Paul DePodesta and the Long Road to Relevance for the Colorado Rockies.

Few figures in modern sports management attract as much attention as Paul DePodesta. Known widely for his association with Moneyball and the rise of analytics in baseball, DePodesta now faces perhaps his most difficult challenge yet: reshaping the Colorado Rockies. Hired by the Monfort family in November 2025 as president of baseball operations, DePodesta steps into an organization coming off a brutal 119-loss season. Expectations for an immediate turnaround are low, which may make DePodesta the most compelling figure in Denver baseball entering 2026. For fans who have endured years of disappointment, his presence offers at least a reason to watch. The Rockies have not posted a winning season in five years, have made only one World Series appearance in franchise history, and have not won a playoff series since 2007. Against that backdrop, any executive taking the job would be inheriting a near-impossible assignment. DePodesta’s reputation is built on innovation rather than flawless results. A Harvard graduate, he emerged in the 1990s as part of a new generation of Ivy League–educated executives who challenged traditional scouting methods. By leaning heavily on sabermetrics—statistical analysis designed to evaluate player performance more precisely—he helped the Oakland Athletics outperform teams with far larger payrolls. That success later inspired Michael Lewis’s Moneyball, cementing DePodesta’s image as a pioneer of analytics-driven decision-making. His career, however, has not been without setbacks. DePodesta became one of the youngest general managers in MLB history when the Los Angeles Dodgers hired him in 2004, but his tenure there was uneven and ultimately short-lived. That mixed résumé makes him an imperfect choice, though perfection was never realistic for a franchise like Colorado’s. The Rockies were unlikely to attract a universally celebrated executive, but DePodesta brings credibility and experience that the organization has lacked.

Much of DePodesta’s success will depend on how much freedom he is given. The Monforts, who operate with fewer financial resources than most MLB owners, have often allowed top homegrown talent to leave while committing large contracts to aging or injury-prone veterans. If DePodesta can resist that pattern—or at least prevent another costly signing like Kris Bryant’s—his tenure may represent a meaningful shift in direction, even if wins remain scarce in the short term.