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Colorado Rockies: Top Five Third Basemen in Franchise History

By Noah Yingling

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 12: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies plays third base during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field on September 12, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Cardinals defeated the Rockies 10-3. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 12: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies plays third base during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field on September 12, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Cardinals defeated the Rockies 10-3. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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3 Apr 2000: Jeff Cirillo #7 of the Colorado Rockies stumbles as he throws the ball during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Rockies 2-0.
3 Apr 2000: Jeff Cirillo #7 of the Colorado Rockies stumbles as he throws the ball during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Rockies 2-0. /

Number 3: Jeff Cirillo (7.9 bWAR, 6.9 fWAR, 2 seasons as Rockie)

Like Charlie Hayes, Jeff Cirillo spent only two of his 14 year MLB career with the Rockies and he bounced around to a few different teams, particularly after he left the Rockies.

The Rockies acquired Cirillo in Dealin’ Dan O’Dowd’s first offseason as Rockies GM as he was hired in September of ’99 and Cirillo was acquired in December of ’99.

It was a three-team trade that looked like this:

It was O’Dowd’s second trade of the day involving third basemen on our list as someone coming up on our list was traded away on the same day. These would be the Rockies’ last two trades of the 20th century and the Millenium. They were also O’Dowd’s 5th and 6th trades of the offseason (that’s why he was nicknamed Dealin’ Dan).

Cirillo was an All-Star in his first season as Rockie as he also had a great bat for contact and driving in runs. However, he hit for little power.

In 2000, he had 195 hits, 111 runs, 115 RBI, 53 doubles, and a batting average and on-base percentage of .326 and .392. He also walked nearly as often as he struck out (67 walks and only 72 strikeouts). However, with those 115 RBI, he had an astonishingly low 11 home runs and, therefore, a .477 slugging percentage and an OPS+ below league average (99).

In 2001, he hit .313/.364/.473 with 17 home runs, 83 RBI, 26 doubles, and an OPS+ of 98. His WAR in the two seasons is pretty good because defensively, he was very good. Per FanGraphs, he had 29 TZ (Total Zone rating, which is the predecessor to Defensive Runs Saved, which started to be calculated in 2003) in his two seasons as a Rockie.

Dealin’ Dan dealt Cirillo to the Mariners after the 2001 season for Jose Paniagua, Denny Stark, and a guy by the name of Brian Fuentes so it ended up being a pretty good deal for the Rockies.

That trade and the trade that brought Cirillo to the Rockies will be part of an investigation that we will have here at Rox Pile in the next few days so stay tuned for that soon.

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