During the past seven seasons, as the Colorado Rockies have downgraded from contender to also-ran to laughingstock, rival executives have spoken about the franchise with a blend of derision and curiosity.

The executives have chuckled at the team’s seeming complacency and incapacity for change, which culminated in a 43-119 record in 2025, a finish that put the club on par with the 2024 Chicago White Sox and 1962 New York Mets in terms of futility. But outsiders do not merely see a moribund team stuck in one of baseball’s toughest divisions while playing 81 home games at elevated altitude. For inquisitive minds stashed in MLB front offices the Rockies represent an untapped opportunity and a riveting research project.

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What if owner Dick Monfort’s loyalty to his employees could be used to retain elite talent rather than perpetuate mediocrity? What if a consistent winner could tap into a regional hegemony that stretched across the Mountain West? What if the environment at Coors Field could become an asset rather than an albatross?

“You could create the greatest home-field advantage in professional sports,” one executive said.

The pool of applicants will now have a chance to showcase those proposals, in the wake of Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt stepping down on Wednesday morning. Walker Monfort, the club’s executive vice president and Dick Monfort’s son, added a crucial note to the release announcing the move. The team will be searching for “a new vision” for the franchise.

“We are setting our sights on finding the right leader from outside the organization who can bring a fresh perspective to the Rockies and enhance our baseball operations with a new vision, innovation, and a f