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Walt Weiss Making The Most Of His Rookie Season As Rockies Manager

DENVER (CBS4) - It had to happen sooner or later – Colorado Rockies fans at Coors Field booed rookie manager Walt Weiss when he finally pulled starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin against the Arizona Diamondback last week.

The fans thought Weiss made a rookie mistake by leaving Chacin in and they let him have it. They should have saved their breath.

"I didn't know what I did, but with Jhoulys, he's a top of the rotation guy, I gave him a little longer leash. In that situation he had the best chance of getting a double play ball, so I let him go," Weiss said. "I don't go over the 'woulda, shoulda, couldas' after the fact. I try to make an educated decision and I'm good with it, whatever happens."

So far most of the things that have happened to the Rockies have been good things and they're playing far better than most expected, although Weiss was a believer from day one.

"I felt good about this team all spring, I said that all spring. I got some weird looks for saying those types of things," he said. "I think our players have used that as motivation, maybe a little bit of a chip on their shoulder. I think you have to have that chip on your shoulder to play in this league."

Weiss' office is just steps away from Senior Vice President of Major League Operations Bill Geivett's. It's given the impression that Geivett was always looking over Weiss' shoulder and maybe even calling some of the shots. Weiss says that's not the case.

"As far as the lineup and the day-to-day stuff with our club, Geivett has very little involvement. He's more looking at our club from a bird's-eye view and looking at the big picture and how the dynamics of the club fit together," Weiss said. "He's not involved on a day-to-day basis. We talk every day, but we talk about maybe bigger picture issues as opposed to the game that day."

Weiss is working with a one-year contract. He loves the job and would like to do it for a long time, but he's not going to worry about it.

"I look at it the same way, again, as I did as a player – if you don't do well here in the league, then go get somebody else. My barometer will always be whether or not the players are responding to me. When they don't hear my voice any more, I'll be the first one to raise my hand and say it's time to go."

The schedule gets a lot friendlier for the Rockies this coming week. They have four games against the last place Houston Astros followed by three more against the last place Los Angeles Dodgers.

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