Imagine walking into a situation where everything appears to be cruising along. But the outcomes are not quite up to par. That’s the current scenario for the Colorado Rockies team. With the backdrop of Coors Field and a dedicated fan base that always turns up in great numbers to support them, the Rockies have been grappling with challenges in their quest to establish themselves as serious contenders in their field for quite some time now. It’s a frustrating reality for a team with potential but without the necessary organizational infrastructure to push them into the future.

And former MLB GM Jim Bowden is done being polite about it. He’s calling for a full-blown transformation, urging Rockies ownership to “clean house completely” and rebuild from the ground up. Bowden didn’t just suggest minor tweaks to the Rockies’ management. He flat-out stated that the entire organization is behind the times, and if he were in charge, he’d make sweeping changes across the board. “If I’m the owner, I’m going to make a change at President, GM, Manager… and I’m going to absolutely 100% rebuild that organization,” Bowden said.

He doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to what needs to change, and it’s clear he believes the Rockies are operating in the dark compared to other MLB teams. He pointed out that despite Bill Schmidt’s strengths as a scout, particularly in evaluating amateur talent, the Rockies are falling short in several key areas. “They don’t play in the trade market significantly ever. They don’t play in the big free agent market ever. They’re all about homegrown, and they over-evaluate their own prospects,” Bowden criticized.

For Bowden, it’s not just about player development; it’s about organizational mindset. The Rockies often keep their players for long without maximizing their trade value at its peak before it begins to decline.  Consequently a team that persistently falls short of expectations and an ownership group that fails to take charge of a revamp. Bowden is quite straightforward in his assessment of the Rockies management team stating, “They have a very shallow front office. They’re well behind in a lot of areas like analytics and technology. And that’s a problem.”

Even though Bowden expressed admiration for manager Bud Black, he still believes a shift in leadership is necessary. “I think I’d probably go with a younger, more development-oriented leadership group there.” If ownership wants to compete in modern baseball, it’s time to scrap the old playbook and start from scratch. The question is: will they listen?

How the Rockies fell behind

Here’s the thing: Major League Baseball has evolved fast. Teams like the Dodgers and Rays have weaponized analytics, turned player development into a science, and built front offices stacked with data specialists, and performance experts. Meanwhile, the Rockies seem to be operating with a 2005 playbook. That’s not just harsh, it’s a reality. In a league where teams find hidden gems through data and optimize lineups through metrics, Colorado is relying too heavily on tradition, and homegrown talent that doesn’t always pan out.

For example the Nolan Arenado trade, a move that left fans stunned and rivals confused. The Rockies not only gave up a generational talent, but also paid St. Louis $50 million to take him. That’s not just falling behind, it’s falling flat. In addition to that there’s the absence from the international free agent market, where teams are signing the next Juan Soto or Roki Sasaki while Colorado sits on the bench.

Over the past five seasons, the Colorado Rockies have consistently struggled, culminating in some of the worst performances in franchise history. In 2023, they recorded a franchise-low 59 wins against 103 losses, marking their first 100-loss season. The following year, 2024, saw little improvement, with the team finishing 61–101. As of April 17, 2025, the Rockies have started the season with a dismal 3–15 record, positioning them at the bottom of the NL West standings .

Over this period, the team has consistently finished last or near the bottom of their division, highlighting a persistent pattern of underperformance. These consecutive losing seasons underscore the organization’s ongoing challenges in building a competitive roster and adapting to the evolving dynamics of MLB.

Now the question isn’t whether the Rockies can catch up, it’s whether they’re willing to. In today’s game, turning a franchise around isn’t impossible. But it demands bold, uncomfortable decisions. Starting with ownership acknowledging the gap and investing in a front office that blends traditional strategy with modern analytics, and player development infrastructure willing to take risks.

In the end, the Rockies have the market, the fanbase, and yes, the ballpark. But without leadership willing to disrupt the status quo, they’ll remain stuck in neutral while the rest of baseball races ahead.