There were hugs all around from those Rockies who knew Weiss back in the day.

And jokes about his newfound internet fame.

“You don’t mess with Walt, as everybody has seen now,” Rockies longtime trainer Keith Dugger said with a laugh.

The thing is, the 62-year-old Weiss never expected to go viral. But there he was, sparking memes, inspiring T-shirts, “Come put on the pads, Skip.”

In case you missed it (how could you?), that broke out between the Braves and the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., on April 8.

As fists started to fly between Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez and Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler, Weiss sprinted from the dugout, flipped off his hat, and tackled the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Soler.

The 6-foot, 180-pound Weiss, who still lives in Parker during the offseason, is a soft-spoken gentleman. But just beneath the surface flows white-hot competitive intensity. Sporting biceps like Schwarzenegger’s, Weiss goes to the gym nearly every day. He’s a martial artist with a black belt in taekwondo and has training in MMA, including jiu-jitsu.

Soler was the 2021 World Series MVP for the Braves when Weiss was the bench coach. But that didn’t matter in the heat of the moment.

“I love Soler. We were teammates here,” that night. “But that����ap a big man, and so I just felt I’ve gotta get him off his feet because he’s gonna hurt somebody. And so that was my instinct, just to get in there and get Jorge off his feet, yeah, because he was on a warpath.”

Weiss is way past all of that now, but the moment inspired the Braves.

“We could not get enough of it,” said Braves reliever Tyler Kinley, who pitched for Colorado from 2020 through part of 2025 before he was traded to Atlanta. “Guys rally around different things throughout the year, and that, for us, was huge. Guys already knew that Walt was tough and a bad dude.

“I mean, everyone knows that Soler is a big dude, and he’s not a gentle giant. To see Walt zone in on Soler, find him, and then take him down and end the whole scrum was amazing. Guys were already ready to run through a brick wall for Walt.”

An evolution from player to skipper

Weiss’ baseball card is impressive. He played 14 years in the majors and was the American League rookie of the year in 1988 with the Oakland A’s, with whom he won three pennants and the 1989 World Series. He played shortstop for the Rockies from 1994-97. He was an All-Star with the Braves in 1998 at age 34.

After retiring as a player in 2000, Weiss served as a special assistant and instructor with the Rockies from 2002 to 2008. He managed the Rockies for four seasons (2013-16) and was Atlanta’s bench coach for eight years before replacing Brian Snitker as manager.

Former Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd hired Weiss to replace Jim Tracy after the Rockies’ 98-loss season in 2012. The Rockies went 283-365 under Weiss, and while owner Dick Monfort wanted him to continue after the 2016 season, Weiss resigned because of his strained relationship with Jeff Bridich, the GM who replaced O’Dowd.

The Rockies improved to 75-87 under Weiss in 2016, and many of the building blocks were in place for the 2017-18 Rockies teams that made the playoffs under Bud Black, most notably an infield that included third baseman Nolan Arenado, shortstop Trevor Story, and second baseman DJ LeMahieu, as well as All-Star outfielders Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez.

“The circumstances are worlds apart,” Weiss said Friday when asked what he learned managing the Rockies. “The first time I did this, back here, I had been out of the game for four years, which is an eternity in this league. I mean, I was coaching high school football (at Regis Jesuit) when I interviewed for that job.

“I had a lot to learn, had to learn on the fly. But I had a good staff around me that helped me through those early years.”

Weiss has evolved a lot since then.

“I saw the game probably more through a player’s eyes back then, because that’s what I leaned on,” he said. “In some ways, that’s good. In some ways, probably not so good.

“I was the bench coach (with the Braves) for eight years, so I know this team very well. The trust has been established. But this is a very different scenario. This is a team that’s built to win, right now. I’m certainly more comfortable in my own skin, in this role, right now.”

The Braves beat the Rockies 8-6 in comeback fashion on Friday night and entered Saturday’s game at Coors with a big-league-best 23-10 record and were 9-0-1 in series this season.

A hard-nosed ‘father figure’

Weiss steered his club through some early-season turbulence.

During spring training, the Braves lost right-hand Spencer Strider to an oblique strain. He’s scheduled to make his season debut on Sunday against the Rockies.  Starters Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep went down with elbow injuries and have yet to return.

Catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined with a hip labral tear, and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim tore his finger tendon. Both players are expected to return in the next few weeks. But outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended for the second time for PEDs and is done for the season.

“Walt is very consistent with what he does, and he puts a good, positive outlook on everything for everybody,” said Atlanta utility infielder Kyle Farmer, who played for the Rockies last season. “He’s a very good communicator and checks in on guys all the time.

“For a bench guy like myself, he lets me know what’s going on. Our roster is loaded with talent, but for a guy like me who doesn’t play every day, he’s been very considerate and approachable.”

Utility player Mauricio Dubon, who hit a three-run triple in the eighth inning against Colorado on Friday, called Weiss a “father figure.”

“Walt’s ability to relate to guys and speak the players’ language is unique,” Kinley said. “He shows up every day and is diligent about what he does. He has an intention for everything he does. He understands it’s not an easy game, and he knows how to communicate with guys. He’s amazing at that.

“And Walt walks the walk. He’s in there, busting his butt with us in the weight room. He’s intense,  and guys feed off that.”

As a player, Weiss was hard-nosed, so he expects the same from those who play for him. He also expects them to be on time, work hard, and hustle — all of the time. Arenado found out about that when he played for Weiss.

In July 2014, Arenado was benched after jogging to first base on a groundout against the Pirates at Coors Field. Arenado had failed to hustle up the first-base line several times in the minors, and Weiss wasn’t about to accept that in the majors.

“You don’t know how a player is going to take that, especially someone as good as Nolan,” Weiss told The Denver Post in 2019. “It can go either way. Managers and catchers almost always show up to the ballpark earlier than the players, but the next day, there’s Nolan, waiting in my office. I really didn’t know how that was going to go. Was he mad because he thought I had embarrassed him?”

“But then Nolan actually thanked me for benching him. Imagine that? He was there early to tell me how much he appreciated me pulling him out of the game.”

When Arenado was feuding with Bridich near the end of his career in Colorado, one of the people he sought counsel from was Weiss, who has a sterling reputation throughout the game.

“One of the finest men I’ve ever known in baseball,” Dugger said. “One of my favorite people — ever.”

Vinny Castilla, a member of the famed Blake Street Bombers and a Rockies special assistant for the past 21 years, has known Weiss for 32 years. During Weiss’s first managerial stint, Castilla saw signs pointing to success if Weiss ever got another gig.

“He’s a players’ manager, and he’s going to do whatever he can to protect them,” Castilla said. “He’s a very nice man, and I love him, and I miss him. But he’s a black belt, so don’t mess with him.”

This was no daydreaming. Vank, a promising right-hander who is the No. 1 starter for Northeastern Junior College, is playing for the Czech Republic in the He is one of only a handful of college players to make a 2026 WBC roster.

Japan is in pool for the tournament, setting up the possibility of Vank facing off against Dodgers superstar designated hitter Shohei Ohtani when the two teams play on March 10 at the Tokyo Dome.

“It’s every kid’s dream to face Ohtani,” said Vank, who will pitch out of the bullpen for the Czech Republic. “I’ve visualized facing Ohtani a couple times already. How I might start him off, and what I might throw in certain counts.

“I’ll take the showdown with respect, but I also don’t want to give him too much respect — I want to believe in myself that I can do the job and put him away.”

The appearance in the WBC for , the Region IX Pitcher of the Year last year for the Plainsmen, is a culmination of a lifetime of work in the game despite growing up in a soccer- and hockey-dominated country where baseball is very low on the list of sporting priorities.

Vank started playing for Czech Republic’s youth national team at 12, and by age 16, he was pitching in the country’s highest league, the Czech Baseball Extraliga. As a teenager competing against adult men, he won the award for the league’s top junior player.

His journey on the diamond took him all around Europe and the world, including to Taiwan, Italy, Nederland, Germany, Spain and Japan already. Vank also went to London for an MLB Development Camp, North Carolina where he played his junior season of high school, and Phoenix for a showcase before arriving on Colorado’s eastern plains.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander from Prague has a low-90s fastball, a slider and a curveball and also recently added a changeup. Before he got to Northeastern, he was primarily a fastball/slider pitcher. But the expansion of his arsenal, and a strong first season in Sterling, put him on the radar of Division I recruiters.

“In the last 18 months, him fully developing into a four-pitch repertoire type of guy is opening up opportunities for him, whether it’s Division I or professionally, to now have more options and be either a starter, a reliever or a closer,” Northeastern head coach said.

Kachel said Vank’s signature moment so far with the Plainsmen came in the regular season finale last season, when Vank baffled Western Nebraska Community College with eight innings of shutout ball, scattering three hits while racking up 10 strikeouts.

Vank’s catcher, Northeastern Junior College sophomore Brayden Stufft, says the sacrifices the pitcher is making to come play ball thousands of miles from home — leaving behind family and friends in the process — is apparent. So, too, is Vank’s “energy and aura.”

“At the beginning of last season, he was super quiet, and you could tell he was here for business,” said. “He was here to dominate and make his family back home proud. He has. Many of his starts have been electric.

“And for him to play in the WBC, it brings a lot of attention to us as a program. We’re striving as a team to win a (region) title and go to a district and eventually go to the JuCo World Series. That’s our goals, and seeing our ace on the world stage gives us confidence as a team that we belong.”

Vank’s mother, Marie Vanková, says that while growing up, her son earned the nickname “srdcař” from his teammates. The rough English translation of that is someone who does something with immense passion, because Vank was always determined to become one of the top baseball players in his country.

“He’s had times growing up when he was not as successful as he wanted, and he wasn’t on the path to (where he is now),” Vanková said. “So he stopped speaking about it and went to work really hard. Before school, he would wake up at 5 in the morning and go to the gym. He’s always given this game everything he has.”

As the WBC begins on Wednesday ahead of the Czech Republic’s first game on Thursday against Korea, back in Sterling, Vank’s Plainsmen will be pulling hard for “srdcař”.

“We’re going to be eyes-locked on the TV — we’ll put the game on in the clubby, or we’ll just put it on a projector somewhere,” Stufft said. “We will be watching and supporting him from afar, with probably tons of phones out (to record) when he gets on the mound.

“And no matter what happens (against Japan), we’ve all been joking with him to get an Ohtani signature to bring us back as a souvenir.”

Players with Colorado ties in the 2026 WBC

Local names to watch for in the that culminates with the championship on March 17 in Miami.

Rockies players/prospects

LHP Brennan Bernardino (Mexico)
INF Cole Carrigg (Israel)
UTL Willi Castro (Puerto Rico)
LHP Antoine Jean (Canada)
OF Troy Johnston (Israel)
2B Edouard Julien (Canada)
RHP Michael Lorenzen (Italy)
RHP Juan Mejia (Dominican Republic)
LHP Jose Quintana (Columbia)
RHP Antonio Senzatela (Venezuela)
RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (Japan)
SS Ezequiel Tovar (Venezuela)
RHP Victor Vodnik (Mexico)

Ex-Rockies, locals

Puerto Rico 3B Nolan Arenado (ex-Rockies)
Dominican Republic RHP Carlos Estévez (ex-Rockies)
Puerto Rico RHP Rico Garcia (ex-Rockies)
USA RHP Griffin Jax (Cherry Creek, Air Force)
USA RHP Paul Skenes (Air Force)
Venezuela RHP Anthony Molina (ex-Rockies)
Italy RHP Adam Ottavino (ex-Rockies)
Nederlands OF Jurickson Profar (ex Rockies)
Canada RHP Cal Quantrill (ex-Rockies)
Czech Republic RHP Ondrej Vank (Northeastern Junior College)
Czech Republic UTL Terrin Vavra (ex-Rockies prospect)

Coaches of note

Mexico bench coach Vinny Castilla (ex-Rockies, current special assistant)
USA hitting coach Matt Holliday (ex-Rockies)
Israel bullpen coach Jason Marquis (ex-Rockies)
Canada hitting coach Justin Morneau (ex-Rockies)
Venezuela first base coach Gerardo Parra (ex-Rockies)
Great Britain third base coach Jeff Salazar (ex-Rockies player/hitting coach)

Dressed in Rockies purple, with a birthday tiara perched atop her baseball cap, and a lavender lei around her neck, she’s talking to outfielder Charlie Blackmon during a Cactus League game at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The 6-foot-3 Blackmon is crouching down to greet Mabel, who stood about 4-foot-7. Blackmon was one of Mabel’s favorite players. Mabel was one of Blackmon’s favorite fans.

“Mabel is a true one of one,” Blackmon told me. “She was a star that shone bright. It was uncanny how she could make you feel better about yourself. The world needs more people like Mabel Miyasaki.”

Mabel would have been 101 this coming Friday, but she died on Feb. 5. When she passed, the Rockies lost one of their greatest, funniest, kookiest, and ferocious fans. Donning purple nail polish and Rockies earrings, she attended nearly every home opener, dating back to the first one at Mile High Stadium in 1993.

“It’s tough, she left a hole that will never be filled,” said her daughter, Meri Miyasaki. “We’ll miss her a lot.”

I’ll miss her, too. When I got started in this sportswriting business at the Longmont Times-Call too many years ago to count, Mabel was a fixture at Niwot High School baseball games, where she handed out candy and gum. She worked in the Niwot High lunchroom for years and was the Cougars’ super-booster.

As her obituary noted, “Mabel became known as the “Bubble Gum Lady.” She strongly encouraged (i.e. shamed) people to place donations in her green coffee can for the Niwot Booster Club.”

Mabel used to invite me — and former Rockies infielder Clint Barmes, too — to her home for her version of chicken teriyaki and rice.

Mabel was born to Tasanji and Yoshi Shibao on March 6, 1925, in Brighton, where she grew up working the family farm. A self-described tomboy who was surrounded by five brothers, she fell in love with baseball at an early age. She once told me that she escaped boring kitchen duties — “girly stuff” is how she put it — by going outside to throw and hit baseballs.

Her favorite Rockies included Hall of Famers Larry Walker and Todd Helton, Vinny Castilla, Tony Wolters, trainer Keith Dugger, as well as Blackmon and Barmes.

Walker called her “Sushi Mom.” Former manager Clint Hurdle gave Mabel a framed, signed photo inscribed: “Grandma, thank you for your love.” She got to throw out a first pitch to Barmes during a Cactus League game in 2010.

Mabel also shared a special friendship with the late Keli McGregor, the former team president who died unexpectedly in 2010. In the main corridor of the Rockies complex at Salt River Fields, a large photo is displayed showing Mabel reaching her tiny hand through the netting behind home plate to shake the 6-6 McGregor’s giant paw.

“They had a very special bond,” Meri said.

Mabel’s tradition of celebrating her birthday with a dinner during spring training dates back to the early days of the franchise when the Rockies’ camp was at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz. She and her family, and often a Rockies player or two, would gather at Sakura, a teppanyaki restaurant in the heart of Tucson.

One year, reliever Manny Corpas joined the celebration.

“He got me drunk,” she told me, wrinkling her nose. “I got really silly.”

Hearing that, Meri rolled her eyes and chimed in: “Mom, it doesn’t take much. You had two glasses of wine!”

Thomas Harding, my best buddy from MLB.com, often joined Mabel’s family for those birthday dinners.

“They would get in so much trouble together,” Meri recalled with a laugh. “They would get out of control.”

Mabel seemed to know everybody, probably because she would talk to anybody. For more than 20 years, she worked at a McDonald’s in Longmont. When she retired in 2014, she was one of the oldest McDonald’s employees in the country.

“My mom was one of a kind,” Meri said. “And she was one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever known. She wasn’t afraid of hard, physical labor.

“But stubborn? Oh my! She had a stubborn streak you wouldn’t believe. But the thing that I loved most about her was that she loved to have fun. She was always the life of the party. Even when things were tough late in her life, she had that mischievous grin. She would always laugh.”

Mabel’s last spring training was in 2020, right before the pandemic shut everything down. But she continued to attend Rockies home openers at Coors Field, all the way up to last year when she was 100.

She won’t be there in person this year. She will be there in spirit.

Dante Bichette’s walk-off homer in the 14th inning of the first game remains seared into the memory of Rockies diehards 30 years later. The three-run blast and his iconic celebration that followed, which rallied the Rockies to an 11-9 victory over the Mets in a see-saw game that lasted nearly five hours, remains an all-time franchise memory.

Though the phrase Blake Street Bombers wouldn’t come into the local vernacular until later that season — when broadcaster Wayne Hagin said it on the radio after Bichette mentioned it to him in the clubhouse — the Rockies’ first homer at 20th and Blake was the group’s genesis.

“With the Blake Street Bombers, what we were legendary at was, no lead was safe in our park,” Bichette said. “That homer probably was the hit that set that tone. We would go into the sixth, seventh inning down three runs and we knew we could win that game. That was the personality of our team and what we became.”

In the two years prior while playing at Mile High Stadium, the Rockies started to establish a reputation as a high-octane offense at elevation. But that distinction was cemented in the first season at Coors Field when the full Blake Street Bombers cast took shape.

Larry Walker, already regarded as one of the best players in the game, signed with the club three weeks before that opening day to launch his Hall of Fame career in Colorado. Andres Galarraga was coming off consecutive stellar seasons in Denver. Bichette was developing into a potent power hitter. Vinny Castilla was entering his first season as Colorado’s starting third baseman, and Ellis Burks’ 1995 campaign was a precursor to an All-Star year the next summer.

That power-hitting quintet propelled Colorado to the National League wild card in ’95 for the club’s first playoff berth, the

“Dante’s homer was the start of the belief that we were a playoff team,” noted Joe Girardi, the Rockies catcher who was on second base at the time.

On a 2-1 count, Bichette jumped on a hanging changeup served up by Braves southpaw Mike Remlinger. Bichette smashed it into the left-field bleachers

That was moments after Bichette whiffed on the first strike of the at-bat, prompting ESPN broadcaster Jon Miller to comment to his partner Joe Morgan, “Joe, is Bichette pressing a little bit tonight?” To which Morgan replied, “Well, it seems like he’s going for it, or trying to hit the ball out of the ballpark.”

Bichette confirmed that Morgan was correct: He was swinging for the fences.

And when he connected, the slugging left fielder was overcome with emotion, hence the fist-bump blitz. The chilled Coors Field crowd loved it, but not Mets catcher Todd Hundley, whom Bichette said “followed me down the line, and he was yelling at me. I don’t think he appreciated the celebration.”

“It was an emotional night for me because I wasn’t sure I was going to be with the team and sign back with them until maybe a couple weeks before that,” Bichette recalled. “I got to spring training late. Don Baylor had called me and said, ‘Hey, I want you back.’ I don’t get an opportunity to keep playing in the big leagues (after 1992) if it’s not for Don Baylor.

“I was on my last leg then, nobody would give me a chance, but he really believed in me. … So once he called me (in April 1995) and asked me back, there was no question: I was coming.”

While the walk-off propelled Colorado as a team following the 1994-95 strike, it was also a springboard for Bichette.

He went on to have a career year, leading the National League with 40 homers and also pacing baseball with 197 hits and 128 RBIs. He batted .340 with an NL-best .620 slugging and 359 total bases.

Despite that, Bichette fell short of the franchise’s first MVP award, a feat achieved by Walker two seasons later. Reds shortstop Barry Larkin in what Girardi argues was the first obvious case of bias against hitters at Coors Field.

“I was kind of shocked that he didn’t win it,” said Girardi, who went on to manage the Yankees and is now a broadcaster for YES Network. “Not to take anything away from Barry Larkin, but we got the negative perception of the Coors Field effect. (Even with that) Bichette still hit .340. And he didn’t strike out very much.”

Bichette, who was an All-Star that year and won his first and only Silver Slugger Award, doesn’t hold a grudge over the MVP that could’ve been. And he says that walk-off to christen Coors Field remains the most heartfelt moment of his career — and the moment fans still bring up to him the most.

“I get people all the time when I do appearances, they say, ‘I was there the night you hit the home run!’ And usually I’m like, ‘You lying,'” Bichette laughed. “Because there weren’t too many people left there at the end. The wind chill was absolutely freezing that night.”

Phillip Foster II, a 44-year-old lifetime Rockies fan from Denver, was among those who hung around with frosted breath.

Then 14, Foster and his dad were leaving the game from their seats in section 122 when the teenager implored his dad to stop at the edge of the concourse to see Bichette’s at-bat. It was Foster’s first Rockies game.

When Bichette connected, Foster recalls it as “the moment I fell in love with Coors Field and my hometown team.” Adding to the limerence was getting to soak in the walk-off with his dad, who had his arms around him during the at-bat.

“It was a communal celebration all around, high-fiving the ushers and other fans,” said an emotional Foster, whose dad died last month. “It was a big hug from (my dad), and then a very slow walk to the car. I couldn’t feel a thing from the cold (because of the adrenaline).

“Since then, when I’m at Rockies games, no matter how bad they play, I still remember those times with my dad. I remember the World Series run, the competitive seasons, the (Nolan) Arenado Father’s Day walk-off cycle. For me, I always figure out a way to focus on and go back to all those good memories, and all the joy that place has brought me.”

While the record-setting attendance seasons at Mile High Stadium before Bichette’s walk-off foretold how Coors Field would become a magnet for fans, regardless of the quality of the on-field product, the homer was also an omen of the hitting beast that the stadium would become.

Humidor or not, LoDo games ain’t over, til they’re over.

“Holds true today just as well as it did 30 years ago,” noted original season ticket holder Jim Noland, 63, of Westminster.

If you ask Noland, this year’s Rockies — whose anemic offense is among the worst in baseball — would benefit from the swagger of (the nickname for the way Bichette dropped his bat and then fist-pumped upon hitting a homer) that Bichette brought to the dish that cold night in 1995.

“The Rockies could use a few of the professional hitters from that team on the 2025 edition,” Noland quipped. “Not sure if he could still run, but Bichette could probably still hit .260.”

Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

To steal a phrase from our good friend, George Castanza, “The fans were angry that day, my friends — like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.”

Many Rockies fans are mighty ticked off by a team that entered Tuesday’s play with a 3-13 record and a minus-46 run differential, both the worst in the majors. The Rockies just went 32 consecutive innings without scoring a run, setting a franchise record for futility. All of that after back-to-back 100-loss seasons.

Little wonder that we have several questions/rants about manager Bud Black, general manager Bill Schmidt and owner Dick Monfort. Now, on with the show …

Patrick, after the horrible weekend where the Rockies scored zero runs and only had nine hits, they are once again sitting in the basement of the National League West. How does the organization continue to operate without urgency or desire to win? Every year, the owner, general manager and manager lead the fans on and say things to make it seem positive for the future. The reality is that there is an organizational failure that has gone on for years — with no accountability. Does MLB truly like the product that the Rockies put out every year? It feels like this is beyond an embarrassment at this point. Can the MLB force a change in any manner?

— Nick Pilotis, Englewood

Nick, of course, the Rockies’ powers that be say positive things about the club — at least publicly. What else are they going to do? But believe me, Bud Black and Bill Schmidt know they don’t have enough talent right now to field a winning club. But they won’t throw any of their players under the bus. That won’t do anybody any good.

There is a desire to win at 20th and Blake, at least in the clubhouse and the manager’s office. However, winning is clearly not a priority for owner Dick Monfort, whose team is headed toward its seventh consecutive losing season and mired in the worst stretch of baseball in franchise history.

You’re right about the lack of urgency. If winning was a top priority, the team would have built upon its winning foundation in 2018 instead of letting it all fall apart.

Major League Baseball doesn’t care if the Rockies lose 100 games for a third season. However, MLB does care that the Rockies are the only team in the Mountain time zone and is content as long as the club continues drawing 32,000 fans per game to Coors Field.

I get Dick Monfort is loyal to a fault. However, do you see a point where he would fire Bud Black before the end of the season?

— Nick Burklund, Colorado Springs

Nick, if the Rockies continue to careen toward another 100-loss season, Black’s job will be in jeopardy. There’s no way around that. I don’t believe he’s lost the clubhouse, and he’s tried to remain upbeat, but that can’t be easy.

It’s a shame because Black is a good man and a good manager. But he can’t hit for his players or pitch for his pitchers.

How does Dick Monfort rationalize maintaining the status quo with the general manager and manager after two years of 100-plus losses and now possessing the worst record in MLB?

— Jerry, Boulder

Jerry, I don’t have an answer because I haven’t talked to Monfort recently. In the wake of the Nuggets’ recent decision to fire coach Mike Malone and GM Calvin Booth, I contacted Monfort about the status of Black and Schmidt. He declined to respond. Monfort owes it to the fans to discuss the state of his failing team.

When will it be time to move on from Bud Black? Why are Rockies fans so scared to blame him for all the losing? Is it time to hire Todd Helton or Vinny Castilla to become the new manager? Should this be expected in the coming weeks?

— Daniel M., Louisville

Daniel, I don’t think fans are “scared” to blame Black for all of the losses. Some fans like him and sympathize with him. Others are tired of Black and believe he gets a free ride from many in the media, including me. There are a lot of opinions out there regarding the Rockies’ manager. There is no timeline for a change.

As for Helton, he doesn’t want to be a manager. Castilla? I’m not sure. He’s previously managed Team Mexico, but I don’t know if he wants to be a full-time big-league manager.

I think Bud Black is a great manager, but is it possible this Rockies team isn’t a good fit for him? Are some managers better at supporting a pitching staff than their lineup? Black was amazing at helping young pitchers blossom, but most young Rockies hitters have struggled to break in the last couple of seasons and always talk about “trying too hard.” In contrast, managers like Jim Tracy and Walt Weiss seemed to excel at helping young hitters gain confidence.

— Isaac Bowen, Fort Collins

Isaac, I’ve never looked at Black from that perspective. It’s true that Black knows much more about pitching than he does about hitting, but there have been plenty of managers who know a lot about the intricacies of hitting but not much about pitching. A manager’s job is just that — to manage all aspects of the team.

The bottom line is that the Rockies are not a very talented team, and their young hitters are currently overmatched by big-league pitching.

With the bleakness on the field and the future looking equally bleak for the Rockies, what do you see as a potential bright spot this summer? Losses are piling up, but there has to be something positive to watch this summer.

— Kyle, Thornton

Kyle, bless you for your question. I was drowning in a sea of negativity.

I think right-hander Chase Dollander will be fun to watch. He’s going to struggle at times and will give up home runs. But he’s also going to strike out a lot of batters, and I’m betting he has a couple of dominating performances.

Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle have All-Star talent, and Ryan McMahon is a joy to watch at third base. When Thairo Estrada returns from his injury, he’ll be excellent at second base and inject some life into a dormant offense.

Since Bill Schmidt took over as GM, the Rockies have gone 188-298. Are we picking up enough young talent like the did during their worst years to make a turnaround any time soon? I don’t know if our analytics department is up for the task. Is there any way we can steal from Baltimore?

— Mark, Arvada

Mark, I double-checked your math. Counting Schmidt’s tenure as the interim GM beginning on May 3, 2001, the Rockies are 255-380 entering Tuesday night’s game at Los Angeles.

Anyway, there is some young talent in the organization, but aside from shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle, it has yet to transfer to the majors.

Starting first baseman Michael Toglia, a first-round draft choice out of UCLA in 2019, has been an enormous disappointment. This was supposed to be his breakout season, but he’s slashing .167/.206/.217 with no home runs and one RBI after 16 games. His 29 strikeouts lead the majors, and his strikeout rate is an astonishing 46%.

The Rockies’ farm system is ranked in the middle of the pack. ranks it No. 13, and ranks it 18th. In other words, the Rockies are not stocked with young talent like the Orioles are, so I don’t see a turnaround on the near horizon.

As for Mejdal, Baltimore’s assistant GM and analytics wizard, I don’t see him leaving the Orioles for the Rockies.

How does the Rockies’ analytics department compare to the rest of the majors? My understanding is the Rockies are way behind in this area. 

— Bill Eldred, Parker

Bill, you are correct; the Rockies’ analytics department remains one of the smallest in the majors.

If the Monforts were to sell the Rockies franchise, what would be the price tag and are there any potential buyers rumored at this time?

— Dom, Longmont

Dom, I don’t know what the actual selling price would be. , the Rockies are worth $1.475 billion, ranking 24th in the majors. The Yankees, by comparison, are valued at $8.2 billion.

There have been rumors occasionally that the Monfort brothers might sell the team, but those rumors are unsubstantiated. With Walker and Sterling Monfort (Dick’s sons) already working for the organization, I believe the Rockies will be owned by the family for many years to come.

Why can most other teams manage to teach their hitters to lay off pitches out of the zone, but the Rockies consistently have the highest “chase rate” in baseball? The Dodgers, especially, never swing at pitches out of the strike zone. This year already, we have seen at least a half-dozen 3-2 pitches that would have been ball four but resulted in strikeouts.

— Tom Ricca, Centennial

Tom, it’s incredibly frustrating. , the Rockies’ 31.6% chase rate is the second-highest in the majors, trailing only Texas (32.2%). The Dodgers, like all teams, do swing at pitches outside the strike zone, just not as much as the Rockies. The Dodgers’ 27.7% chase rate is the ninth lowest in baseball.

The big difference is that while other teams chase pitches, they also hit home runs. The Rockies rarely hit homers. It’s a bad combination.

Why is it happening? Young players who are overmatched are the No. 1 reason. Too many players are stubborn about adjusting their approach, especially with two strikes. The coaching/teaching is not getting through to several players.

Given his flair, quirkiness, off-the-wall celebrations, and place of birth, isn’t it time we gave Zac Veen the nickname “Florida Man?”

— Rick, Colorado Springs

Rick, if you want to name Veen that, go for it. But how about we wait on a nickname until the rookie outfielder starts hitting? Veen entered Tuesday hitting .125 with zero homers, one RBI, and a 34.6% K rate.

That year resonated because that is when Charlie Blackmon began growing his beard. Blackmon announced his retirement this week, tying a bow on a 14-year run with a dive into the Hot Tub Time Machine. He is leading off, ripping triples, smashing homers and scoring runs. He’s partying like it����ap 1899. Or at least his beard is, cascading down his face with joy.

The Rockies will surely retire Blackmon’s number in the future. He ranks second in almost every meaningful category in franchise history. But Blackmon going out while the team stinks provides a sobering reminder. After four All-Star selections and a top-five finish in MVP voting, his career will be remembered for his beard, his walk-up song and statistics.

In that order.

Blackmon became part of the culture when his facial hair sprouted like a Chia Pet. Now, he doesn’t know what he looks like clean-shaven. And neither does his wife. It is kind of cool that any silhouette that reminds us of a bird’s nest is immediately identified with the outfielder.

But, he deserves to be viewed through a wider prism. He has been really good for a really long time. He’s not Todd Helton, but he’s in the conversation among Rockies greats — a list that includes The Toddfather, Larry Walker, Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Holliday and Vinny Castilla.

Blackmon made his debut June 7, 2011. He will play his last game Sunday. In between, the Rockies reached the playoffs twice — in 2017 and 2018.

Blackmon, like Helton before him, learned to deal with the losing. He loved this state and how the fans embraced him. Even without his beard, his walk-up song, “Your Love” by The Outfield, made him an icon, the crowd finishing off the “Toniiiiiiiight” lyrics.

Blackmon deserves a tip of the cap. But let����ap not just identify him by his beard and his tune. He is better than that.

Mr. Rodgers: Nobody does passive-aggressiveness better than Aaron Rodgers. Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” this week, he praised the Broncos defense, singled out Pat Surtain II and took some subtle jabs at Denver’s offense. You know, the one steered by Sean Payton. Both sides have played down acrimony this week, saying Payton ripping Nathaniel Hackett is old news, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it surface on Sunday.

Clark bar: Caitlin Clark finished her outstanding rookie season with a first-round playoff exit. The WNBA leadership has been an embarrassment in not understanding Clark’s impact and creating an environment that has pitted players against one another. This needs to be addressed moving forward.

Mail Time

I will Bo-lieve if Sean Payton will Bo-lieve. Check the tape, Troy. It was not just Bo, but a much-improved scheme (against Tampa Bay).  Unusual for a behind-the-curve head coach. Do we Bo-lieve? Payton answered your question.

John, email

There is no question that Payton has to customize the offense for Nix. And he has to stop asking him to do too much. Nix ranks fourth in the NFL in dropbacks with 127. That����ap a ridiculous number. Give Nix sips. There is no need to have him drink out of a firehose, even if he knows the offense. Aim for 25 to 30 passes and 10 rush attempts per week. That will show Payton not only believes in Nix, but also understands how to develop him.

Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

Was 2023 Nolan Jones’ ceiling? Or did the early-season injuries set him too far back?

— Kyle, Thornton

Kyle, I don’t think Jones peaked last season when he slashed .297/.389/.542 with 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in 106 games. He’s an athletically gifted player, and his work ethic is off the charts. He has more to give.

However, the left fielder is struggling (.187/.291/.594, a 34.4% strikeout rate), and it will take him some time to get right. It might even make sense to option him down to Triple-A Albuquerque for a tune-up and a confidence boost. Ultimately, he must show he can hit consistently in the majors. The Rockies have a lot of talented outfielders in the pipeline, so he’ll have competition for a job.

While Jones’ injuries (back and knee) certainly didn’t help him, that’s not the primary reason for his slump. People I’ve talked to within the organization tell me that Jones is working through mechanical issues and is prone to putting too much pressure on himself.

He’s late firing on pitches, is letting too many first-ball strikes go by, and has too many holes in his swing. Plus, the league has a book on him now. His struggles resemble those he endured in Cleveland, so the Guardians were willing to trade him to Colorado.

Having said that, Jones has the right stuff to bounce back. We’ll have to see if he can. I’m rooting for him.

The constant promotional video during Rockies games on TV drives me crazy. Can’t they do something else between innings? It’s the same thing, game after game.

— Anita, Denver

Anita, I watch a lot of games on , too. And I’ll admit the videos drive me a little crazy, too. My guess is that the Rockies run those promotional videos because they haven’t sold enough advertising to fill the time between innings.

If the Rockies start winning, that will change.

The videos are well-done montages, but they sure get stale when they’re shown over and over.

As terrible as this sounds, might the Rockies reach 110 losses this season?

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Ed, as I write this, the Rockies are on pace to finish 57-105. As I wrote in my recent Rockies Journal, I think the Rockies will likely lose 100 games for the second consecutive season. However, I don’t think they’ll lose 110.

But it doesn’t matter what their final tally is because the main purpose of the second half of the season should be to give their young players experience and a chance to grow. And for the organization to evaluate that talent.

That could mean more losses. Many fans will hate that approach, but the Rockies have to bite the bullet.

Will Ryan McMahon, Cal Quantrill and/or Elias Diaz be moved? Will they try to move Kris Bryant����ap contract?

— Jacob, New York

Jacob, I’ve written about the trade possibilities before, but I’ll do a quick review. I would be shocked if McMahon (a first-time All-Star) is traded. I’d be mildly surprised if the Rockies dealt Quantrill, but not shocked. I think Diaz will be traded. I also think there’s a chance that second baseman Brendan Rodgers is dealt.

As for Bryant, there is no way the Rockies can trade him unless they eat a lot of money on the contract.

Fire Bud Black now and hire Vinny Castilla or Warren Schaeffer! Not that it will make any difference in the win/loss column, nobody could, but they need to change the attitude and atmosphere in the locker room. This is a loser’s locker room with a losing manager, they need to change the vibe!

— A.J., Mt. Juliet, Tenn.

A.J., how do you know it’s a “loser’s locker room?” By the way, I prefer “clubhouse” to “locker room” for baseball.

The Rockies are a bad team, no question about it. But their vibe inside the clubhouse is actually pretty good. Is there frustration? Sure. Do the Rockies need more talent? Absolutely. However, the environment is not toxic, and Black should get some credit for that.

As for making Castilla the manager, I don’t see that happening. He’s a consultant and a bridge between the front office and players. He’s very tight with the players, especially the Latino players. Too tight, in fact, to be the players’ boss.

Schaffer has a bright future, but I don’t think now is the time for him to replace Black.

Hi Patrick, regarding your article on the Rockies’ draft prospects over the past 10 years, how do the Rockies compare to other well-run and competent organizations? Big market (L.A., N.Y.) or small (Tampa Bay, Milwaukee)? Do other teams have a better track record?

Given the Rockies’ nonsensical belief that they are a draft-and-develop organization, it doesn’t seem as if any of their prospects from the last 10 years are stars, especially considering how many high draft picks they’ve had. Who was their last bona fide draft prospect that became a legitimate perennial all-star? Even Arenado seems less legitimate now that he’s no longer playing at Coors Field (or he’s getting older). Todd Helton? Are they 1 for 200 or so in properly evaluating talent?

— Joe, Denver

Wow, Joe, that’s a lot to chew on. I don’t have time to explore all of your questions, but I’ll give you some snapshots:

• According to a the Rockies rank 23rd out of 30 when it comes to drafting and developing pitchers.

• Kyle Newman, my Denver Post colleague, did a deep dive into the Rockies’ draft-and-develop philosophy as part of our “Rockie Way” project last fall. He found that while Colorado matched up pretty well in overall draft production vs. the rest of the National League West, the Rockies have failed to develop enough high-impact players over the last decade.

• , the Rockies’ farm system was ranked 12th by USA Today, 19th by FanGraphs and eighth by Bleacher Report.

• Trevor Story, now with the Red Sox but out for the season with an injury, was a great pick (45th overall in 2011), as was Arenado (second round, 2009). But I think it’s fair to say that the Rockies haven’t hit a lot of home runs with their early picks in the draft.

The former Blake Street Bomber, now a special assistant to Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt, is arguably the most famous Mexican-born big league position player in MLB history. He’s also his native country’s most accomplished, as in homers (320), doubles (349), hits (1,884), runs (902) and RBIs (1,105).

“I’m sure Vinny’s going to be treated like the mayor on our trip,” third baseman Ryan McMahon quipped. “Everyone knows he’s beloved back there. We’re ready to see the fans mob the rockstar.”

“Cuz” grew up in Oaxaca, Mexico, about six hours southeast of where the Rockies will play Houston in Mexico City this Saturday and Sunday.

He originally signed with the Braves in early 1990 as a skinny shortstop prospect. As Castilla recalled, the Braves paid his Mexican League club, Saraperos de Saltillo, $25,000 for his rights. Castilla said he got about $6,000 of that.

That was the humble genesis of an MLB career that eventually led to two All-Star nods and three Silver Sluggers with Colorado. Of course, his 16-year big-league career, 13 of which were spent with the Braves and the Rockies, could’ve looked a lot different had Castilla been signed by another club.

Before signing with Atlanta, Castilla had tryouts with a handful of other teams, including the Reds, Dodgers, Rangers and Brewers. But none of those panned out, possibly because the asking price by his Mexican League team was too high.

“To this day, I don’t know if I wasn’t good enough for those teams, or if my Mexican League team was asking too much money for me,” Castilla said. “But I’m grateful for the way everything worked out.”

After debuting for the Braves as a September call-up in 1991, garnering just six plate appearances, Castilla spent most of 1992 in Triple-A. He played in only nine games for Atlanta that season, and at the time, projected as a light-hitting utility infielder.

But when the Braves left him unprotected in the 1992 expansion draft — holding onto current CU football coach Deion Sanders and a few other bubble players instead — Castilla got the first of two big breaks that paved the path to him becoming a Mexican baseball icon. The Rockies selected him with their 20th pick.

“That was the best thing to happen to me, was to come to Colorado and get a chance to play,” Castilla said.

In his debut with the Rockies in 1993, Castilla platooned at shortstop with Freddie Benavides. In 1994, he saw action at all four infield positions, including backing up Walt Weiss at shortstop, while also playing in Triple-A. Across those first two seasons in LoDo, Castilla hit just 12 homers in 157 games.

But when 1995 came, everything changed. Castilla broke out with 32 homers as the starting third baseman in a strike-shortened season. He earned his first All-Star nod and first Silver Slugger, and that was the start of him proving himself as one of the best fastball hitters of the 1990s.

“(Original Rockies GM) Bob Gebhard called me after that 1994 season ended with the strike and told me to be ready to play third base,” Castilla recalled. “I played it in instructional league, and then played third base in Mexico in the winter league to get ready. We didn’t sign Charlie Hayes back, and that was my opening. I took advantage of it.”

Castilla, who manages Sultanes de Monterrey in the winter Mexican League, knows it’s going to be a different ambiance at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium this weekend compared to what Colorado players are used to.

In the first MLB game played in Mexico City last year between the Padres and Giants, the blare of horns and a mariachi band behind home plate provided a soundtrack to

The game tied an MLB record with 10 players homering in the stadium at 7,349 feet, an elevation more than 2,000 feet higher than Coors Field. There will be a humidor in use for this weekend’s games, but it’s fair to expect lots of offense along with the energy of a sold-out bandbox crowd of 20,576. The stadium’s left and right field lines are 332 feet, while center is 410 feet.

“It’s going to be louder than the guys are used to,” said right-hander Justin Lawrence, who experienced a raucous international atmosphere when pitching for Panama in the World Baseball Classic in 2023. “I imagine it will be pretty similar to a soccer environment. Games here in the States, there’s noise but it kind of simmers down as the pitches come, unless it’s a big moment.

“Playing in Taiwan last year, it didn’t stop. It was just nine innings straight of noise, so I’m anticipating an environment like that.”

Castilla said he’s “excited to share in these games and moments with my people,” while Rockies manager Bud Black pitched the idea of expanding MLB’s World Tour. Since began in 1996 with a Padres-Mets series in Monterrey, the league’s played regular-season games in Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, England, Mexico and most recently South Korea.

The Rockies previously played a regular-season game at Estadio de Beisbol in Monterrey in the 1999 season opener. Colorado won, 8-2, and Castilla went 4 for 5 with a double and a run scored, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Those types of moments are why Black describes himself as “pro international” when it comes to putting MLB’s product on a global stage.

“The London Series (in 2019 between the Red Sox and Yankees) was fun, and the Korea experience this year, from what I heard from the people on the Padres and Dodgers, was a good experience,” Black said. “It’s great for baseball, to continue to grow the sport worldwide. I’d love to see (MLB games) played in many more countries than we’ve already played.”

The Rockies travel to Mexico on their off day, Friday, before playing on Saturday (4:05 p.m. MT) and Sunday (2:05 p.m. MT, ESPN). Castilla and former Rockies pitcher Jorge De La Rosa are throwing out the ceremonial first pitches on Sunday.

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• Riley Pint, the high school kid with the 102 mph fastball, had aspirations of being a flamethrowing starter in the majors.

• Michael Toglia was tabbed as an athletic power hitter with the potential to be the Rockies’ best homegrown first baseman since Todd Helton.

• Zac Veen, gifted with power and speed, was drafted straight out of high school to be the club’s next great outfielder.

Where are they now?

None of the three has made an impact at the big-league level as the Rockies struggled through five consecutive losing seasons. All three realize, to varying degrees, that this is a critical spring training for them.

“It’s very important,” Pint said. “You don’t get too many of these opportunities, so you have to make them count.”

Following is a look at the high-profile trio’s past, present and future:

Right-hander Riley Pint

Pint, now 26, was the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland, Kan. He got a $4.8 million signing bonus, along with the pressure that comes with being a bonus baby.

Now, more than seven years later, after several injuries, recurring bouts of wildness, one retirement and one comeback, Pint has pitched just one-third of an inning in the majors. But his still-golden arm and intriguing potential have kept him on Colorado’s 40-man roster, albeit as a reliever.

“There are still people in our organization who believe in the talent and believe in the person,” general manager Bill Schmidt said Tuesday. “We are going to play it out and see where he is.”

Pitching for Triple-A Albuquerque last season, Pint went 3-4 with a 6.14 ERA in 47 relief appearances. The good news: Pint����ap 52 2⁄3 innings were the most since 2017, his first full professional season, and he averaged 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings, thanks to a wicked slider. The bad news: He walked 8.9 batters per nine and a lack of fastball command continues to dog him.

“The slider always comes out good and it’s probably my No. 1 pitch right now,” Pint said. “I’m trying to get the fastball to synch up with it. I’m trying to get the mechanics right.”

Pint says he knows what the key is for him to finally become a full-time big-leaguer.

“I just need to be more consistent,” he said. “My mechanics need to be more consistent, day in a day out.”

Manager Bud Black knows what he wants to see from Pint during this camp.

“In a nutshell, what we’d like to see is progress with three main things,” Black said. “First comes an under-control, consistent delivery. With that comes his arm slot and release point. There has been some variability with that since he came back (from retirement).

“There has to be a comfort level within Riley because there has to be a comfort level with an athlete where he feels comfortable in his own skin to be able to perform.

“Thirdly, there has to be marked improvement in his performance. The walk rate has to come down, the ball-strike ratio has to be better. He’s got devastating stuff and we have seen glimpses of that. His stuff translates to being dominant in the big leagues.”

First baseman Michael Toglia

Toglia, who was drafted out of UCLA with the 23rd overall pick in 2019, has lived up to expectations with his glove at first base. He’s also shown he can make the transition to the outfield. But at the plate, he’s struggled mightily. Last season, in 45 games (152 plate appearances), he slashed .163/.224/.284, with four homers, five doubles and nine RBIs. His strikeout rate was 32.9% and his walk rate was only 6.6%.

“Too many of our young guys have too large a gap between their strikeout rate and their walk rate,” Black said. “Michael is included in that group.”

Toglia, 25, said he will never give up being a switch hitter, despite some dramatic splits. Last season, he slashed .109/.146/.109 with no home runs vs. left-handers and .189/.260/.368 with four home runs vs. righties. Toglia also said he would continue his aggressive approach at the plate.

“I feel like when I’m aggressive in the box and not so defensive, I’m the best version of myself,” said Toglia, who played winter ball in Monterrey, Mexico, with longtime Rockies player and special assistant Vinny Castilla as his manager.

“I’m not going to allow anything outside, be it that pitcher or whatever, to take me out of that aggressiveness,” Toglia continued. “I want to be ready to hit the pitch that I want with the intent to do damage with it.”

Toglia faces a lot of competition at first base, where he’s behind Kris Bryant and Elehuris Montero on the depth chart, and also at the corner outfield spots where the Rockies are loaded with talented prospects. It would behoove him to bust out this spring.

“None of us are in any player’s head, and we are still getting to know Michael to a certain extent,” Black said. “But I like what he’s said (about being aggressive). The proof will be in the pudding. It’s fine to swing at the first pitch and be aggressive, but it’s got to be a good pitch to hit. That’s the crux of it.”

Right fielder Zac Veen

Veen, the ninth overall pick in 2020 out of Florida’s Spruce Creek High School, is only 22. His future remains bright, but a left wrist injury suffered while diving for a ball with High-A Spokane in 2022 proved costly. The injury eventually required surgery last summer, cost him most of the season, and put his big-league debut on hold.

Playing for Double-A Hartford in the pitching-rich Northeastern League Veen hit a mere .209 with two homers in 46 games before he admitted that he couldn’t swing the bat with any authority.

“I knew in the back of my mind that something was wrong, especially when I got to the cold weather in Hartford,” Veen said. “I was in the cage and I couldn’t get the right motion in my left hand and I made the decision that I had to do something. I wasn’t myself.”

Veen will likely begin this season back at Hartford, but Schmidt didn’t rule out Veen opening at Triple-A.

Last spring, Schmidt said it was possible that Veen would debut in 2023. What does Schmidt say now?

“Spring training will tell us a lot,” Schmidt said. “He’s come into camp looking good and he swung the bat well in his short stint in winter ball in Puerto Rico. He came in with a lot of confidence. We’re excited to see what he can do. He’s been through some stuff, but he’s acknowledged that he’s grown up a lot.”

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That’s how Rockies Hall of Famer Larry Walker referred to the Blake Street Bombers Saturday when they gathered at Coors Field as part of the franchise’s ongoing 30th anniversary celebration.

Joining Walker were Dante Bichette, Ellis Burks and Vinny Castilla. The only player missing from the festivities was Andres “The Big Cat” Galarraga, who’s proven quite elusive in his post-baseball, always-on-the-golf-course life in West Palm Beach, Fla.

“I’ve got his phone number and we live in the same complex and I don’t ever see him,” joked Walker.

The Blake Street Bombers are remembered for their prodigious scoring power during the Rockies’ pre-humidor days at Coors Field. The 1996 team remains the only team in major league history to hit 200 or more home runs (221) and steal 200 or more bases (201) in the same season.

The Bombers would like to see some of that classic rock return to Coors and lift the Rockies out of their current doldrums.

“This is a ballpark where you can score runs, so it would be good to have a lineup that can scare people,” said Castilla, who works as a special assistant to general manager Bill Schmidt.

Castilla recalled that the Bombers would always be the last group to take batting practice at Coors Field, so that way, as the opposing pitchers stretched out, they would watch the Bombers’ pregame pyrotechnics.

“We started yelling, ‘ERA!’ ERA!’ ” Castilla said, flashing his ultra-bright smile.

The current Rockies entered Saturday’s play with 142 home runs, ranking them 28th out of 30 in MLB. They ranked 29th with 61 stolen bases and 20th with 643 runs scored. In other words, the current Rockies aren’t creating a nightmare on Blake Street for visiting teams.

“Offensively, you’ve got to bully teams at home,” Bichette said.

And then Bichette made an interesting point.

“You hear a lot about, ‘Get some flyball hitters,’ ” he said. “None of us were flyball hitters. We were all good line-drive hitters. You put good line-drive hitters with bat speed in this park and that’s what really blows up this park.”

Bichette also said that he considers the 1995 team, which made the postseason in just the third season of the Rockies’ existence, as the mold for a winning team at Coors Field. The ’95 team, Bichette noted, not only had a powerful lineup, but it had some “fearless pitchers” such as starter Kevin Ritz and a solid bullpen featuring Darren Holmes, Steve Reed and Curt Leskanic.

Walker said the key for the Rockies must be developing hitters in the farm system.

“You just can’t go out and purchase or (spend) a ton of money on players, or trade off a lot because then you are left dry,” Walker said. “So the farm system needs to be built up a little bit to have that pool of young players that you can call up.

“I think, perhaps, they are running a little bit thin right now in that department. That’s a process that’s got to start. It doesn’t happen over a couple of years. It’s going to take some time.”

Burks, who now works as a broadcast analyst covering the Cleveland Guardians, sees some young talent starting to bloom for Colorado, especially with rookies such as shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and outfielder Nolan Jones, who was traded from Cleveland to Colorado before the 2023 season.

“I saw Nolan when he was with Cleveland and when he was in the minor leagues,” Burks said. “I’m excited about what he can do.

“As far as the future is concerned, just like anyone, you have to learn the different pitchers in the league, kind of make your adjustments. And that’s for everyone. But I think these guys are on their way.”

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