Tracy resigns as Rockies manager
Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy resigned on Sunday, the team confirmed.
Tracy, who was due to be paid $1.4 million next season, has been involved in discussions with Rockies executives the past two days regarding whether he would return next season.
Tracy was hired in 2009 and led the Rockies to the playoffs that season when they earned a wild-card berth. They lost in the first round to the Phillies.
Colorado finished with 98 losses this past season, however.
"Jim Tracy is a man that has brought professionalism to the Rockies organization since 2009," Bill Geivett, Rockies vice president and director of baseball operations, said in a statement. "However, Jim has decided that he no longer wants to move forward as manager. We respect Jim's decision, and we wish Jim and his family the best of luck as we begin our search for the right person to become the next manager of our organization."
Geivett told the Denver Post he was surprised Tracy resigned.
"I was surprised," Geivett said. "Knowing Jim as long as I have it, it was not something I sensed would happen."
Asked directly why Tracy resigned, Geivett said: "I will let Jim answer that."
The first indication that Tracy might resign came when he and Geivett spoke on Saturday. There was no conversation Sunday until Tracy called Geivett to tell him he was resigning.
Tracy led the Rockies to a 294-308 (.488) record in his three-plus seasons as the club's manager. He was named the 2009 National League Manager of the Year after leading the Rockies to the 2009 National League Wild Card and a franchise-best 92-70 record.
The Rockies managerial search presumably will begin Monday with bench coach Tom Runnels and Triple-A manager Stu Cole expected to be among the in-house candidates, according to the Post.
