Colorado Rockies Give Jim Tracy 'Indefinite' Contract Extension

In a bizarre move, the Colorado Rockies have given former Pirates manager Jim Tracy an "indefinite" contract extension. I'm still not totally sure what that means, so let's let Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd explain it.

"Basically what I am saying is that I should never have this conversation with you again," O'Dowd said. "To say it extends just beyond 2013 would not do justice to Jim. It could be until he's using a cane and having trouble getting onto the field. Quite honestly, it can be for whatever number of years Jim wants it to be for."

That's incredibly strange in part because stuff like this never happens, and also because the Rockies went 73-89 last year. And also because when Tracy was with the Pirates, he seemed too petty and small-minded to manage Dunder-Mifflin Scranton, let alone a big-league baseball team. Here's Wilbur Miller comparing Tracy to the Pirates' other recent managers.

Got off to bad start by bragging endlessly about the great success of his high-payroll, mostly underperforming LA teams. Seemed to think he invented the idea of winning with pitching, defense and timely hitting. Took credit when things (on rare occasions) went right, pointed the finger when they didn't. Threw players under the bus, like when [Ryan] Doumit made an error in his first game ever at first base. Team seemed to quit on him in second half of his last season.

Yep, that pretty much covers it. But then Tracy got the Rockies job in 2009 and the team ended up going to the playoffs, and suddenly everything changed, even though the Rockies haven't been any great shakes since then.

For more on the Rockies, check out Purple Row.