Joel's MLB Franchise Top 10: Colorado Rockies

This marks the third edition in my new series in which I am attempting to name the top ten players in the history of each MLB franchise.

This one will take a look at some of the Rockies greats.

With as prolific an offense as the Rockies have had through the years, it only makes sense that the top seven guys on this list would be hitters.

After all, in 1996, five of those seven guys were teammates and combined for 176 home runs and 590 RBI.

Meanwhile, the ace of that 1996 staff was Kevin Ritz who went 17-11 but posted an absurdly high 5.28 ERA, and won the 17 games thanks in large part to the aforementioned offense.

So here it is, my list of the top ten Rockies of all-time. I hope you enjoy it and continue to follow the series. Next up is the Florida Marlins.

Honorable Mention

SP Pedro Astacio: 53-48, 5.43 ERA, 749 Ks

SP Jeff Francis: 51-44, 4.74 ERA, 536 Ks

MRP: Steve Reed: 33-29, 15 Saves, 3.63 ERA, 352 Ks, 461 Games

CP: Jose Jimenez: 102 Saves, 41 Saves in 2002

2B; Eric Young: .295 BA, 180 SB, 1x All-Star

SS: Troy Tulowitzki: .283 BA, 65 HR, 243 RBI

OF: Brad Hawpe: .283 BA, 111 HR, 427 RBI, 1x All-Star

10. Ubaldo Jimenez (2006-2009)

Wins: 31 (eighth)
Losses: 28
Win Percentage: .525 (fifth)
ERA: 3.80 (first)
ERA+: 122 (first)
WHIP: 1.319 (first)
Ks: 441 (sixth)
K/9: 7.8 (second)

His career is young, but in his two and a half seasons in the rotation, Jimenez has shown that he has what it takes to succeed in Colorado.

Armed with a 100-mph fastball with ridiculous sink to it, Jimenez has the tools to absolutely dominate hitters and he did just that much of the last two seasons.

Still just 25 years old, he should continue to improve and could make the jump to star here in the next couple seasons.

9. Aaron Cook (2002-2009)

Wins: 63 (first)
Losses: 50 (third)
Win Percentage: .558 (second)
ERA: 4.33 (second)
ERA+: 111 (second)
WHIP: 1.438 (fourth)
Ks: 448 (fifth)
K/9: 3.7 (tenth)
1x All-Star

Cook has the one thing that is absolutely imperitive to succeed in Colorado as a pitcher, and that is a good sinker.

He is not the flashiest pitcher around by far, but he is effective and although he has battled injuries and inconsistency earlier in his career, he seems to have found his place at the top of the Rockies rotation, going a combined 27-15 the past two seasons.

8. Brian Fuentes (2002-2008)

Appearances: 428 (second)
Saves: 115 (first)
ERA: 3.38
ERA+: 143
WHIP: 1.238
K: 470 (fourth)
K/9: 10.3
3x All-Star

It was not always pretty watching Fuentes short-arm fastballs to the plate, but more times than not it was effective, as he saved at least 30 games in three of his four seasons as the teams closer.

He was good enough, in fact, that when the Rockies chose not to resign him, the Angels were comfortable enough with letting record setter Francisco Rodriguez walk and sign Fuentes instead.

He responded with an AL-high 48 saves so good call by the Angels.

7. Ellis Burks (1994-1998)

BA: .306 (seventh)
OBP: .378 (fourth)
SLG: .579 (second)
H: 558
HR: 115 (seventh)
RBI: 337 (ninth)
R: 361 (tenth)
SB: 52 (eighth)
1x All-Star
1x Silver Slugger

Burks often gets lost in the shuffle when he was playing with guys like Walker, Galarraga, Bichette, and Castilla, but he could hold his own in that potent lineup.

His one monster season came in 1996, when he hit .344 BA, 40 HR, 128 RBI and also led the National League with 142 runs scored.

That garnered him a third-place MVP finish and a place in Rockies history

6. Matt Holliday (2004-2008)

BA: .319 (third)
OBP: .386 (third)
SLG: .552 (fifth)
H: 848 (fifth)
HR: 128 (sixth)
RBI: 483 (sixth)
R: 479 (fifth)
SB: 66 (sixth)
3x All-Star
3x Silver Slugger

Now perhaps the most coveted name on the free agent market, Holliday began his impressive career in Colorado, and quickly became one of the games top hitters.

His 2007 season was a great one, as he made a run at the Triple Crown with a line of .340 BA, 36 HR, 137 RBI, leading the league in BA and RBI while finishing fourth in HR.

He also led the Senior Circuit with 50 doubles and 216 hits.

5. Vinny Castilla (1993-1999, 2004, 2006)

BA: .294 (ninth)
OBP: .340
SLG: .530 (seventh)
H: 1206 (fourth)
HR: 239 (third)
RBI: 745 (fourth)
R: 611 (fourth)
SB: 22
2x All-Star
3x Silver Slugger

Castilla was a staple at the hot corner for the Rockies throughout the 1990s, and from 1995-1999 there was no better offensive third basemen in the game as he averaged .302 BA, 38 HR, 112 RBI over that span and won three Silver Slugger Awards.

If that was not enough, after leaving the Rockies after the 1999 season and bouncing around to three teams in four years, Castilla ended up back in Colorado and, at the age of 36, hit 35 HR and led the NL with 131 RBI.

4. Dante Bichette (1993-1999)

BA: .316 (fifth)
OBP: .352
SLG: .540 (sixth)
H: 1278 (third)
HR: 201 (fourth)
RBI: 826 (third)
R: 665 (third)
SB: 105 (third)
4x All-Star
1x Silver Slugger

Bichette was an absolute beast at the plate during his time in Colorado, hitting no worse than 21 HR and 89 RBI in any of his seven seasons with the team, and topping 30 HR three times and 100 RBI on five separate occasions.

He had a terrific 1995 season, with a line of .340 BA, 40 HR, 128 RBI, as he led the NL in HR and RBI and finished third in BA. He was certainly one of the best Rockies of all-time.

3. Andres Galarraga (1993-1997)

BA: .316 (fourth)
OBP: .367 (eighth)
SLG: .577 (third)
H: 843 (sixth)
HR: 172 (fifth)
RBI: 579 (fifth)
R: 476 (sixth)
SB: 55
2x All-Star
1x Silver Slugger

While his career rankings may suggest that he belongs lower on this list, the fact that he compiled those numbers in just five seasons with the team make them all the more impressive, and Galarraga was just that in his time in Colorado.

He managed to win a batting title in 1993 with a .370 clip, a home run title in 1996 when he launched 47, and back-to-back RBI titles in 1996 and 1997 with 150 and 140, respectively.

He was truly one of the most feared sluggers of his time.

2. Larry Walker (1995-2004)

BA: .324 (first)
OBP: .426 (second)
SLG: .618 (first)
H: 1361 (second)
HR: 258 (second)
RBI: 848 (second)
R: 892 (second)
SB: 126 (second)
4x All-Star
2x Silver Slugger
5x Gold Glove
1x MVP

For a three-year stretch from 1997-1999, despite all the home runs being hit by juiced up sluggers, Walker was the best hitter in the game in my opinion, as he hit at least .363 in each of those seasons, winning a pair of batting titles in the process.

Walker took home the MVP in 1997 with a .366 BA, 49 HR, 130 RBI season, but perhaps even more impressive was his .379 BA, 37 HR, 115 RBI line two seasons later.

He won one more batting title in 2001, with a .350 BA, 38 HR, 123 RBI line in what was his last truly dominant season in the majors.

Walker had it all though, power, speed, a cannon arm, and a personality to match it.

1. Todd Helton (1997-2009)

BA: .328 (second)
OBP: .427 (first)
SLG: .567 (fourth)
H: 2134 (first)
HR: 325 (first)
RBI: 1202 (first)
R: 1222 (first)
SB: 36
5x All-Star
4x Silver Slugger
3x Gold Glove

Helton is, without question, one of the best hitters of the past decade and perhaps the best not named Albert Pujols.

He put together some absolutely monster offensive seasons, even by Rockies standards, as he has hit over .300 in every full season of his career, topping 30 HR every year for a six season span from 1999-2004.

His best season by far was the 2000 season, when he made a serious run at a .400 average before finishing with a line of .372 BA, 42 HR, 147 RBI as he led the NL in BA, OBP, SLG, RBI, 2B, and Hits.

Helton, despite a drop in power, continues to post stellar numbers and play great defense at first base, and he has earned the spot as the top Rockie of all-time.