The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 62 Jamey Carroll

The Colorado Rockies would never reached the World Series without Jamey Carroll. The most dramatic moment in Rockies’ history is always associated with Matt Holliday tagging in the 13th inning against Bud Black‘s Padres in game 163 of the 2007 season. None of it would have happened without Carroll’s sac fly. Carroll overcame insurmountable odds just to get to that moment.

I’ll never forget my father picking me up off the ground and yelling “He’s not going to tag is he?!” Carroll deserves more credit for being one of the greatest Rockies. One of the smallest guys on the team delivered in one of the franchise’s biggest games.

Carroll came to the Rockies after the 2005 season from the Washington Nationals for cash considerations. He debuted with the team in 2002 when they were the Montreal Expos. Carroll scored the final run in Expos history.

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Carroll is one of the most unlikely heroes and a considerable underdog through his path to the majors. He debuted with the Expos when he was 28-years old. Stephen Cardullo, who debuted last season with the Rockies right before his 29th birthday, should take notes from Carroll on how to be a successful utility player after debuting relatively late.

Carroll offered this mentorship to Doug Bernier who eventually made his debut with the Rockies in 2008 and played with Carroll later with the Twins. Carroll’s mentorship showing others how he was able to make it persevering through the tremendous odds was one of the best aspects of his game.

Carroll mostly played second base but played at short, third and in the outfield. In 2006, his first with the Rockies, Carroll played 136 games batting .300 with five home runs. Considering he only hit 13 homers in his career, 2006 could be considered his best offensively when he had a 3.2 WAR. He back tracked in 2007 playing 108 games batting .225 and earning a .2 WAR.

For all of Carroll’s heroics in the Wild Card playoff game, he wasn’t given much of an opportunity in the 2007 playoffs. He had no plate appearances in the NLDS against the Phillies. Against the Diamondbacks in the NLCS he had one at bat where he walked. In the World Series against the Red Sox he also had one at bat but he didn’t reach base.

Carroll’s overall down year led the Rockies to trade him to the Indians. The 2008 season was one of the most forgettable in team history because the team didn’t have the same chemistry from 2007. Carroll was a large part of that. He went on to play six more seasons playing with the Indians, Dodgers, Twins and last playing with the Royals in 2013. In 2015 the Pittsburgh Pirates hired him to be a special assistant their front office.

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One of the biggest moments in Rockies’ history would have never happened without the one of the biggest underdogs defying the odds. Thanks for your example and the memories Jamey Carroll.