Counting Down the 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 94. LaTroy Hawkins

Opening Day is April 3 against the Brewers and it can’t come soon enough. To help cope with the pain of a baseball free life, Rox Pile will be counting down the 100 greatest Colorado Rockies in franchise history.

This list isn’t completely arbitrary but it does not rely strictly on numbers. Other factors will include major contributions, team culture, fan appreciation and overall importance to the club. This order is in no way definitive. It is meant to spark conversation. Let us know your thoughts at @RoxpileFS on Twitter. Let the countdown begin! Let baseball start soon.

94. LaTroy Hawkins

LaTroy Hawkins has played for 11 teams over his 20-year career. He has only played for the same team once … and that was with the Colorado Rockies. Of all those teams he will most likely be remembered as a Minnesota Twin where he made his Major League and spent his first nine seasons. His first stint with the Rockies was his most memorable and most valuable time with the club. He made 62 appearances with a 3.42 ERA. His very best contributions came in the postseason. Rather an extension of the regular season in game 163 against the San Diego Padres. He threw a scoreless 7th inning which maintained the Rockies lead of 6-5. The Padres tied it up the next inning and then well you know what happened in the 13th inning.

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Hawkins rode that hot streak through the first two rounds of the playoffs pitching scoreless innings against the Phillies and Diamondbacks. Hawkins didn’t necessarily struggle but he had his relatively worse performance in the World Series giving up one run across two innings in two games. His 1.9 WAR in one year as a reliever and his valuable clubhouse presence was sorely missed when he left for the New York Yankees the next year. Along with Fogg, Jamey Carroll and Yorvit Torrealba the chemistry wasn’t the same and that affected the Rockies greatly in 2008.

The presence wasn’t forgotten when Hawkins rejoined the Rockies for the 2014 season. The Rockies converted Hawkins into there closer role which he performed well getting 23 saves out of 26 opportunities with a 3.31 ERA. He made his 1,000 career appearance that year. That number alone shows how valuable Hawkins is to this game.

Hawkins didn’t have much success returning with the Rockies in his last season. He was eventually traded to Toronto with Troy Tulowitzki for Jose Reyes, Miguel Castro, Jesus Tinoco and maybe most of all a very promising prospect in Jeff Hoffman.

When Hawkins retired, his absence pointed out a much bigger problem for the Colorado Rockies and for Major League Baseball in general. In 2016 the Rockies were one of three teams who didn’t have one African-American player. The total number of African-American players last season on Opening Day rosters was eight percent while the number of pitchers is just over three percent. Cut that in half for relief pitchers. These numbers need to change. Hawkins brought outstanding relief pitching to Colorado, which is in itself a rare commodity, but more importantly he brought diversity and a great mentoring presence to a young inexperienced clubhouse. Denver and baseball desperately need more players like LaTroy Hawkins.

Thankfully his voice will be heard for much longer as Hawkins and former teammate Torii Hunter will join FSN as broadcasters.

Next: Which Team is Colorado's Biggest Rival?

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