Rockies VP of baseball operations and assistant general manager Zack Rosenthal has resigned from the organization, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports. Rosenthal has been in the assistant GM role since the 2014-15 offseason, and the VP position was added to his portfolio following the 2021 season, after Bill Schmidt was elevated from interim GM to the full-time job.
Schmidt is now out after a disastrous four-year run, as Colorado has won only 231 games since Opening Day 2022. This year’s squad was simply one of the worst teams in MLB history, with an astonishing 43-119 record and the worst rotation ERA (6.65) and run differential (-424) in baseball’s modern era. Ownership has already stated that the Rockies’ next front office boss will be someone from outside the organization, which seems like a long overdue step for a club often criticized for being too insular and not in touch with analytical and developments trends are commonplace in the sport.
With this in mind, it isn’t surprising that other longtime front office staffer like Rosenthal are on the way out, as the next top executive will likely have a wide berth to bring in their own personnel. Since Schmidt’s title was GM rather than president of baseball operations, Rosenthal was his de facto number two, as the Rockies’ only assistant general manager.
Rosenthal told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding (multiple links) that he made his own decision to step away. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to stay with one single organization for 20-plus years,” Rosenthal said. “So many amazing experiences and memories. My first full-time season was the World Series year [in 2007]. That was magical…I want nothing but success for the Rockies. This city deserves a team that competes, because there’s nothing like Coors Field in October.”
Starting his baseball career as an account manager with the A’s and as an intern with the Red Sox, Rosenthal arrived in Denver in 2006 as a player development intern. From there, he became a baseball ops assistant and then the director of baseball operations. Beyond just the baseball-specific duties, Rosenthal was also the Rockies’ assistant general counsel for much of his time with the club, dealing with legal matters related to front office matters and the team’s business operations.
Coming to Boston as GM Maybe?
No, taking high paid legal counsel job in private industry
Maybe this paves the way for an Opening for Mike Elias and Ziggy the Super Computer
And the Rockies can have them
With your opinions—I think you’re more qualified to join the dumpster fire in Colorado!
Get lefty to Denver!
I would love to help the Rockies
I could not do any worse
The beautiful thing about a job like this is literally anyone could step in and it would be statistically impossible to make the team worse than they already are
My biggest question is, with the results they produced up and down the organization, why is there anyone left in that FO?
More than likely this is a precursor, as most anyone that comes in will want either their own or a chance to vet the current staff via interviewing, etc. This allows Zack to get a jump on any open positions and saves him from most likely being forced to re-sign or fired, though everyone likes a good rage quit.
Now if Monfort would sell the franchise this team might actually have a fighting chance to reach .500 in the next 5 years.
Yeah that ain’t happening. Monfort’s son Walker got recently promoted to Exec VP.
I believe the entire baseball operations department will be getting axed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chris Forbes, Rolando Fernandez, etc all resign. Personally, I think Colorado should be looking for a President of Baseball Operations, General Manager, 3 Assistant General Managers, and multiple Vice Presidents and multiple Senior Directors, and Directors.
Hell, if I were hired as the new President of Baseball Operations for the Rockies, I’d structure it as follows:
1. President of Baseball Operations
i. SVP, Roster Science (GM)
i. VP, Baseball Science
a. Senior Director, Systems
b. Senior Director, Motion Tech
c. Senior Director, Analytics
d. Senior Director, Software
e. Senior Director, IT
f. Senior Director, IS
g. Senior Director, In-Game
ii. VP, Player Science
a. Senior Director, Nutrition
b. Senior Director, Biomechanics
c. Senior Director, Mental Skills
d. Senior Director, Player Dev
e. Senior Director, Recovery
f. Senior Director, Strength Con
iii. VP, Scouting Science
a. Senior Director, Analytics
b. Senior Director, Independent
c. Senior Director, College
d. Senior Director, High School
e. Senior Director, Latin Am
f. Senior Director, Asia
g. Senior Director, Minor Leagues
h. Senior Director, Major Leagues
I also believe others like Danny Montgomery, Jesse Stender, Emily Glass, etc will either be let go or reassigned. Personnel like Sterling Monfort, Walker’s brother will probably be reassigned by the new PBO.
Rumor has it that he had to return his Mattel Electronic Baseball and Magic Eight Ball that were issued to him when he was initially hired.
About time the Rockies do some management changes, now maybe they are willing to do some trading for legitimate veteran talent. Send Bryant packing marking it up to a bad signing. Get some real team leadership in the dugout. Having a ML team that cannot win at least 60 to 65 games is really a bad look for the MLB overall. I truly believe that the MLB should do some investigating into the Rockies franchise and how their organization is run, start at the owner and work your way down. Colorado has a good fan base, that should not be subject to the mis-management handling of an owner and front office. where they can only win barley 40 games in a season of 162.
I think that Kimberly Ng would be the perfect person to take over this organization and turn it around. They should be signing every young guy that has potential like Crismett and Kelenic. Find coaches that really know how teach all aspects of the game like Washington, and Maddux. Really do a deep dive in finding a hitting coach to teach contact..
Right. Like playing your outfield in with 2 outs so a ball can go over their heads and lose the world series. Is that what you mean?
Keep unloading the FO and get a strong analytic team. The Rockies should have the best in the league due to the aspects of altitude and Coors Field. They currently have the weakest and least staffed.
I’m one that says “sell the team” to Kroneke or the Waltons, but it’s not going to happen. Monfort makes too much money and attendance is still in the middle of the pack. Plus the bars, restaurants and McGregor Square are huge investments. I think they know the pressure is on them to respond. I bleed Purple since day 1 in ’93, but have not set foot in Coors Field for 4 seasons due to my personal boycott.
Develop these young arms that throw 100+ MPH, with throwing an off speed pitch because their heat won’t cut it a home. Head groundskeeper Mark Razum should get a raise for keeping the trail green between the dugout and the mound.
Yes! Keep going Rockies. Wipe that whole disaster out and hire a bunch of new folks from good organizations. You’ll be respectable before you know it.