Yesterday the Rockies chose Walt Weiss as their new manager, deciding not to hire Jason Giambi for the job after interviewing the still-active 41-year-old first baseman.

Giambi has said previously that he’d like to continue playing if he didn’t land the manager gig, but today general manager Dan O’Dowd told Troy Renck of the Denver Post that the Rockies are hoping Giambi will consider becoming their hitting coach.

“We consider him a Rockie, we hope this is the spot he will consider,” O’Dowd said. “He was very impressive in his interview for the manager’s job.”

Renck indicates that the Rockies would want Giambi to retire as a player if he accepted the hitting coach job and they’re unlikely to be interested in re-signing him strictly as a player. So, basically, if he wants to keep playing it would have to come elsewhere, but if he’s ready to retire the Rockies have an immediate spot on the coaching staff waiting for him.

Giambi going from first baseman to hitting coach while working under a first-time manager with no professional coaching experience who was coaching a high school team when the Rockies called him sure would be interesting. For at least one year, anyway.