Giambi, Weiss meet again with Rockies officials

DENVER -- Rockies managerial candidates Walt Weiss and Jason Giambi each spent three hours Friday talking with top club officials, and the club is hoping to arrange a similar interview Monday with another candidate, D-backs third-base coach Matt Williams, according to a Major League source.

Another prime candidate, Tom Runnells, the bench coach throughout former manager Jim Tracy's entire tenure with the club -- May 2009 through last season -- spent two days interviewing with top club officials last month.

The extended interviews could put the Rockies on the edge of the decision about replacing Tracy, who resigned on Oct. 7.

The Rockies indicated early in the week that they wanted to make a decision this week, but general manager Dan O'Dowd's traveling assignments changed the plans. O'Dowd came off the road for Friday's meetings, which also were attended by owner and CEO Dick Monfort and senior vice president of Major League operations Bill Geivett.

Weiss, who turns 49 on Nov. 28, spent part of his long career as a Major League shortstop with the Rockies, and worked for the team's front office in a coaching and advisory capacity for several seasons after his career. Weiss left the club to spend time with his family, and coached his son as head coach at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colo.

Giambi, 41, has played for the club since late in the 2009 season and is a free agent coming off groin surgery. A trusted leader in the clubhouse who became a sounding board for O'Dowd and other club officials, Giambi will retire as a player.

Williams, who turns 47 on the same day that Weiss will celebrate his birthday, is managing the Salt River Rafters -- a team that includes several Rockies prospects -- in the Arizona Fall League. The Rockies have liked Williams for some time, and once tried to acquire the third baseman for outfielder Larry Walker in a trade. Both exercised the no-trade clauses in their contracts.

Runnells, 57, joined the Rockies' system as a Minor League manager in 2001 and developed a close relationship with club officials and prospects. Runnells is the only one of the four to have Major League managerial experience -- 149 games in 1991 and 1992 with the Montreal Expos.