The Colorado Rockies are desperate for answers as their season spirals out of control. On Thursday, they fired hitting coach Hensley Meulens, replacing him with former manager Clint Hurdle, who had been working as a special assistant to GM Bill Schmidt.
It’s been a nightmare start for the Rockies.
At 3-15, they own baseball’s worst record and have been outscored by a staggering 51 runs already this season.
Their offense has been particularly disappointing. Despite playing half their games in the hitter’s paradise of Coors Field, Colorado ranks 21st in batting average (.220), 24th in on-base percentage (.284), and 24th in slugging percentage (.344).
When you adjust for their ballpark advantage, it gets even uglier. Their team-wide 72 OPS+ means they’re hitting 28% worse than the league average – fifth worst in baseball.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t really Meulens’ fault.
The Rockies simply lack talent. Meulens only joined the team in 2023 after a successful coaching career that included serving as hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants during their World Series championships in 2010, 2012, and 2024.
It’s just easier to fire the coach than the players.
The real problem in Colorado runs much deeper. The organization seems stuck in the past, unwilling to bring in fresh perspectives or new ideas. Their front office is packed with people who’ve been with the team for decades.
Loyalty is great, but at some point, it becomes stagnation. The Rockies passed that point long ago.
Just look at their starting rotation. Kyle Freeland, Germán Márquez, and Antonio Senzatela have each made four starts this year. Incredibly, these same three pitchers were among their top four starters back in 2017. That kind of lack of turnover is practically unheard of in today’s MLB.
While pitching isn’t causing their offensive woes, it highlights how this organization refuses to evolve.
Now they’re turning to the 67-year-old Hurdle, who managed the team from 2002-09. Sure, finding a new hitting coach mid-season isn’t easy, but once again, the Rockies are going with someone they already know instead of bringing in a fresh voice.
The Rockies’ approach simply doesn’t work. The proof is in the standings year after year.
Changing the hitting coach is just window dressing. Until they make significant changes higher up in the organization, don’t expect even modest success from this franchise.
After suffering the first two 100-loss seasons in franchise history (59-103 in 2023 and 61-101 in 2024), the Rockies are well on their way to a third straight century mark in the loss column.
