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

By Kevin Henry

May 10, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; General view of a Colorado Rockies glove and hat during the seventh inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Dodgers defeated the Rockies 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
May 10, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; General view of a Colorado Rockies glove and hat during the seventh inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Dodgers defeated the Rockies 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nolan Arenado scores for the Colorado Rockies
Aug 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis (17) is unable to tag out Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) for a run scored in the six inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Third base

We marveled about the two names on our 25-man roster occupying first base (Galarraga and Helton). How about the two we’ve selected at third base in Nolan Arenado and Vinny Castilla? Wow.

Arenado is a joy to watch, both at the plate and in the field. If there’s a defensive honor at third base, it goes to Arenado. There are just certain things you can count on in life and that’s one of them. In four seasons, he has four Gold Gloves and two consecutive Fielding Bible Awards.

At the plate, just look at his numbers over the last two seasons. Arenado has put together 93 homers and 263 RBI during back-to-back All-Star campaigns. He also has 706 total bases during those two seasons. You can talk about Coors Field and thin air all you like, but it’s an undeniable fact that Arenado can mash at any altitude.

Castilla made his way into the hearts of Colorado fans as a middle of the order anchor during the days of the Blake Street Bombers. In nine seasons with Colorado, Castilla mashed 30-plus home runs six times, and 40 or more on three separate occasions.

Interesting enough, when the Rockies selected Castilla in the expansion draft, he played mainly at shortstop. However, once Charlie Hayes was no longer at third, Castilla took over the hot corner permanently in the 1995 season. Castilla would make the 1995 All-Star squad, which proved to be the turning point of his amazing Rockies career.

Castilla would have three total stints with the club over a stat-filled 16-year career. His best season for the Rockies came in 1998 when he played in all 162 games while batting in 144 runs and belting 46 home runs with a .319 average.

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