100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 53 Manny Corpas

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 53 on our list, Manny Corpas.

Manny Corpas is higher on this list because of the magical 2007 season. His 4.6 WAR with the Rockies doesn’t hurt either. Everything seemed like it was going to spring board off his dominate performance mostly in the 2007 NLDS and NLCS. It didn’t quite work out that way but Corpas was an integral part of the Rockies’ bullpens that made the most recent playoff runs.

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?

Corpas debuted in July 2006 after being signed by the Rockies as an amateur all the way back in 1999 when he was 16. In his debut season he pitched 32.1 innings with a 3.62 ERA. That excellent  introduction transitioned into Corpas’ best season.

In 2007, Brian Fuentes was the Rockies closer but Corpas took over as Fuentes struggled and didn’t look back the rest of the season. He went 4-2 pitching a massive 78 innings with a 2.08 ERA. He deserved to be the Rockies closer into the 2007 postseason and he took every advantage. In the NLDS he pitched all three games pitching 3.1 innings only giving up two hits. In the NLCS he pitched all four games pitching 5.1 innings giving up only one run. Unfortunately Corpas didn’t get to pitch much in the World Series as the Rockies never led in the ninth but he did pitch two games in 1.2 innings only giving up one hit. The Rockies seemed to find their new closer of the future.

Corpas kept that role into the 2008 season but never found the same magic. He was replaced by Fuentes at the end of April that season after blowing four save opportunities in eight chances. At that time he was 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA. The closers role might not have ultimately been for Corpas. He showed resiliency the rest of the season ending with a 3-4 record with a 4.52 in 79.2 innings.

Corpas competed with Huston Street as the Rockies new closer in 2009 but Street won the job out of spring training. Street lost the job just three weeks into April and Corpas took over the role. But Corpas didn’t far much better and Street had the job back in May. Both the 2009 and 2010 season, Corpas struggled and was released.

He signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers in 2011 but he missed the entire season after receiving Tommy John surgery. He played with the Cubs in 2012 but struggled there with a 5.01 ERA in 46.2 innings.

Corpas got another chance with the Rockies in 2013 going 1-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 41.2 innings. He was let go by the team after the season. He resigned to a minor league deal in 2014 but never pitched for the major league club. He played for the York Revolution in the independent Atlantic League. Here is a Spanish language article detailing signing with a Venezuelan baseball league this year.  

Next: Colorado Rockies: How Important Is a Quick Start in April?

Manny Corpas was one of the best postseason pitchers the Rockies ever had. He performed admirably outside of that closer role as well. Regardless of when he pitched, he will forever be a formidable player associated with the term “Rocktober.”

Check out the previous story in this list, 54 Roger Bailey here.