The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 82 Chris Rusin

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 82 on our list, Chris Rusin.

This time last year, Chris Rusin wouldn’t be considered for this list. He was used primarily as a starting pitcher. Not that he was a bad pitcher but he didn’t make much of a dent in a 2015 season that will be forgotten mostly thanks to pitching. He did eat up 131.2 innings and earned a somewhat respectable record at 6-10. But he struggled with his +5 ERA only accumulating a .2 WAR in 2015.

More from Rox Pile

• A Colorado Rockies Thanksgiving
• Colorado Rockies: What if Todd Helton had played football instead?
• Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon out for the season
• Colorado Rockies: Injuries shift look of roster ahead of Dodgers series
• Colorado Rockies: Has Sean Bouchard earned a second look in 2023?

Before we get to 2016, we have to go back. The development of Chris Rusin started on the north side of Chicago. He was selected in the fourth round by the Cubs in 2009 out of the University of Kentucky. He made his debut in 2012 going 2-3. He spent half of 2013 playing for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. In 2014 Rusin didn’t make the team out of spring training. That is where Rusin’s career could have hit rock bottom. But Rusin only improved and redifined his career.

In 2014 he played most of the year in Iowa but he did throw a no-hitter. He was claimed off waivers by the Rockies at the end of the 2014 season. You know about his 2015, but Rusin’s 2016 is where he really found his role and posted the highest WAR of his career at 2.0.

Rusin’s move to the bullpen wasn’t automatic in 2016. He started several games with various results. Moving into a long relief role benefitted Rusin and the team as many players made their debuts or made a more prominent move to the starting rotation. The innings were high for a reliever at 84.1 but they were down from a career high from the year before of a 131.2.

Next: Colorado Rockies: Do They Have a Problem Looming on the Bench?

The reduction helped Rusin in almost every facet. He posted a 3.74 ERA. He limited his home runs to five and posted a career low 1.245 WHIP. He had a strikeout to walk ratio of 69 to 23 respectively. These numbers spring board Rusin into a very important role going into 2017. More often than not, Rusin will be the first pitcher to take over for a starting pitcher. He has a chance to help redefine this bullpen in 2017 and make it better. In the same manner that Rusin took his career.

Check out the previous story in this list about number 83 Justin Speier here.