Colorado Rockies Hire New Skipper

The Colorado Rockies have hired a familiar name to manage their team. Walt Weiss was hired as the new skipper yesterday. Weiss is a former Rockies shortstop and is currently the coach at Regis Jesuit High School. He spent seven seasons as a Special Assistant to the Rockies General Manager.

Walt Weiss is making the rare jump from the high school dugout to the big leagues.The Colorado Rockies hired the former major league shortstop Wednesday night to replace manager Jim Tracy, who resigned Oct. 7 with one year and $1.4 million left on his contract rather than return to a club where its assistant general manager had moved into an office in the clubhouse.

The 1988 AL Rookie of the Year with Oakland, Weiss played shortstop for the Rockies from 1994-97 and was a special assistant to general manager Dan O'Dowd from 2002-08.

He left to spend more time with his family and last season coached Regis Jesuit High School outside Denver, in Aurora, to a 20-6 record and the 5A semifinals of the state championship. Weiss' son, Brody, is in his senior year at the school.

The Rockies made the announcement after owner Dick Monfort and top officials deliberated at the general managers' meetings in Indian Wells, Calif. — held at a hotel Monfort owns, the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa. (AP news)