Who Is Your Colorado Rockies 'Franchise Four'?

September 29, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton (17) acknowledges the crowd before his final at bat of the game in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

If you had to pick the four most iconic, memorable, or greatest players in Colorado Rockies history, who would you choose? Make the case for your #FranchiseFour!

Through May 8th, MLB.com is running a fan vote – the 2015 Franchise Four – where you can choose the best four players in franchise history for all thirty big league teams, Colorado Rockies included.

More from Colorado Rockies News

According to MLB.com, “the players from each group receiving the most votes will be honored at the MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati,” so, I mean, I guess that’s something.

But really, online fan votes don’t mean a whole lot, and they especially mean nothing to guys like Todd Helton.

But they’re fun! They give us something to write and tweet about! So there’s that!

Anyways, as you can tell from the link, the Rockies’ options for Franchise Four are Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Andres Galarraga, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, and Larry Walker.

Those are all pretty fair options, I’d say, and considering the Rockies’ history on the mound, it makes sense no pitchers are included.

MLB.com asks for your email address (and date of birth?) to complete the form so, um, screw that. I’m a gangster, yo, I don’t just give out my email to no baseball websites. So let’s do it here, without the email addresses (but I do take donations, preferably cash, and preferably in $100 bills).

Here are some historic Rockies to think about – after the first eleven, as you’ll see, it falls off the table fairly quickly.

Guys Who Should Be Seriously Considered (11)

Obviously, the eight from above: Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Andres Galarraga, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, and Larry Walker.

Also, these gentlemen: Jorge De La Rosa, Ubaldo Jimenez, Brian Fuentes.

Dark Horses To Think About (8)

Aaron Cook, Mike Hampton (great thoughts from former Rox Pile editor Hayden Kane here and here), Walt Weiss, Eric Young, Sr., Darryl Kile, Juan Pierre, Jason Jennings, and Jeff Francis.

Guys Who Weren’t Here Long Enough And/Or Weren’t Good Enough (24)

Joe Girardi, Garrett Atkins, Brad Hawpe, Jeff Cirillo, Charles Johnson, Preston Wilson, Kevin Ritz, Pedro Astacio, Neifi Perez, Juan Uribe, Steve Reed, Curtis Leskanic (yikes), John Thomson, Jose Jimenez, Mike Lansing, Jamey Wright, Shawn Chacon, Jay Payton, Justin Speier, Dexter Fowler, Huston Street, Rafael Betancourt, Jhoulys Chacin, and Matt Belisle.

Guys Affiliated With The Franchise Who Deserve Death (1)

Dinger.

***

Look, you all know damn well nobody is going to be (or should be) considered after those first eleven names, but isn’t it fun to reminisce about old Rockies?

I bet you guys haven’t thought about Jeff Cirillo in a long time. Or Jamey Wright, and for goodness’ sake, I think he’s still pitching for somebody, somewhere!

My Franchise Four

Andres Galarraga, Todd Helton, Larry Walker, Troy Tulowitzki.

I look to each “era” of Rockies baseball to pick a name in the Franchise Four – the expansion era (Galarraga, our first batting champion), the big fly era (Walker, arguably our most nationally-recognized bona fide superstar), the World Series era (Helton, our greatest homegrown player), and, well, the Bridich era, I guess (Tulowitzki).

So now that you’ve heard my argument and read through my ridiculous list of mediocre players; who’s your Franchise Four?

Home/Colorado Rockies News

Who Is Your Colorado Rockies ‘Franchise Four’?

By Bobby DeMuro | Apr 9, 2015