On Wednesday night Clint Hurdle and the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrated their postseason-clinching victory on the infield at Coors Field. The celebration had to be especially sweet for Hurdle, who has now managed the Pirates to three consecutive postseason berths since being fired by the Rockies in 2009.
Hurdle, as Rockies fans should be well aware, led Colorado to the World Series in 2007 and was relieved of his duties 46 games into the 2009 season, only to see Jim Tracy lead the Rockies out of last place and back to the playoffs.
Tracy was gone three years later, having followed his miracle run in ’09 with a third-place, then a fourth-place and, finally, a last-place finish in the NL West.
Pittsburgh meanwhile, under Hurdle, has enjoyed the most success the franchise has experienced in twenty years. And they currently have the St. Louis Cardinals within striking distance for the NL Central crown and the title of best team in baseball.
St. Louis, as Colorado fans recall with certainty, is led by left fielder Matt Holliday, whose (in)famous slide into home plate in the 2007 play-in game managed by Hurdle was the symbolic moment of that historic and magical run.
And so as the Rockies watch two keystone members of their 2007 club battle it out for the No.1 seed in the National League, it begs the question, “Which was the bigger mistake? Firing Hurdle? Or trading Holliday?”
Dan Williams and Marcello Romano, hosts of Morning Mayhem on Mile High Sports AM 1340, who both covered the team in 2007, offered their take.
What’s yours? Click on the links below to see Danny and Cello’s takes.
