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Colorado Rockies: The Five Best Players of the 2016 Season

Sep 28, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) and right fielder Hunter Pence (8) and shortstop Daniel Descalso (3) and center fielder Charlie Blackmon (19) and right fielder Carlos Gonzalez (5) celebrate after the end of the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park the Colorado Rockies defeated the San Francisco Giants 2 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) and right fielder Hunter Pence (8) and shortstop Daniel Descalso (3) and center fielder Charlie Blackmon (19) and right fielder Carlos Gonzalez (5) celebrate after the end of the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park the Colorado Rockies defeated the San Francisco Giants 2 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
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Colorado Rockies
Oct 2, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Fans watch in the seventh inning of the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies won 75 games in 2016, which was the most wins in a season since 2010. However, it was still only good enough for third place in the division and manager Walt Weiss is gone. There is no doubt the offense carried the team for nearly the entire season, but there were some pitchers who had good years also. Rox Pile takes a look at the five best Rockies from 2016.

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Offensively, the Rockies had a good season. The team led the National League in batting average (.275), RBIs (805), slugging percentage (.457), OPS (.794) and was third in home runs (204). Third baseman Nolan Arenado led the NL in RBIs (133) and tied for the home run lead with 41. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu won the NL batting title with a .348 average. Rookie shortstop Trevor Story was second in franchise history with 27 home runs by a rookie until a thumb injury knocked him out for the season.

Other players who had good offensive years were first baseman Mark Reynolds (slash line of .282/.356/.806, well above his career slash line of ..234/.326/.778), right fielder Carlos Gonzalez (100 RBIs for the first time since 2010) and center fielder Charlie Blackmon (.324 batting average, 29 home runs).

Pitchers who had good years were starters Jon Gray (10-10, franchise record for most strikeouts in a game (16)), Tyler Chatwood (8-1, 1.69 ERA on the road) and relievers Boone Logan (3.69 ERA, 27 holds, .166 batting average against) and closer Adam Ottavino (2.67 ERA, .184 batting average against).

Getting this list down to just five players is no easy task.

Worthy players who don’t make this list (and would have been worthy inclusions) include Gray, Reynolds, Logan, Ottavino, Gonzalez, David Dahl and Tyler Anderson.

Players will be ranked by how memorable their season was, how their season was compared to their history and how their season impacted the franchise. Human nature will appear in some cases because, well, we all have players that we find better and provide more impact than others.

Please feel free to compile your list before starting through our rundown of the five best players of 2016.  Which players do you think will be on the list?

Enjoy our rankings of the top-five players for the Colorado Rockies in 2016!

Next: No. 5: Trevor Story

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