Colorado Rockies: The 10 best individual statistical seasons in franchise history

Through the first two months of the season Charlie Blackmon is having an amazing year. He could be on his way to having one of the best seasons individually in Colorado Rockies history.

Coming into June, Blackmon is leading the MLB in RBI. Even though he is hitting out of the leadoff spot for the Colorado Rockies, he is still producing runs. Additionally, Blackmon is going into the third month of the 2017 MLB season 13th in batting average, tied for 5th with 13 home runs, and in a first-place tie in hits.

If Blackmon can keep the pace he’s on, he’ll have his best season ever and one of the greatest seasons for an individual in Rockies history. Would his season rank in the top 10 in Colorado Rockies history?

The list includes all of the Blake Street Bombers, the best season ever by a Rockies pitcher, and different players who were once labeled “The Face of the Franchise.” Blackmon will have to outdo current teammates and team legends to get on the list. He is certainly on pace to make it but will he have the final numbers that these guys had? Let us dive in to see….

Honorable Mention: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, 2007

Stats: .291 AVG, 177 H, 104 R, 33 2B, 24 HR, 99 RBI, .359 OBP, .479 SLG, .838 OPS

This list is about great statistical seasons, Tulowitzki’s best years statistically as a Rockie were 2009-2011 and 2013. All things considered, Tulowitzki never hit 40 home runs like other guys on this list, and he drove in over 100 runs once. When you think of the Colorado Rockies in the past decade, he is probably the first player to pop into your head. That doesn’t mean Tulo wasn’t one of the best Rockies of all time. He was, but not staying healthy hurt his chances on this list.

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If 2007 wasn’t his best statistical year, why mention it? His season was more to it than stats that year. His numbers weren’t eye-popping but according to Baseball Reference he had a 6.8 WAR, which led the team that year. Tulo finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting behind Ryan Braun in one of the closest ROY races ever.

Tulowitzki’s numbers aren’t the same as others on this list but in 2007, Rockies fans fell in love. They had their own Derek Jeter in a sense, because he could hit and made highlight defensive plays. The 22-year-old California kid was a large part of the franchise’s most special season.

Nolan Arenado, 3B, 2016

Stats: .294 AVG, 182 H, 116 R, 35 2B, 41 HR, 133 RBI, .362 OBP, .570 SLG, .932 OPS

Before all is said and done, Nolan Arenado will probably have a better year than he did last year. Since he came into the league in 2013, Arenado has made highlight after highlight play with his glove. In four years in the big leagues, he has four Gold Gloves. That’s a pretty good percentage. It wasn’t until 2015, though, that his bat finally reached a high level.

In 2015, Arenado led the league in RBI and was tied for third in home runs with Bryce Harper, who won MVP that year.  Midway through that season the Rockies traded Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays and it was then clear that Nolan Arenado was now the face of the Colorado Rockies.

Last year, Arenado followed up his great breakout year at the plate with another one. Once again leading the league in runs batted in and finishing sixth in home runs. Why the 2016 season over 2015 season? Arenado drew more walks in 2016, actually doubling his number from 2015. He scored more runs, and he showed more growth as a hitter. I doubt this will be Arenado’s best season but last year was still fantastic for the Rockies’ third baseman.

Ellis Burks, OF, 1996

Stats: .344 AVG, 211 H, 142 R, 45 2B, 40 HR, 128 RBI, .408 OBP, .639 SLG, 1.047 OPS

Ellis Burks was a first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 1983. Rather than a 1990 season, where he was an All-Star and Sliver Slugger award winner, he never reached his top potential with the Red Sox. After a solid season with the Chicago White Sox he joined the Colorado Rockies before the 1994 season. In his first month with the Rockies, he won NL player of the month in April. Although, much like his time in Boston, injury struck as Burks injured his left wrist in May and didn’t return until late July. Add in the players strike of 1994 and Burks only played 42 games for the Rockies.

In 1995, the Rockies added Larry Walker to play right field. With Dante Bichette cemented in left field, Burks split time with Mike Kingery in center. Burks appeared in 103 of the 144-game season, batting .266 with 14 home runs and 49 runs batted in that year.

Kingery left for Pittsburgh, opening up center for Burks. He stayed healthy all year-long and picked up the void that was left when Larry Walker was injured with a broken collarbone. Burks finished third in the NL MVP voting in 1996. He led the league in runs scored, total bases, and was third in slugging percentage. By no surprise, it was the best year of his career as Burks never hit more than 35 home runs or logged 100 runs batted in any other point in his career.

Andres Galarraga, 1B, 1996

Stats: .304 AVG, 190 H, 119 R, 39 2B, 47 HR, 150 RBI, .357 OBP, .601 SLG, .958 OPS

Ellis Burks wasn’t the only player on the Colorado Rockies with a phenomenal 1996 season. Andres Galarraga is the first of the Blake Street Bombers to appear on this list. In his first three seasons with the Rockies, Galarraga was in the top 16 of NL MVP voting each time. This included a .370 batting average in his debut season of 1993.

Much like Burks, the Rockies first baseman’s power numbers exploded. Having hit 31 home runs in both the previous seasons, he hit 47 in 1996. That number had him fifth in the Major League, he also had 150 RBI, which led the league. Galarraga also collected another Sliver Slugger award to go with the one he got in 1988 while with the Montreal Expos.

He finished sixth in NL MVP voting that year, three spots behind his teammate Burks. Galarraga in 1997 also led the league in RBI but with fewer home runs. He went on to Atlanta for the 1998 season, having a similar season from the two before. In the 1999 season, Galarraga didn’t play due to a cancerous tumor on his back and his fight with lymphoma. He returned in 2000 but was never the same.

Vinny Castilla, 3B, 1998

Stats: .319 AVG, 206 H, 108 R, 28 2B, 46 HR, 144 RBI, .362 OBP, .589 SLG, .951 OPS

Colorado Rockies

Vinny Castilla was another part of the Blake Street Bombers. Looking just at Andres Galarraga and Castilla’s statistical seasons, you get why they have the nickname. Galarraga finished sixth in the NL MVP voting with the Atlanta Braves, while Castilla finished 11th. The stats don’t say Galarraga was better that year. There was most likely the bias against playing at Coors Field and the fact the Braves won 106 games that year.

One of the most impressive parts of Castilla’s 1998 season is that he played all 162 games. He collected his third Sliver Slugger and appeared in his second All-Star Game in 1998. Castilla finished with 46 home runs and 144  runs batted in. Both would end up being career highs. He was top four in both categories in the National League but was overshadowed by both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa’s seasons.

The 1998 season was the peak of Vinny Castilla’s career. He played one more season with Colorado in 1999 before moving on to pursue other paths. After seven seasons with different clubs (Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, another season with the Rockies in 2004, Washington Nationals, and the San Diego Padres), he returned to Colorado mid-way through the 2006 season so he could retire in the Mile High city. 

Carlos Gonzalez, OF, 2010

Stats: .336 AVG, 197 H, 111 R, 34 2B, 34 HR, 117 RBI, .376 OBP, .598 SLG, .974 OPS

Carlos Gonzalez has had an up and down career. Every season seems to have its hot and cold streaks, especially at this current point of his career. Although, at the age of 24, CarGo’s most consistent season was in 2010. Most of his career highs came from seven seasons ago.

Gonzalez won his first Sliver Slugger and Gold Glove in 2010. Despite losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS in 2009, CarGo had a very good series. Maybe that is what sparked the career year for him. In 2010, Gonzelez led the National League in hits and batting average, as well as being seventh in the league in home runs and fifth in runs batted in.

His campaign in 2010 was good enough for third in the NL MVP voting, only behind Joey Votto and Albert Pujols. Unfortunately, unlike other guys on this list, we will only see CarGo as a really good Rockie, not a great one. His 2010 season belongs with the rest but inconsistent stretches and injuries held him back from being great. Although, he can still hold a very big part in how far the 2017 team can go.

Dante Bichette, OF, 1995

Stats: .340 AVG, 197 H, 102 R, 38 2B, 40 HR, 128 RBI, .364 OBP, .620 SLG, .984 OPS

With Dante Bichette now on the list, three of the four Blake Street Bombers have been mentioned. The ’95 season was the second least amount of games Bichette played while with the Colorado Rockies. Did it matter? No, it didn’t. Bichette was great during 1995, especially during the second half of the season, having career highs in home runs, batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage.

Bichette, had a similar case to most on this list, he finished near the top of MVP voting without winning it. He was the runner-up in the 1995 season, only losing out to Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds. Even after having a second half season of batting .344 with 27 home runs and 80 runs batted in, it wasn’t enough for the MVP award.

Same as the rest of the crew when 2000 came around, Bichette was done with the Rockies. Before and after his career in Colorado he never put up similar numbers. He made all four of his All-Star games as part of the Colorado Rockies. Whether or not he was a good player anywhere else does not discount how good he was for the Rox.

Matt Holliday, OF, 2007

Stats: .340 AVG, 216 H, 120 R, 50 2B, 36 HR, 137 RBI, .405 OBP, .607 SLG, 1.012 OPS

Every Rockies fan knows how magical the 2007 season was. It is still by far the greatest season in franchise history a decade later. Matt Holliday was a large reason for that magical run, more than that slide in the Wild Card tie-breaker game against the San Diego Padres. He made the All-Star Game and won the Sliver Slugger for the second straight year.

As Bichette did, Holliday finished as a runner-up in the NL MVP race to Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies. Although, Holliday got a better deal, as he hit a home run in two of the three games against the Phillies in the NLDS. The Rockies would go on to sweep Rollins and the Phillies. Holliday hit two more home runs in the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he and the Rockies would be on their way to their first league pennant. Unfortunately, they fell short of a World Series Championship against the Boston Red Sox.

Holliday led the National League in batting average, RBI, hits, and doubles in 2007. He was traded to Oakland Athletics before the 2009 season. He’s been a very good player since mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals and is now with the New York Yankees.

Todd Helton, 1B, 2000

Stats: .372 AVG, 216 H, 138 R, 59 2B, 42 HR, 147 RBI, .463 OBP, .698 SLG, 1.162 OPS

The greatest player in Colorado Rockies history is the only man to have his number retired by the franchise, other than Jackie Robinson’s 42. Todd Helton had one of the most dominant hitting seasons in 2000. He collected the first of his four Sliver Slugger Awards that year. It was the start of a star in Colorado.

In Helton’s third full season in the Major Leagues, he put up incredible numbers. It wasn’t all Coors Field either. Helton hit .353 away from home, including 15 home runs, 59 runs batted in, and a 1.074 OPS. He topped all of baseball in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, doubles, and runs batted in.

This was the first of many great seasons for Todd Helton. He went on to play 13 more seasons in MLB, all with the Rockies. In total he won four Sliver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and made five All-Star Game appearances. If it wasn’t for a bad back and other injuries later on in his career, he most likely would’ve had a chance at 3,000 hits … but 2,519 isn’t too bad.

Larry Walker, OF, 1997

Stats: .366 AVG, 208 H, 143 R, 46 2B, 49 HR, 130 RBI, .452 OBP, .720 SLG, 1.172 OPS

Todd Helton’s 2000 season was great, phenomenal for any hitter. Larry Walker’s 1997 season was even better. The greatest individual season in Colorado Rockies history belongs to the Canadian-born Walker. After breaking his collarbone and missing time during the 1996 season, Walker came back on fire to open up the 1997 season. In his first 23 games of the ’97 season, he had a .456 average with 11 homers and 29 RBI.

He came home at the end of the season with a stockpile of awards. Walker won the first Gold Glove in Rockies history, a Sliver Slugger award, an All-Star appearance, and the 1997 NL MVP trophy. Still to this day, he is the only Rockies player to ever receive the award. He led the league in WAR for position players, total bases, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Next: Reliving the 5 greatest seasons in Colorado history

Walker had a great career. He retired in 2005 after playing two seasons with the St.Louis Cardinals. It is still a constant debate whether or not he’ll make the Hall of Fame. He has the numbers to get in, and his 1997 season was the greatest in Rockies team history. Will there ever be another? Only time will tell.