Rockies Manager Set to Make Franchise History With Contract Extension

On most teams, a manager with four straight losing seasons would be on the hot seat, if not fired. On the Colorado Rockies, however, where mediocrity is embraced and playing .500 ball is merely a pipe dream, his reward is job security.

The Rockies announced on Wednesday that they have agreed to a one-year contract extension with skipper Bud Black, who will now manage the team through the 2024 season. Assuming he's still in the dugout by then, he's on pace to end up in the team's record books.

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Black, 65, has been Colorado's manager since the 2017 season. He took over at a good time, as the Rockies immediately made the playoffs the first two years under his watch. They haven't been back since, however, and just finished last in the NL West last year after going 68-94 -- their worst record since 2015.

That didn't stop Colorado from re-upping with Black, who is now on track to become the longest-tenured manager in franchise history. Granted, the Rockies have only played 30 seasons since joining MLB as an expansion team in 1993, but it's an impressive record nevertheless.

It's even more impressive considering that Colorado has never won a playoff game under Black, or for anyone since 2009. The Rockies lost the NL Wild Card Game in 2017 and got swept out of the NLDS in 2018, so they haven't come close to capturing their first World Series title in franchise history.

None of this is Black's fault, of course. Colorado's front office is a notorious clown show and has no idea how to build a winning roster, much less develop a coherent strategy or discernible vision for the future. You can be a great chef, but it's tough to make a quality meal when you don't have the right ingredients.

The Rockies have been stuck in neutral for years now, and keeping an aging manager like Black around isn't going to move the throttle.