Despite Worst Start to Season, Rockies Fans Revolt Against Ownership for Bud Black Firing: “YOU PEOPLE ARE EVIL”

When a team languishes at the bottom of the division, drastic measures often feel inevitable. The Rockies, currently with a 7-33 record, are no exception. Struggles this deep tend to invite sweeping changes. But few anticipated the organization would overhaul its entire coaching staff so early in the season. Still, with mounting losses and growing frustration, something had to give. So, the question now isn’t whether the change was bold enough, but it’s whether it can spark a turnaround and breathe life into a season that’s already slipping away.

So, the Rockies had officially parted ways with Bud Black and Mike Redmond. Black, who took the reins in 2017, and Redmond, his loyal bench coach, have been central figures throughout much of the team’s recent era. While their leadership brought moments of stability and competitiveness, the organization has opted for a clean break this time. Their departure now opens the door to new voices, new strategies, and perhaps most crucially, a renewed sense of urgency in the clubhouse.

The Rockies have named third base coach Warren Schaeffer as interim manager following a shakeup in the team’s coaching staff. Schaeffer, who joined the Rockies’ major league staff in 2023, steps into the managerial role after the club made changes in response to a disappointing start to the season. The organization also announced that hitting coach Clint Hurdle will take over as interim bench coach.

Hurdle, who managed the Rockies from 2002 to 2009 and led the team to its only World Series appearance in 2007, returned to the organization in a player development role before joining the major league staff. So, with these changes, the Rockies are hoping the leadership shift will provide a spark moving forward.

Well, the fans are not on the same page here with the club. They are least impressed with the changes made in the middle of the season. That too, after winning a game. That is surprising, and a bit ironic. Firing a manager and bench coach on a day when the team wins decisively (like the Rockies’ 9-3 victory over the Padres) goes against the usual trend. Typically, teams make those moves during losing streaks or after especially bad losses to signal a need for change.

While the fans have been voicing for long to the club, this hasty move is also not sitting well with them. The official X account of the Rockies is now flooded with negative opinions from fans.

Fans are left unimpressed with the Rockies

Fans are speculating that the decision to fire Black was already in motion before the game started, and the formal announcement took time.

Incidentally, yesterday was Mother’s Day. So, firing someone on that day, that too after winning the game? One fan thinks it’s pure evil. Yes, it’s unfortunate that the Rockies chose to part ways with manager Bud Black and bench coach Mike Redmond on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025. The timing adds an emotional layer to an already difficult situation, especially considering Black’s long-standing tenure and contributions to the team. So, while the decision may be justified from a performance standpoint, the choice to announce it on Mother’s Day has been perceived by some fans as lacking sensitivity.

“Honestly, no one could fix this team. This is an organizational issue, not a managerial issue.” Here, one fan really sounds logical. The Rockies have long lacked a coherent and consistent plan. They often seem caught between rebuilding and contending, which leads to half-measures and inconsistent roster construction. The Nolan Arenado trade is a prime example. Imagine trading a franchise player and sending money, with a return that hasn’t panned out. It indicates major front office mismanagement.

Does the Rockies’ issue lie with the ownership? Well, the club, owner Dick Monfort has been criticized for loyalty to internal hires and a reluctance to bring in outside baseball minds. This creates an echo chamber where innovation is stifled, and decision-making is driven more by relationships than results. The Bill Schmidt regime, for instance, has shown little inclination to modernize or embrace analytics to the level seen across MLB. Moreover, the Rockies are widely regarded as one of the least analytically inclined organizations in baseball. In today’s game, that’s a massive disadvantage. So, yes, ownership is also equally involved in this debacle.

Firing a manager after a win makes it look like the decision wasn’t based on performance. It’s more for internal chaos or a lack of planning. It can undercut the morale of players who may have just started to feel positive momentum. Additionally, Bud Black is a respected baseball mind and has done what he could with a deeply flawed roster. Hence, firing him doesn’t address the core issue, which, as we discussed earlier, is organizational. For instance, it’s like you are replacing the driver of a car that has no engine.

“Shuffling chairs on the Titanic doesn’t change what happens to the Titanic.” Now that’s something worth discussing. However, will this point be accepted by the Rockies’ management? So, firing the manager and coach, without addressing the underlying issues in the organization, is akin to rearranging deck chairs while the ship is sinking. The Rockies’ core problem isn’t who’s managing the team on game day. Yes, it’s more about the lack of direction from ownership and the front office. In 2023, for example, Monfort suggested the team could be a .500 club, despite the roster clearly lacking depth or star power.