Colorado Rockies: Examining the 5 greatest seasons in franchise history

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May 9, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) and left fielder Ian Desmond (20) and first baseman Mark Reynolds (12) celebrate scoring a run on a three run single by catcher Ryan Hanigan (30) (not pictured) in the third inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Through its first 50 games, the Colorado Rockies began the 2017 season with the best record in franchise history at 32-18. They are now battling for the lead in the National League West, arguably the toughest division in baseball.

There are many reasons for the great start such as hitting .266 as a team, second-best in the National League and the fourth-highest mark in Major League Baseball heading into Wednesday night. They are also the second-best defense in the MLB with only 23 errors and a fielding percentage of .989.

However, the most impressive statistics come from the pitching. Colorado’s pitching is ranked 16th in Major League Baseball with a team 4.20 ERA (heading onto Wednesday night), which is a major improvement over their ranking of 27th and 4.91 ERA last year.

There is no doubt that this season is going to be a memorable one, despite the outcome. The Rockies have finally shown what they are capable of. So even if they miss out on a deep playoff run this year, they have proven that they will come back even better in the following years.

Throughout the article, I graded some of Colorado’s greatest individual seasons based upon the team’s hitting, pitching, and fielding statistics. Also making the playoffs was another added bonus to the grading scale. With that being said, let’s take a look at the top five greatest seasons in Rockies history.

Jun 24, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Andres Galarraga was a great first baseman for the Colorado Rockies during the 1996 season. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

5. 1996 Season (83-79)

Throughout this article you will probably begin to recognize a pattern. This pattern is titled “The 5280 Effect.” The Rockies typically tear apart the baseball. Unfortunately, so does the opposition.

I will begin with hitting. In 1996, the Rockies set a franchise record with the most RBI in a season. They finished the season third in Major League Baseball with 909 RBI and fourth in homers with 221, which was far above the league average of .177. They also finished fifth in batting average at .287.

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On the other hand, the Rockies pitching was atrocious. They finished the season with the second-worst ERA in MLB at 5.59, a full run higher than the league average. They also had the fourth-fewest strikeouts with 932.

The fielding also followed right along with the pitching. The Rockies committed the second-most errors in the Majors with 149 and had the second lowest fielding percentage at .976.

The pitching and fielding were horrific, but the offense did enough to keep the Rockies winning all the way to 83 games.

Comparative grade: D+

Mar 7, 2017; Dunedin, FL, USA; Canada catcher George Kottaras (22) is congratulated by first base coach Larry Walker (3) after he singled during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2017 World Baseball Classic exhibition game at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium . Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

4. 1997 Season (83-79)

The 1997 season was basically deja vu. While the Rockies offense was unstoppable, their pitching couldn’t stop anyone.

In 1997, the Rockies set a franchise record for most home runs in a season. They finished second in Major League Baseball with 239. They also finished second in RBI with 869 and a team batting average of .288. The 1997 season was probably the best offensive season in franchise history. Oh and not to mention, Larry Walker won the MVP that year for his stellar performance at the plate.

The pitching was a different story. The Rockies finished the season with the second-worst ERA (again) at 5.25. The strikeouts were the lowest in Major League Baseball with only 870.

The fielding was much improved from the previous season. They finished just below the league average for errors (116) with 111. They also had the eighth-highest fielding percentage at .983.

Comparative grade: C+

Jun 17, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Don Baylor won the Manager of the Year award with the Rockies in 1995. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

3. 1995 Season (77-67)

Despite the fact that the Rockies had fewer wins in ’95 than they did in the ’96 and ’97 seasons, they still had a better winning percentage. That is the reason why the 1995 season is ranked third.

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In 1995, the Rockies hitting was per usual. They were second in the Majors with a .282 batting average and 200 homers, which was 54 more than the league average. They were fifth in RBI with 749.

Unfortunately, the measly pitching was also the same. The Rockies finished third to last in ERA at 4.97. They also finished 18th in strikeouts with 891.

In the category of fielding, the Rockies finished 16th in errors, three above the league average. They finished right at the league average for fielding percentage with .981, which was 14th in Major League Baseball.

The Rockies also finished second in the division in 1995, only one game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were able to clinch a wild card berth, but lost to the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS 3-1.

Comparative grade: B-

Jul 16, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Jim Tracy won the Manager of the Year award with the Colorado Rockies in 2009. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. 2009 Season (92-70)

The 2009 was the best record in franchise history. Yet they still finished second in their division, three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Surprisingly, the hitting in 2009 was average. The Rockies finished 16th in batting average at .261, which was .001 below the league average. They finished eighth in RBI at 760 and seventh in home runs at 190.

If the Rockies hitting wasn’t where it was, than the pitching must have improved, right? Correct. In fact, the pitching improved tremendously. The Rockies finished 10th in ERA at 4.22 and they finished 11th in strikeouts with 1154. The Rox finished above the league average in both categories.

The Rockies continued their consistent play in the field, finishing 10th in errors at 87. They also finished ninth in fielding percentage at .986.

The 2009 season wasn’t flashy. The Rockies just played solid, all around baseball in every aspect of the game. This led to a Wild Card berth. However, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 in the NLDS.

Comparative grade: B+

Mar 2, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Matt Holliday was arguably the best player for the Colorado Rockies in 2007. He also scored the game winning run against the Padres in the one game playoff. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /

1. 2007 Season (90-73)

If you are a Rockies fan, you will never forget this magical season. Sitting with a 76-72 record on September 16, the Rockies went on to win 14 out of the last 15 games to play the San Diego Padres in a one-game playoff for the Wild Card berth. The Rockies won in thrilling fashion on a walk off sac fly in the bottom of the 13th inning by a score of 9-8.

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They then went on to sweep the first two playoff series against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks, before being swept themselves in the World Series by the Boston Red Sox. That season was incredible, so let’s look at the statistics behind it.

At the plate, the Rockies were fifth in batting average at .280. They were also fifth in RBI at 823. Their homers were a little low but they still finished 13th in Major League Baseball at 171.

What made the 2007 season so great was that the great hitting was complimented by good pitching. The Rockies finished 14th in ERA at 4.32. Despite the solid ERA, the Rox finished third to last in strikeouts at 967.

The fielding was the best in franchise history. They finished with the fewest errors in MLB with 68. The second best was the Baltimore Orioles with 79. The Rockies also finished with the best fielding percentage at .989.

Next: The top 5 center fielders in franchise history

Overall, the 2007 Rockies season wasn’t the best all around baseball, like the 2009 season. Also 2007 must have been the year the baseball gods were looking down upon the Rox because they received a lot of luck. Either way, the 2007 season will never be forgotten in the minds of Rockies fans.

Comparative grade: A-

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Through its first 50 games, the Colorado Rockies began the 2017 season with the best record in franchise history at 32-18. They are now battling for the lead in the National League West, arguably the toughest division in baseball.

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