Clint Hurdle Fired as Rockies Manager

So much for the Rockies' desire to wait until the end of the season and assess the situation. Colorado axed maligned manager Clint Hurdle on Friday and replaced him with bench coach Jim Tracy for the rest of the season.

Hurdle, who led the Rockies on a magical run all the way to the World Series back in 2007, has been at the helm through a disappointing 2008 season and during an 18-28 start thus far in 2009. In seven-plus seasons managing the Rockies, Hurdle compiled a 534-625 record. The Rockies finished above fourth place just twice in his tenure and the NL-pennant-winning 2007 run was his only trip to the postseason.

Hurdle has appeared as a lame duck coach for much of the month of May. The Rockies seemed to be dropping hints left and right they were ready to move forward with a new manager in 2010, but they continued to stress that they'd evaluate the situation at season's end. No more.

As the Rockies continue to scuffle, the words "fire sale" have been pasted across the Internet concerning the Mile High City's ballclub.

Pirates supporters will likely scoff at the notion of Tracy improving anything, and click here to see why. Regardless, things aren't getting better before they get worse in Colorado. The aging nucleus wasn't that great to begin with -- they simply put together an aberration of a historical run in 2007 and it diverted the attention from the front office's need to start going young.

If they can sell off some of the aging parts for good, young talent, there is a quality base of youth in Troy Tulowitzki, Chris Iannetta, Ian Stewart, Dexter Fowler, Ubaldo Jimenez and others.

For now, though, they'll proceed with a new manager and see what 2009 has in store for them.