As the 2015 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 Clint Hurdle? Or trading Matt 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
Williams says it was firing Clint Hurdle.
“By leading Pittsburgh to the playoffs for three straight years,” Williams says, “and what he did with the Rockies, Hurdle has proved he’s one of the best managers over the past two decades.”
Hurdle inherited a struggling Rockies club in 2002 and turned them around to a nearly-.500 team. His turnaround in Pittsburgh was even more impressive. After two years he had his team playing above .500 and into the playoffs.
“He’s revived one of the proudest franchises in baseball,” notes Williams, “one that was incredibly down for a very long time before he arrived. Imagine where the Rockies would be today if they just stuck with Hurdle. Probably in the playoffs.”
Williams’ co-host, however, says it was losing the player on the field that was the biggest mistake.
