Colorado Rockies: Selecting the All-Time 25-Man Roster

First base

A pair of pretty lofty names comprise our the two spots on our all-time 25-man roster set aside for first basemen … Andres Galarraga and Todd Helton.

Galarraga (also known as “The Big Cat”) was a member of the first Rockies team and holds the distinction of having the first hit in Colorado history (a single off Dwight Gooden). He’s also the first Colorado player ever to hit three home runs in a game, and he holds a Major League record for hitting home runs in three consecutive innings.

In Colorado’s inaugural 1993 season, Galarraga finished with a .370 average on his way to winning the first batting title in Rockies history.

During his 19-season MLB career, he put up some impressive numbers. Galarraga was a five-time All-Star (twice with Colorado), two-time Gold Glove winner, and a two-time Sliver Slugger (once with the Rockies). In his five seasons with the Rockies, Galarraga led the league at least once in average, strikeouts, home runs, and RBI (twice). He finished his Rockies career with a .316 average.

Now let’s talk about the Toddfather, who played 17 seasons in purple pinstripes. Helton is the Rockies all-time leader in offensive WAR, games played, at-bats, runs scored, hits, total bases, doubles, home runs, runs batted in, walks, singles, extra base hits, sacrifice flies, and runs created. Helton is the only Colorado player with 300+ home runs, and the only Rockies player to have his number retired. Do you know what his career batting average was? Just like Galarraga, it was .316.

Helton’s best individual season came in 2000 when he led the league in hits (216), doubles (59), RBI (147), batting average (.372), on-base percentage (.463), slugging percentage (.698) and total bases (405). That year, Helton would make his first of five All-Star games, finish fifth in the MVP vote (a career-best), and win his first of four Silver Slugger awards.