Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
Hey Patrick, I have a general curiosity question about MLB front-office structure and, more specifically, job titles. I know and assume that all front offices are different and have their own uniqueness to them, but can you tell me what the difference is between the “president of baseball operations” and the “general manager?”
For the Rockies, we all know Paul DeDodesta is the new head honcho in the front office, but from the outside looking in he has all of the traditional responsibilities of a general manager (trades, free-agent signings, etc.) but not the job title, and his preceding front office leaders (Bill Schmidt, Jeff Bridich, Dan O’Dowd, etc) had the title of GM. Why doesn’t DePodesta have the job title GM? And if he is the final authority on baseball decisions, why hire a “GM?” Seems like with DePodesta in charge, our new GM has the job title in name only. I am just curious if you can elaborate on the differences between the roles?
— Douglas, Denver
Douglas, excellent question that I have been trying to answer myself. I know that DePodesta and new GM Josh Byrnes will work hand in hand, even though DePodesta is the actual boss of the front office. The title of “president of baseball operations” vs. “general manager” is often a matter of semantics.
Anyway, this is what Byrnes told me when I forwarded your question to him:
“At this point, I think most teams have those two titles. As you know, it’s a big operation. Internally, we are both involved in major league club roster decisions, scouting, player development, R&D, performance science, etc.
“In addition, we need to communicate with ownership, media, agents and other clubs. So, we divide responsibilities on all of those things.”
And this is what DePodesta said:
“My view is that Josh and I are partners in this. Both of us will be involved across the baseball operation, with each of us being a bit more involved or a bit less involved in certain areas at particular times of the calendar.”
What new systems, etc., will this front office deploy at the minor-league levels? How will spring training be run differently from the previous front office?
— Logan, Grand Junction
Logan, that remains to be seen. The Rockies’ new front office has said it’s working to get everybody on the same page. That’s been Job 1, and it entails using similar analytics and technology at all levels. Going forward, the franchise would like to add more coaches at the minor league level. We’ll see how that plays out.
As for spring training, manager Warren Schaeffer will have a huge role in structuring a new camp. I know he’s eager to lay out his plan. “Through the roof,” is how he put it. Schaeffer has thus far declined to reveal specifics about how spring training will change, other than saying he wants to focus on improving Colorado’s base running. We’ll know more soon.
Hey Patrick, a couple of questions. First, I am surprised by what is happening. I never thought that (owner) Dick Monfort would bring in outside help. If Monfort lets the new kids on the block run the show their own way, how long would it take to see the effects? I am guessing two to three years before we see anything, but I could be wrong.
Also, how do you think Walt Weiss will pan out in Atlanta? The Braves were my team before the Rockies existed (it was either them or the Cubs, as they were the only ones on TV. Yes, I am dating myself).
— Del, Lamar
Del, I think we are already seeing changes: cutting loose first baseman Michael Toglia and catcher Drew Romo; trading for outfielder Jake McCarthy and lefty reliever Brennan Bernardino; and bringing in free-agent starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen. There are no blockbuster moves there — I didn’t expect any — but I think they are solid decisions.
I don’t expect the Rockies’ record to dramatically improve in 2026, but maybe they can avoid their fourth consecutive 100-loss season. Baby steps. In the best of all possible worlds, the Rockies could sniff .500 in 2027 and make a playoff push in 2028.
You have to give Walker Monfort (Dick’s son) credit for the changes in the front office. I was skeptical he would go outside the organization to rebuild the team, but he did. Kudos to him.
As for Weiss, I’m a big fan. Every player I’ve talked to about Weiss has had positive things to say about him. He’s a solid baseball man, and he learned a lot during his time with the Rockies, as he told me during baseball’s winter meetings. With Weiss at the helm, I expect the Braves to be a contender in the NL East in 2026.
What do you think of the Rockies’ moves so far? Jake McCarthy seems like a cheap pickup for a flyer. I’m not hating on the additions of (pitchers) Michael Lorenzen and Keegan Thompson either. I mean, they’re not going to make us a .500 team, but at least we’re slowly moving in the right direction.
— Jeffrey, Parker
Jeffrey, McCarthy’s athleticism makes him an intriguing player. Over his five-year big-league career, McCarthy has slashed .260/.324/.381 with 46 doubles, 20 triples, 24 homers and 139 RBIs. He has swiped 83 bases and hit 20 triples. His 29.9 feet/second sprint speed in 2025 was tied for fifth-fastest in the majors among players with at least 200 plate appearances.
But he needs to rebound from a disappointing season that saw him sent down to Triple-A. After playing in 142 big-league games in 2024, he played in just 67 in 2025, slashing .204/.247/.345 (.591 OPS, 67 OPS+). The trade has a chance to be positive, but if it doesn’t work out, the loss of minor league Josh Grosz is not a big deal. Also, the Rockies have a surplus of young outfielders, so I imagine they will make another trade before spring training begins on Feb. 11.
Finally, while the additions of Lorenzen and Thompson aren’t game-changers, they give the Rockies some needed depth while they look to develop pitchers in the system.
Do you think we’ll try using Michael Lorenzen as a two-way player, maybe like a poor-man’s Shohei Ohtani? He can pitch and eat up innings and play in the outfield.
— Mike, Denver
Related Articles
Rockies acquire outfielder Jake McCarthy from Diamondbacks for pitching prospect Josh Grosz Grading The Week: Broncos, Sean Payton can afford to lose Davis Webb or Jim Leonhard. But not both. Source: Rockies, right-hander Michael Lorenzen agree to one-year deal Rockies add pitching depth with right-hander Keegan Thompson Paul DePodesta counting on new staffers to improve Rockies’ terrible starting pitchingMike, Lorenzen will only be a pitcher for the Rockies. The club has more than enough outfielders, and they need starting pitching. I suppose he could be an emergency outfielder or a pinch-hitter.
Which young player is going to make a splash for us this year?
— Mark, Arvada
Mark, my pick is third baseman Kyle Karros. He’s just 23, and he’s still filling out his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame. I think he’s going to get stronger and hit for more power. He won’t be a prodigious home run hitter, but he’ll show more pop than he did in his late-season debut last season, when he hit just one homer in 31 games (156 plate appearances).
With his strong arm and agility, Karros has the skills to be a solid third baseman with Gold Glove potential. At the plate, he slashed .226/.308/.277 (.585 OPS, 58 OPS+) with a 26.3% strikeout rate. That’s sub-par, but he has a good swing, and he’s going to improve at the plate.
Plus, Karros loves the game and is mature and disciplined. I think he’ll make a quantum leap in 2026.
My second choice to make a big improvement is left fielder Jordan Beck.
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