Everyone knows someone in their workplace who spectacularly underperforms. And it’s not like the person is new and he’s still learning the ropes. He’s been underperforming for a decade. Yeah, he fell into some inexplicable surprise success late in 2007. And, sure, he had a good year in 2009. But we’re years down the road.

There wouldn’t be one person in your office who’d say, “Let’s stick with this guy.” Right?

Except at the offices of the Colorado Rockies.

This must be the end of Dan O’Dowd’s power reign with the Colorado Rockies. Owner Dick Monfort is married to mediocrity. From O’Dowd’s first full season of 2000 to now, the Rockies have averaged 75.9 wins.

But Monfort won’t fire O’Dowd. Monfort was gracious enough to sit down with a group of Denver Post sportswriters this week and we peppered him with questions about his management team. Rockies fans may want O’Dowd gone, but the one super fan who can actually fire the guy insists the team is better off with him.

“Continuity here is very important, and I really don’t believe that either one of them has done a poor job,” Monfort said of O’Dowd, who oversees all baseball operations, and Bill Geivett, who oversees major-league operations.

So you’re telling me that if they had to reapply for their jobs, and you also looked at dozens of brilliant, forward- and outside-the-box-thinking baseball people, that these two guys would be the ones you’d choose?

O’Dowd and Geivett are smart baseball men, but the last-place Rockies clearly don’t have the right smart baseball men running the franchise.

So, Dick, if you’re not going to fire them and start fresh (how many chances do they get?), I implore you to step outside your comfort zone, and approach this offseason as well as next season with a skeptical eye. Ask them to prove why they should remain in power. Replace their seat cushions with hot charcoal.

If the Rockies aren’t playing meaningful games next August, take “Groundhog Day” out of the DVD player and spare the fans.

It’s now October, and as we watch these fine-tuned, deep, dynamic teams make the playoffs — be it small-market Tampa Bay and Oakland or big-city powers Detroit and Boston — it makes you realize how hopelessly far Colorado is from another “Rocktober.” At least give us “Rock-gust.”

Sure, there are many ways for the Rockies to make things sound hopeful. Budding talent. Willingness to spend on a big bat. Stud pitching phenom Jonathan Gray. Three all-stars. Whatever. You know how many teams are currently playing the “if only this happens” game? Many. They are all on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

Yes, it’s super tough to win at altitude without having a payroll like the Dodgers. Yes, the Rockies have never had a season in which Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez both played 150 games or more. And, yes, there are promising players on the roster. So does that mean O’Dowd and Geivett should be in charge for life? That no one else could come in and provide a fresh perspective and turn this franchise around? The Rockies must think holistically about run prevention with that ridiculously large outfield, about the bullpen, about having experienced players coming off the bench.

Asked about accountability, Monfort said, “There are just so many areas where we’re not failing. We do some really remarkable things. At the end of the day, it’s the players who have to win. So, I guess, if you continue to have three all-stars and two potential all-stars, and you can’t win, then you have got to look at if maybe they aren’t the right players.”

Who brought in the players, Dick?

Other teams, Oakland and Pittsburgh to name two, might only have one superstar, but they win because they have few glaring weaknesses.

And then there are teams with a few great players, but that doesn’t make them a great team. Just ask Rockies fans.

Benjamin Hochman: bhochman@denverpost.com or twitter.com/hochman



Visit denverpost.com each weekday near quittin’ time for a heavy pour of sports commentary from Denver Post columnist Benjamin Hochman. Care for another round? Find previous Happy Hour installments at denverpost.com/hochman.