Hurdle Rejoins Rockies as Special Assistant to GM

After a 44-year career in professional baseball — beginning at the age of 18 with the Kansas City Royals as a first-round draft pick in 1975 and ending with being let go as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the final days of the 2019 season, Clint Hurdle is getting back into the game.

Hurdle will serve as a special assistant to general manager Bill Schmidt on Jan. 1, returning to the organization in which he spent more time than any other.

“We are extremely excited to welcome back Clint Hurdle to the Rockies,” said Schmidt. “Clint has a long history with the Rockies and in this game, and he brings a wealth of knowledge that will be incredibly valuable to this organization and our players.”

Hurdle joined the Rockies initially as a minor-league hitting coach in 1994, was added to the big-league coaching staff of manager Don Baylor two years later. And finally, he managed the Rockies from early April in 2002 until being let go on May 29, 2009.

“I am thrilled to return to an organization that I love,” said Hurdle. “I’m looking forward to working with Bill and his staff and helping out wherever they need me.”

Hurdle’s managerial term included guiding the Rockies to their only World Series appearance in 2007. He oversaw a wild late-season push, winning 14 of the final 15 pre-post-season games, including a dramatic win against San Diego in a Game 163 to advance to the post-season.

After sweeping Philadelphia in three games to win the NLDS, and sweeping Arizona in four games to claim the NLCS, the Rockies were swept by Boston in the World Series. While Boston needed a full seven games to come-from-behind and beat Cleveland in the ALCS, the Rockies were left with eight days of waiting after their quick work against the Diamondbacks.

After leaving the Rockies, Hurdle had a brief gig with MLB Network, and served as a hitting coach in 2010 with the Texas Rangers before embarking on a nine-year stint as manager of the Pirates.

Since his time with the Pirates, Hurdle has stayed close to the game, but deflected job offers from several teams, including an offer to be a hitting coach for San Diego, because of a desire to continue to have family time.

He never lost a special feeling about the Rockies, a team with which he was associated with longer than any other. He has spent the last year kicking around job structures with the team, finally coming to an agreement that will allow him time with his family in addition to responsibilities with the Rockies.