Q>> Patrick, after the horrible weekend where the Rockies scored zero runs and only had nine hits, they are once again sitting in the basement of the NL West. How does the organization continue to operate without urgency? Every year, the owner, general manager and manager lead the fans on and say things to make it seem positive for the future. The reality is that there is an organizational failure that has gone on for years. Does MLB truly like the product the Rockies put out every year? It feels like this is beyond an embarrassment.

— Nick Pilotis, Englewood

Patrick>> The Rockies’ powers that be say positive things about the club — at least publicly. But what else are they going to do? But believe me, Bud Black and Bill Schmidt know they don’t have enough talent right now to field a winning club. But they won’t throw any of their players under the bus. That won’t do anybody any good.

There is a desire to win at 20th and Blake, at least in the clubhouse and the manager’s office. However, winning is clearly not a priority for owner Dick Monfort, whose team is headed toward its seventh consecutive losing season and mired in the worst stretch of baseball in franchise history.

You’re right about the lack of urgency. If winning was a top priority, the team would have built upon its winning foundation in 2018 instead of letting it all fall apart.

Major League Baseball doesn’t care if the Rockies lose 100 games for a third season. However, MLB does care that the Rockies are the only team in the Mountain time zone and is content as long as the club continues drawing 32,000 fans per game to Coors Field.

Q>> I get Dick Monfort is loyal to a fault. However, do you see a point where he would fire Bud Black before the end of the season?

— Nick Burklund, Colorado Springs

Patrick>> If the Rockies continue to careen toward another 100-loss season, Black’s job will be in jeopardy. There’s no way around that. I don’t believe he’s lost the clubhouse, and he’s tried to remain upbeat, but that can’t be easy.

It’s a shame because Black is a good man and a good manager. But he can’t hit for his players or pitch for his pitchers.

Q>> How does Dick Monfort rationalize maintaining the status quo with the general manager and manager after two years of 100-plus losses?

— Jerry, Boulder

Patrick>> I don’t have an answer because I haven’t talked to Monfort recently. In the wake of the Nuggets’ recent decision to fire coach Mike Malone and GM Calvin Booth, I contacted Monfort about the status of Black and Schmidt. He declined to respond. Monfort owes it to the fans to discuss the state of his failing team.

Q: When will it be time to move on from Bud Black? Why are Rockies fans so scared to blame him for all the losing? Is it time to hire Todd Helton or Vinny Castilla to become the new manager? Should this be expected in the coming weeks?

— Daniel M., Louisville

Patrick>> I don’t think fans are “scared” to blame Black for all of the losses. Some fans like him and sympathize with him. Others are tired of Black and believe he gets a free ride from many in the media, including me. There are a lot of opinions out there regarding the Rockies’ manager. There is no timeline for a change.

As for Helton, he doesn’t want to be a manager. Castilla? I’m not sure. He’s previously managed Team Mexico, but I don’t know if he wants to be a full-time big-league manager.

Q>> I think Bud Black is a great manager, but is it possible this Rockies team isn’t a good fit for him? Are some managers better at supporting a pitching staff than their lineup? Black was amazing at helping young pitchers blossom, but most young Rockies hitters have struggled to break in the last couple of seasons and always talk about “trying too hard.” In contrast, managers like Jim Tracy and Walt Weiss seemed to excel at helping young hitters gain confidence.

— Isaac Bowen, Fort Collins

Patrick>> I’ve never looked at Black from that perspective. It’s true that Black knows much more about pitching than he does about hitting, but there have been plenty of managers who know a lot about the intricacies of hitting but not much about pitching. A manager’s job is just that — to manage all aspects of the team.

The bottom line is that the Rockies are not a very talented team, and their young hitters are currently overmatched by big-league pitching.