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Colorado Rockies: A look at All-Star snubs throughout their history

By Noah Yingling

DENVER, CO - JUNE 19: Adam Ottavino #0 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a game at Coors Field on June 19, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JUNE 19: Adam Ottavino #0 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the New York Mets in the seventh inning of a game at Coors Field on June 19, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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20 Jul 1997: Pitcher Darren Holmes of the Colorado Rockies throws a pitch during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Rockies won the game 9-5.
20 Jul 1997: Pitcher Darren Holmes of the Colorado Rockies throws a pitch during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Rockies won the game 9-5. /

For the first time in their short franchise history, in 1995, the Colorado Rockies would make the postseason by winning the National League Wild Card spot with a 77-67. They were 39-30, which was good enough for first place in the NL West. In fact, they were ahead of the Dodgers by 5 games.

However, they only sent two All-Stars to Arlington, Texas and the Ballpark in Arlington. They would get their first starter in the game, though, as Vinny Castilla started for the National League squad and batted eighth for Montreal Expos Felipe Alou (who was the NL manager because the Expos had the best record in baseball before the player’s strike, that began in August, wiped out the rest of the regular season, all of the postseason, spring training of 1995, and reduced the 1995 season to a 144 game schedule.

The Rockies other All-Star was Dante Bichette.

The Rockies could have had many more, though. One of them could have been reliever Steve Reed, who finished the 1995 season with a WAR north of 4.0. Here’s a look at his first half.

Steve Reed’s 1995 First Half
Split W L W-L% ERA G GS GF SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO WHIP SO9 SO/W
1st Half 1 1 .500 2.31 32 0 9 3 35.0 27 11 9 5 8 1 40 1.000 10.3 5.00
Steve Reed’s 1995 First Half (Opponent’s Results)
Split G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS BAbip
1st Half 32 141 131 11 27 2 0 5 8 40 5.00 .206 .257 .336 .593 .256

Another Rockie that could be an All-Star was another member of the Rockies bullpen. Darren Holmes (who is actually the Rockies bullpen coach now) had a very good first half of the season as well.

First or Second Half — Game-Level
Split W L W-L% ERA G GF SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO WHIP SO9 SO/W
1st Half 5 0 1.000 2.65 31 14 6 34.0 27 10 10 2 13 1 29 1.176 7.7 2.23
First or Second Half
Split G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS BAbip
1st Half 31 139 120 10 27 2 2 2 13 29 2.23 .225 .296 .325 .621 .275

With Reed and Holmes not being regular closers, though, neither one of them were selected as All-Stars. Holmes finished the season with 14 saves but there were seven different Rockies who recorded a save that season, including the Rockies ace, Kevin Ritz, who also could have been an All-Star.

He started 28 games for the Rockies but also made three relief appearances, which included two saves (both were in the second half, though). Here’s a look at his first half stats.

First or Second Half — Game-Level
Split W L W-L% ERA G GS IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO WHIP SO9 SO/W
1st Half 7 3 .700 3.50 14 14 82.1 70 34 32 7 29 0 59 1.202 6.4 2.03
First or Second Half
Split G PA AB R H 2B HR BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+
1st Half 14 343 305 34 70 11 7 29 59 2.03 .230 .302 .341 .643 .263 79 72

As you can see by the tOPS+, with it being lower than 100 (which is equivalent to his full season stats) in the first half, he faded in the second half, though. The sOPS+ is in relation to everyone else in the league.

The Rockies had even more snubs outside of pitching.

Home/Colorado Rockies History