Rockies’ Bold Paul DePodesta Hire Could Redefine the Team’s Entire Thought Pattern

After a decade away from baseball, a 'Moneyball' exec is headed back to baseball.

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies have finally made a hire. As reported by Bob Nightengale, the move is official and in true Rockies fashion, it is controversial.

Paul DePodesta, who was best known as the analytics-minded executive from the "Moneyball" era of baseball, is coming back to baseball. He has most recently been in the world of the NFL with the Cleveland Browns.

You read that correctly. For the last 10 years, he has been the Chief Strategy Officer for one of the worst teams in the National Football League, and now he joins the worst team in Major League Baseball.

DePodesta made his name in the MLB with the Oakland Athletics in the early 2000s. He later went on to be the General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

What DePodesta Brings to the Rockies

Paul DePodesta in 2004 / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While at first glance this may not be what the Rockies fans were hoping for, there are some things that hint toward change within the organization.

Given that DePodesta had success with analytics, the Rockies have tended to ignore them over the course of their existence. This may point to Colorado finally starting to value data-driven builds, scouting, player development and roster construction.

While it has been a long time ago, as stated by the AP News, during his time in the MLB, he was the only executive to gather divisional titles with five different teams: San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and what was then the Cleveland Indians.

DePodesta joins a team in dire need of a turnaround and some success. After coming off the third straight season of 100 losses, a never-ending rebuild is occurring. Hopefully, this new hire can move the team forward. The roster implications could include emphasizing younger talent, accelerating the pipeline, and reconsidering long-term contracts under DePodesta's lead.

The Rockies are wagering on this move. It's bold and hopefully it signals a significant change in direction from ownership. As a whole, DePodesta has led or been a part of a leadership team that has taken organizations to divisional titles and they were driven by analytics.

Possibly having a completely fresh new look from a football executive who has significant baseball experience might bring something new to the league.

The knowledge DePodesta gained with his time in the NFL could be just the difference Colorado is looking for? It could also result in an epic fail, as he hasn't been in the game of baseball for 10 years, and there have been significant changes.

Is DePodesta High Risk-High Reward Hire?

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Certainly, this is a high-risk move for the organization. If he can leverage his knowledge and adapt to a changed, more fast-paced game, this could be the beginning of a turnaround.

He will need to find ways for the team to take advantage of their unique environment at Coors Field while still being able to execute in other fields.

Ownership will need to commit resources to his new way of thinking. This is something they haven't been willing to do in the past.

On the risk side, if the necessary structural challenges are not addressed head-on, it won't matter how intelligent or forward-thinking the new executive is; he will struggle.

Fans are eager for change in the Mile High City. Questions will loom around this hire for a long time. Will the organization now show patience and allow some coherence to a new strategy form, or will they try quick fixes? Will a winning culture finally be able to be built? What about accountability and communication across departments? Will ownership align with coaching and management?

A new baseball culture will have to be built by DePodesta. Time always tells, but this may be the challenge of a lifetime.

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