Matt Williams looks like he could be the next Colorado Rockies manager

Matt Williams could be the next Rockies manager.

The Colorado Rockies have definitely gone outside the box in their search for a new manager.

Initially, the news that Jason Giambi was a serious candidate to step away from playing and immediately become a big league manager was enough to get most people talking, even those outside of Colorado.

The Rockies initially interviewed Giambi and bench coach Tom Runnells after Jim Tracy surprised the organization with his resignation nearly three weeks ago. It looked like the Rockies might not even interview anyone outside of the organization until early in the week.

The first name to pop up from outside of the organization was San Francisco Giants bench coach Ron Wotus. The name isn't one many have heard about, but as the right-hand man to Bruce Bochy, who has successfully led two teams to the World Series in three years, all of which haven't been jam-packed with superstars, allows the Rockies to believe that he could be a viable candidate.

News also surfaced that the Rockies have interviewed former shortstop Walt Weiss. The former American League Rookie of the Year was an assistant to general manager Dan O'Dowd for several years and is currently coaching at Regis Jesuit High School.

What will it take to trust the Colorado Rockies again?

Following a franchise-worst 98 loss season, the Colorado Rockies are in desperate need for some grace from their fans.

The issues go far beyond the amount of losses, the trust between the fans and the front office has been broken, something a professional sports franchise can ill afford to have happen.

The confusion that comes from 20th & Blake is the hardest part for fans to understand. The team loses games, but that doesn't seem to be of importance to the people running the show. Instead, the more losses that pile up, and the more fans get frustrated, the more the front office seems to get defensive.

Things seemed to be at their worst when the team cruised into the offseason with the worst record in franchise history. Just three years removed from a playoff appearance, looking like the golden child of the National League West, the Rockies had suddenly become the laughingstock of the entire league.

Colorado Rockies need to quit searching for a new manager

Bill Geivett should be the Colorado Rockies next manager.

The Colorado Rockies continue to spin in circles.

Assistant General Manager Bill Geivett and General Manager Dan O'Dowd are in the process of interviewing for their open manager position after Jim Tracy let them know that he couldn't handle the reins that they were putting on him. He passed up $1.4 million instead of being held down by the decisions being made within the Rockies front office.

Anyone who follows this Rockies organization knows one simple truth. There would be no big-names talked about in the search. There is zero chance that the Rockies would look to lure Joe Torre or Tony LaRussa out of retirement. They weren't going to look at hiring Ryne Sandberg, who is being groomed for the job in Philadelphia. Those who have any knowledge of how the Rockies front office works, knows that the odds are, the team would either go with someone from within the organization, or someone who has no managerial experience.

Jim Tracy's resignation shows Colorado Rockies in downward spiral

It should have been a good day for Colorado Rockies fans. They got their wish. Jim Tracy is no longer the manager of the club. Instead, the move sheds light on just how deep this franchise's issues are.

Assistant General Manager Bill Geivett met with Tracy all day on Friday. The meeting was centered around the team's desire to bring Tracy back as their manager for 2013, despite posting the worst record in the 20 year history of the team.

The meeting, as the Denver Post so very well articulated, went further than Geivett simply giving Tracy the seal of approval. Instead, it focused on Tracy's role continuing to diminish. When Geivett took over for Dan O'Dowd on August 1st, Tracy's duties were limited to in-game management and talking to the media. What that amounts to is similar to that of the Wizard of Oz.

Colorado Rockies indecision with Jim Tracy shows bigger issues

Jim Tracy might be back in 2013, but it won't matter.

The only reason Colorado Rockies fans were still paying attention after a brutal 2012 season was because the word was out that Jim Tracy would hear the decision on his future in a Friday morning meeting.

When morning turned to afternoon, then night, no word came from the Rockies. Nothing. Finally, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reported that no decision was made on Friday, but that the team and Tracy would come to their conclusion over the weekend, or possibly early next week.

However, during the meeting, the manager and his bosses did typical end of the season type of talks. They talked about what could be improved upon, they talked about individual players and everything that management would talk to a manager about who they planned on retaining.

The issue is simple. It doesn't matter if the Rockies keep Jim Tracy as their manager or not. The problems are above him. It seems clear that the Rockies are fine with keeping Tracy as their manager under one very clear condition--he must do everything the organization wants him to do when they want him to do it and how they want him to do it. If he can agree to being a complete puppet for those above him, he will be able to keep his job. If, however, he feels that he would like his job duties to include more than removing the ball out of a pitcher's hand when he is done with his outing, or writing the names on the lineup card, which will be dictated to him by upper management, then he can hit the road.

Colorado Rockies end season with a win, worst season ever is over

The 2012 Colorado Rockies season came to an end on Wednesday.

Congratulations! The Colorado Rockies season is over, and you made it through. It took a long time, it was painful to watch, but in the end, the Rockies avoided 100 losses and are faced with inevitable change heading in to 2013.

The Rockies ended on a positive note, winning both their final game and their final road series of the season. Despite that fact, the team still recorded 98 losses, a record for the franchise that was set in both 1993, the inaugural season, and 2005, the height of the "GenR" movement that eventually led to the 2007 World Series appearance.

It is easy to get negative about this team. Bring up the front office with a group of Rockies fans and it almost certainly will bring agreement that significant change needs to happen. Bring up management and many believe that Jim Tracy is just as big of an issue as Dan O'Dowd and his front office team.

Colorado Rockies lose to Diamondbacks thanks to bad managing

Guillermo Moscoso was at-bat in the game's most crucial moment.

The Colorado Rockies have been writing the same story over and over again. With one night left in the season, there was no reason to change the script.

The game ended on a walk-off 3-run homer off the bat of Aaron Hill, but the turning point came much earlier than that.

With starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin rolling along, Jim Tracy removed him from the game once he hit 75 pitches. Chacin was throwing a shutout. His stuff was working and the Diamondbacks had barely even made a threat. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out four in his five innings of work.

Chacin gave way to Guillermo Moscoso with a 1-0 lead. Moscoso, who has been anything but spectacular in his first season as a Colorado Rockie. Tuesday night was no different. In his first inning of work he was able to wiggle out of a two-on-no-out jam. Then, in the top of the 7th inning, the Rockies had a runner at third base with two outs. The Diamondbacks elected to walk Jonathan Herrera to face the pitchers spot.

Colorado Rockies avoid 100 losses with extra inning win in Arizona

Chris Nelson had the game winning hit for the Rockies.

It came down to the last series of the season, but the Colorado Rockies have avoided their first 100-loss season in franchise history.

On Monday night, after the Rockies had battled back against Rookie of the Year candidate Wade Miley, Rafael Betancourt came in to finish off the Diamondbacks and send the Rockies back to their hotel certain that they wouldn't cross the 100-loss threshold. However, Betancourt gave up a home run to Paul Goldschmidt, picking up a blown save and sending the game to extra innings.

When Goldschmidt launched the home run, it seemed like fate was whispering in the Rockies ears that it was meant to be. This team was supposed to lose 100 games.

However, the Rockies decided that wouldn't be the case. In the 13th inning Tyler Colvin hit a deep fly ball to the left-center gap, which bounced once and landed in the crowd. Chris Nelson, who has been phenomenal since returning from the disabled list, singled up the middle to score Colvin. The flood gates opened and the Rockies ended up putting up four runs, ensuring that they would win for the 63rd time in 2012, bailing them out of the black eye that is losing 100 games.