Leyland Hints That He’s Stepping Down

His voice breaking and tears forming in his eyes, Jim Leyland didn’t sound like a man who plans to manage the Colorado Rockies beyond the 1900s.

Responding to reports that he will resign at the end of the season, an emotional Leyland said Thursday that there is a “great percentage” he will step down as the Rockies’ manager with two years left on his contract.

“To do this job right, the fire has to burn 12, 14 hours a day,” Leyland said before the Rockies left for a six-game trip. “I’m a maniac during the game and that fire burns like it always has, but I think to do the job right, you’ve got to work at it 12 hours a day, and I’m not sure I’m doing very good at that right now. This is not final. It’s a strong possibility.”

Leyland, who signed a $6-million, three-year contract last winter, said he will finish the season and hopes to remain with the Rockies in some capacity if he decides to retire after 15 consecutive years as a major league manager.

In all, the 54-year-old Leyland has spent 35 years as a player, coach and manager in the major and minor leagues. He said communicating with the wealthier modern-day players has not been a problem.

“I’ve managed 25 years, and I can probably count on one hand players that I didn’t really care for and that’s probably thousands of players that I’ve managed,” he said. “I think that’s pretty good. I love the players and I always will.”

Leyland, who guided the Florida Marlins to the World Series title in 1997, was hired last winter after the Rockies fired Don Baylor.