact—putting the ball in play. That’s one of the keys to all winning teams.
As soon as the trade deadline passed, I wrote a column urging Schaeffer and the Rockies to treat the last third of this lost-cause season as a head start on 2026 spring training by giving young players more exposure with an eye toward next season.
With the callups of Warming Bernabel, Kyle Karros, starting pitcher McCade Brown and lefty reliever Luis Peralta; increased playing time for Ryan Ritter, Braxton Fulford and Yanquiel Fernandez; and more starts for Chase Dollander and Tanner Gordon, that’s what they’ve been doing.
If anything, the club should go further by recalling Bradley Blalock for a few more starts, and maybe get top prospects Cole Carrigg and Charlie Condon 30 or 40 plate appearances each against big-league pitching.
While I favor giving Warren Schaeffer a chance to grow with this young team, I think it’s time for a change in the front office.
This is where a seasoned baseball veteran can make a difference—and complement a young manager.
Bill Schmidt joined the Colorado organization in 1999 and became Rockies general manager four-plus years ago. Twenty-six years seems more than long enough to positively impact a team.
Who should succeed Schmidt?
I wish I knew. All I can say is that , unlike Jeff Bridich and Schmidt, it needs to be someone from outside the Rockies organization, someone who can take a fresh look at all aspects of the club’s baseball operations.
This will be a hard one for paternal Dick Monfort, as well as son Walker Monfort’s first big test in his new role as executive vice president and successor to President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Feasel at the end of this season.
It will be the club’s most consequential hire since Keli McGregor died unexpectedly more than 15 years ago.
If they’re smart, they won’t have to look for the next manager, too.
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Denny Dressman’s 17th book, a collaboration with Kansas City artist Anthony High titled Black Baseball’s Heyday – Capturing An Era in Art and Words, will be published late this year. You can write to Denny at dennydressman@comcast.net.