Colorado Rockies: top 5 successful players for the Rockies in 2017

2 of 3

DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 29: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies gestures to the crowd after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 29, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

The Colorado Rockies had some ups and downs this past season. Some of the players did not do well and they were disappointing. However, a lot of them made strides in proving their worth and/or the rest of the baseball world that they are pretty good.

The Rockies had some ebbs and flows in the 2017 and some of the players were lived up to or exceeded expectations and some did not. We will cover the top five in both ways but right now, we will cover the top five best in 2017.

To start it off, we start with one of the best, if not the best player, on the Rockies.

Nolan Arenado

The Rockies third baseman had yet another excellent season. He played in 159 games for the Rockies this season and, offensively, he had 100 runs, 187 hits, 43 doubles (which led the National League), seven triples, 37 home runs and 130 RBI.

On his offensive slash line, he hit .309 with a .373 on-base percentage and a .586 slugging percentage. In addition, he had an OPS+ of 132. All of these are career highs.

On the defensive spectrum, the four-time Gold Glover had 20 Defensive Runs Saved, according to Baseball Reference, which ties his total from the 2016, which is the second highest in his career.

In the National League Wild Card game, Arenado only went 1-for-5 but that one hit was a solo home run off Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley in the 8th inning.

He will almost definitely be in the top 10, and potentially top 5, in the National League Most Valuable Player voting.

The Rockies had two MVP candidates on the season. One of them was Nolan Arenado. The other is center fielder Charlie Blackmon.

In 159 games, he had 725 plate appearances, 137 runs, 213 hits,14 triples, and .331 batting average. All of those stats led the National League. In other offensive numbers, he had 35 doubles, 37 home runs, 104 RBI (which is the new all-time lead for a lead off hitter. Darin Erstad of the 2000 Anaheim Angels held the previous record with 100), a .399 on-base percentage, a .601 slugging percentage, and an OPS+ of 142.

Every single one of these stats are career highs for Blackmon. This is the reason that Rockies fans (and even non-Rockies fans) have been championing Blackmon as the player who should be the player that should receive a National League Most Valuable Player award.

He, like Arenado, will be key cogs for the Rockies next season.

Jon Gray

Even though Rockies number 1 starter, Jon Gray, did not pitch well in the National League Wild Card game, he still proved a lot to the Rockies and their fans. On the season in 20 starts, he was 10-4 with a 3.67 ERA and a 136 ERA+.

However, starting on July 25, in 13 starts, he was 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA. He averaged a little bit more than six innings per start in that span with a 80:16 strikeout to walk ratio and an opponent batting average of .244.

Obviously, he still has some growing to do to become an ace (yes, there is a difference between a number one starter and an ace) but he’s still young (he’ll turn 26 in about three weeks) and he made great strides to show that he can be an ace in the very near future.

DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 29: Mark Reynolds #12 of the Colorado Rockies circles the bases after hitting a 2 RBI home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 29, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Mark Reynolds was a player this season that many Rockies fans thought that he should be an All Star. Even though he was not chosen as an All Star, he still proofed a lot and meant a lot to the Rockies.

He was a free agent after the 2016 season and had a much more lucrative offer to play baseball in Japan but he decided to resign with the Rockies for a one year contract for $1.5 million.

He was worth every penny. He played in 148 games and he had 82 runs, 139 hits, 22 doubles, 30 home runs, 97 RBI, a .267/.352/.487 offensive slash line, and an OPS+ of 105.

The Rockies may not be able to resign for the 2018 season but he is definitely somebody that they will be interested in resigning.

Greg Holland

Greg Holland was signed by the Rockies as a reclamation project on an incentive laden “pillow” contract and it worked because he was a huge reason for the Rockies success.

On the season, he pitched in 61 games and he had an ERA of 3.61 with 41 saves (which was the best in the National League).

You may remember his disastrous August in which, in 11 games, he had an ERA of 13.50. Without August, his stats are mind boggling. He didn’t have a month with an ERA above 2.25. Overall, his ERA, without the month of August, was 1.70. He also allowed 23 earned runs all season. 14 of them were in the month of August.

He will not be exercising his player option for this season but the Rockies will look to resign him for the long term this offseason.

Next: Let the pursuit of Greg Holland begin

Honorable Mention

We feel that an honorable mention should be mentioned. That would go to Chris Rusin. In 60 games and 85 innings, he went 5-1 with a 2.65 ERA. He is a big reason why the Rockies bullpen was better than expected this season.

Home / Colorado Rockies News

The Colorado Rockies had some ups and downs this past season. Some of the players did not do well and they were disappointing. However, a lot of them made strides in proving their worth and/or the rest of the baseball world that they are pretty good.

Nolan Arenado

Jon Gray

More from Rox Pile

Greg Holland

Honorable Mention