The cries for Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd's "dismissal have grown so loud," team Owner, Chair & CEO Dick Monfort "must acknowledge fan unrest," according to Mark Kiszla of the DENVER POST. The Rockies recently informed season-ticket holders in an e-mail that "every loss was personally unbearable to Monfort." Rockies fan Nick Coy in an e-mail to Monfort wrote, "Since (your) e-mail doesn't contain the words 'DAN O'DOWD FIRED,' I assume you think we are all idiots and will buy your snake oil about 'caring' hook, line and sinker. Incorrect ... you will NOT be seeing myself (among many others) renew their season tickets until you show us something meaningful." Monfort replied to Coy's e-mail and "was quick and to the point: 'Got it, and if he gets fired you will be perfectly happy?'" Coy said, "I was surprised he wrote me back. ... I think they are a little scared that the Rockies could move to the bottom of the barrel with fans in Denver." Kiszla wrote, "No matter how loyal or patient ownership might want to be, it's hard to see how the Monfort brothers could justify the retention of O'Dowd, unless the Rockies improve considerably from the embarrassing 33-52 record they took into the all-star break. ... Kudos to Monfort for stepping up, being accountable and making the effort to reply to a paying customer" (DENVER POST, 7/10). A DENVER POST editorial stated, "In Denver, where fans have grown accustomed to winning ... fielding a perennial loser doesn't cut it." O'Dowd "has failed," and he "needs to go." The editorial: "Such a move would demonstrate to Rockies fans who continue to pour into Coors Field that the team is indeed serious about building a perennial contender and not simply operating Wrigley Field West." The problem is, the team's ownership "seems blindly loyal to O'Dowd, who has the fourth-longest tenure among baseball GMs." The All-Star break "is the perfect time to make a change" (DENVER POST, 7/10).
